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Day 8 - Grand Canyon: Widforss Point day hike

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This was a very pleasant little day hike with virtually no climbing involved. We started again at around 8:00 and took our time walking the 5 miles out to Widforss Point, which is not actually Widforss Point, but rather an overlook of Widforss Point. The first mile or so of the trail is through the forest and you don't get to see that much. We encountered some minor ups and downs as the trail crossed drainages that head down into Transept Canyon. After a mile or maybe a little more the trail came out to the rim and offered some splendid views of Transept Canyon.

After a mile or maybe a little more along and near the rim the trail heads back into the forest for the remaining 2 1/2 miles or so that it takes to get to Widforss Point. This section of the trail is very nice and cool and shady. It passes through a very nice glade along the way that is heavily populated with Quaking Aspens. The smell of the Ponderosa Pine is also very predominant along many sections of the trail and there are some very fine examples of this tree. I dawdled along this section as there was a large number of wildflowers which I particularly enjoyed: Hoary Aster, Butterfly Weed and Palmer Lupin.

When we finally reached Widforss Point it was just after noon and we found a very nice spot for our picnic lunch overlooking Haunted Canyon below. There were only 4 other people out there and we hadn't encountered anyone during the hike out. After lunch I took some photos and we headed back.

On the way back I dawdled some more looking for fossils in the Kaibab Limestone when the trail broke back out to the rim near the head of Transept Canyon. I found some very nice Crinoid fossils which are the remains of an animal that resembles the modern day sea lily. I also spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get a decent photo of a Kaibab Squirrel. As you can see, I did not succeed, though the actual photo (slide) is much better than the scan that is posted here. Too dark for the scanner or something. When we finally got back to the parking lot there was a group of wild turkeys hanging around - a mother and 6 chicks. I tried to get a photo of the group but the mother succeeded in getting the chicks to hide before I was ready. She then proceeded to lead me away from them.


The Transept from the Widforss Trail

Chrinoid and coral fossils along the Widforss Trail

View from Widforss Point at the end of the Widforss Trail

Glimpse of a Kaibab squirrel along the Widforss Trail

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