Strawberry Fields Forever

If you like seeing so many wildflowers that your camera trigger finger wears out and your eyes experience color fatigue, visit the vast area north of Strawberry Reservoir in mid-July.

We drove over last Thursday (about an hour and a half trip from home) and stayed overnight so we could ride the trails two days in a row.

The horses had ample grass available at our campsite. Even there, the flowers had taken over the old two-track and fire pit.

Steve uses a single hobble to tie Boss to a drag log durinig grazing time. That way, Boss can move around but won't go far. Mischief just wanders nearby. He won't leave his more dominant friend. Both wear big cowbells so we can locate them easily if they meander out of sight. At night, we tie both horses to a high line while we sleep in our gooseneck trailer, so that we can be confident they'll still be there in the morning. (Ever heard the old saying, "Good judgment comes from bad experience"? Yes, we learned to take all of these precautions due to a little mishap that led to the horses having a 3 week unsupervised vacation in the mountains back in 2006. But that's a tale for another day.)From a trailhead at 8200 feet(2500 m) to the summit of our rides at 10,400 feet (3200 m) in altitude, the variety and sheer volume of wildflowers were amazing.

This trough, supplied by a natural spring, was put there by ranchers who hold a cattle grazing allottment on the mountain. Daisy and the horses were pleased to take advantage of it. The trough is surrounded by wildflowers, gooseberry bushes and a lovely woods for shade.

The long distance sights were a visual feast as well:

Above are views to the west toward the Wasatch Range.

This photo looks to the south, showing Strawberry Reservoir in the distance.

Different wildflowers will be blooming in August, and in late September, the aspens will turn gold.

"Lord willing and the creek don't rise" (as the old saying goes), we shall return!

For more views from around the world, click here.