Cascade Springs

Yesterday our adventure was a hike around the natural springs nearby. Cascade Springs is located in the Uinta National Forest off the Alpine Loop road. The Alpine Loop is a beautiful drive on its own, connecting Provo and American Fork canyons and sporting grand vistas of the Wasatch mountain range. Off the loop road is a Scenic Byway that takes would be adventurers to Cascade Springs, another amazing drive with views that my young children didn’t appreciate. The springs has a series of interconnected paths and boardwalks that meander past natural springs. The path is paved but there are stairs in parts so strollers are not recommended.

On this adventure my sister brought her four boys along too. With our children ranging from age 10 to 9 months we raced, walked, jumped and climbed our way through the maple, box elder and oaks. Thanks to the signs along the trail we learned about yellow warblers, forest fire, and stinging nettle (yes it really stings). The hike isn’t too strenuous, there are water fountains along the way and it’s beautiful. All in all it was a great adventure.

Bridal Veil Falls Summer Edition

When I asked Big E where he wanted to go yesterday he said Bridal Veil Falls without a second thought. I tried to encourage a choice that didn’t involve packing, loading, buckling, driving, unbuckling, and unloading but in the end it was worth it.

The paved trail makes for easy stroller access which is more comfortable for me than the hiking pack anyway. Like all of our adventures it seems, this one involved water and throwing things into it. The great thing about Bridal Veil is that the water was low enough that I wasn’t worried about letting Big E splash around by himself while little g and I watched from the side. It’s beautiful, has easy access and was quite fun. However it was cold water, for sure.

Full moon lift ride at Sundance

Living in the mountains is especially magical when there is a full moon.  The otherworldly quality of the silver moonlight on the aspens and oaks is magnificent.  With the summer solstice later this month the days are getting longer and longer.  And because of that, the nights are shorter and shorter leaving less time to enjoy the beauty of a moonlit world.  Lucky for Mountain Dad and me we live near Sundance Resort.
Throughout the summer Sundance offers moonlight lift rides during the full moon.  So Monday night saw us in line at 9:00 pm for a relaxing ride up the mountain.  Soaring over the pine trees and mountain bike trails into the twilight was like leaving a mundane world for a magical one.  The warm wind on our face got colder the higher we got.  The pleasant ride next to my sweetheart was one part romance, another adventure.  The moon was blocked by the mountains at the base but after 10 minutes on Rays Lift we saw the bright yellow orb rising in the east.  It was beautiful and lit everything with its otherworldly glow.
I have to say this was one of my favorite experiences so far this year.  It was fun to get out into nature and experience the beauty of that bright night sky.