I was moseying along Rte. 14, taking in the scenery, when I spotted this creek at the side of the road.  I slammed on the breaks and swerved into a tiny turnout, probably surprising the poor guy behind me.  The scene I found was idyllic: a perfectly clear stream quietly flowing between boulders, surrounded by pine trees and bordered by a rough footpath.

As I followed the stream a short distance, I came upon a patch of aspen trees.

I guess it has something to do with the fact that I live in Florida, where there certainly are no aspen trees, but I find them fascinating.  I mean, they’re white, what’s the deal with that?  Their bark is paper-thin, and almost anywhere you find them, someone has carved initials into them.  To top it all off, their leaves seem to sparkle in the wind, when the thin air brushes through their branches.  It’s a remarkable tree.

I can only assume that at this point, the thin air was getting to me.

Navajo Lake

From Rte. 14, you’ll enjoy a good view of the perfectly-blue waters of Navajo Lake.  The lake is at 9,200 feet, offers a campground and a lodge, as well as countless trout, just waiting to be caught.

Around the area of Rte. 148 (where I turned off, on my way to Cedar Breaks and Bryce Canyon) you’ll pass through some lovely alpine meadows.

Note: This trip was first published in 2007.