EXPLORING LEFT FORK CANYON, ZION NATIONAL PARK

The trail begins after a 30-minute drive over 20 miles away from Springdale, the town outside the main Zion Canyon. Left Fork Canyon moves South West and North East with a creek running over various particles of red rock and sand, lava rock, and layers of shelved stone covered with moss. The trail is all over on the scale of difficulty and terrain, and I would classify it as a strenuous hike. When you start on the South end, you hike for a bit on a flat sand-based ground in a southern Utah desert setting. There are semi-large red cliffs in view behind the scattered desert shrub growth. This terrain lasts for about 20 minutes with a steady pace before the trail drops suddenly into the bottom of the canyon. Boulder hopping, or in this case, large spaced steps arranged in tight switchbacks pull you down into the creek carved canyon. Once you meet the creek you begin to move North East up a slight slope. Which sounds nice and leisurely, and it is for a time, but the trail is not exactly set on a smooth path. Instead, the trail crosses back and forth over the creek countless times, often with more than one trail option to choose from. Climbing over rocks and boulders, choosing path options, and seeking the easiest route is an ongoing physical and mental activity. For someone like myself, who is equipped with video and photography equipment, keeping an ongoing steady pace is difficult as I want to stop around every corner and new formation to capture the glistening water covered red rock. I also did this hike on October 15th, which at the elevation of the canyon, caused all the trees to be at the peak of yellow color and the falling leaves would scatter the ground with every frequent burst of wind. Imagine yellow leaves scattered across a clear flowing creek on top of red rock and sand. With the right light, exposure, and camera capture quality, the essence of this creek was home to creating some beautiful images. When you take a moment from crossing over the creek and boulders and stop to look up from the canyon floor, you might find yourself surprised to be encased by huge red cliffs shooting up on the sides of you. When you are clear of the yellow trees the view of the red cliff is pretty awesome.

Liquid Gold Flowing Creek

While moving up the canyon to the end goal, The Subway, the journey is not a quick or fast experience which can be good and bad. It is good when you want to stop to capture the never-ending visual opportunities, especially on the way back if the sun is lowering in the sky. But it can also be bad if you want to make it out before dark; an early start is recommended. On our way out we were lucky to have the perfect display of light from the evening sun. The sunset glows with brilliant orange and yellow colors like a soft blanket on top of the clear water, yellow leaves, and layered red rock. For my dad, who is a professional photographer, this magnificent scene causes him to hike back out in the dark with a headlamp every time he has entered the canyon, that being over 4 or 5 times now. Because of the constant boulder climbing and trail finding, the time to miles covered ratio is not what you might be used to. On a diverse trail like this one, it may take a little bit longer, though I did stop often, as I mentioned, to document the amazing never ending visuals. Also, I was with my 61-year-old dad which for his age does very well but this trek did not lead us to the main Subway as we were both worn out from the previous day’s hike and decided to turn around about 3/4th of the way. But for me, who did this hike for the first time, I was not disappointed. We ventured in far enough that on the way out I found myself in a videographer and photographer’s playground. The sun had lowered and the sunlit glowing scene I had described before was upon us. With my neutral density filter over my lens, I was able to use a shutter of 10 seconds to create literal liquid gold as the intense glow of the sun ran over the silky red creek that was speckled with yellow leaves. Listen when I say that a combination of 3 natural occurring intense colors of red, orange, and yellow perfectly synced together in the pure wilderness is one of Mother Earth’s most precious gifts and should not be taken lightly. This allowed me to create, to date, some of my best pictures. This made the hike worth it for me, even more than ever reaching a destination. As many may come to realize once pondered upon, hiking is not only enjoyed for the view at the end but for the journey, the experience, and the memories that lead up to the view.

Once we got back to where the trail leaves the bottom of the canyon and shoots up the steps to the higher ground, my legs were scorched with lactic acid built up like a dam holding in water. We made it back to the trailhead at the day’s last moments and when I stopped to look back, the huge red cliffs were drenched in glowing sunlight.  Having just sampled the whole experience of Left Fork, I now know to start much earlier in order to get into The Subway and back out. Though for a photographer, the perfect evening light is the real-time managing tool. For all trails, the journey is as important as the destination but depending on the trail it is important in different ways. For trails where the journey sucks but the destination is magnificent, the end experience won’t be fully appreciated without the effort, or in some cases, the struggle that got you there. Then for trails like this one, from the beginning to the end it is physically demanding. The experience I had within the canyon will be stamped in my memory for a long time.

Fall Leaves Over Shadowed Creek

Smooth Fall Water

Red Rock With Yello Spots

Draped Water With Sunset