Cress Creek Trail

I figured that while I've got some time I just as well get caught up on our adventures. I love adventures. Erica would rather stay home sometimes, but once we get everything rounded up and the kids loaded in the car and get there, she always enjoys herself. Cress Creek Trail is on the way up to Kelly Canyon Ski Resort where we work in the winter. It is not too long, maybe 2 miles total if you do the upper loop too. Its pretty easy for kids and there is lots of stuff to look for. Rattlesnakes, poison ivy, stinging nettle, bees, rattlesnakes, and other fun stuff too. We didn't see any of that stuff but we saw lots of flowers, some moss, a chipmunk, and some trees were in bloom (no idea what kind, but they sure smelled good).

A little history about this place is related to my family. My dad told me that when the Hills first settled this area in the late 1800s, they used to go up in the winter to pick water cress to have some fresh greens to eat so they didn't get scurvy. The creek is heated enough by geothermal heat that it doesn't freeze in the winter. Neat huh!

Here is a couple pictures from our adventure. Hope you don't get pictured out. I love taking pictures and sharing them.

Perdy, ain't it.

Jamison ready to go!

Only you can prevent erosion!

McKinley was messing around and tipped over in the backpack. Gavin was helping her get out by dropping rocks on her head.

This moss/lichens were cool. They were tiny. The 'sticks' are needles from a spruce tree.

This flower picture turned out good.

Happy hiker!

McKinley wanted to pick all of the pretty flowers she saw. We told her to leave the flowers so other people could enjoy them, but we figured it would be okay if she picked this monster dandelion.

This is Cress Creek with a dry McKinley before she fell in while messing around.