Pole Canyon-Timber Creek Loop, GBNP

I woke up tired, but it was a beautiful morning, and I really wanted to go on a long hike. Pole Canyon is gorgeous this time of year, and I never got around to hiking it last year, so off I went.

I wanted to do the whole loop, so I parked near the entrance of Grey Cliffs and hiked down to the Pole Canyon trail. I crossed Baker Creek, which is rather low this year.

And then I got distracted by birds, violet-green swallows in particular. They perched so I could get a look at them.

A bit up the trail I got distracted by this Hooker's balsamroot, growing low to the ground. Many flower species are extra diminuitive this year due to the lack of precip. This was the only Hooker's balsamroot I saw on the whole hike, so I was glad I photographed it!

Pole Canyon is fun because it goes through a bunch of habitats. Most of it is an old grade, and the gradient is not too steep.

Some of the water crossings are dry, even though it's May and this should be the wettest time of year.

The lower part of Pole Creek was dry, but as I got up higher into the limber pine and white fir, I could hear the creek. A bunch of horsetails are along one short stretch of the trail.

Then the trail comes out into nice meadows and water birches along the creek.

Up higher there are some ponderosa pines, along with limber pines and white fir and aspen.

I finally got to the junction trail.

When I looked at the other part of the sign, I had to laugh. It said the trailhead was 2.5 miles. The sign at the trailhead said the junction was 1.8 miles. It's somewhere in that vicinity!

Goosefoot violets are now blooming.

From the trail sign, the trail ascends steeply up to the ridge to the west, and you get a view looking back down Pole Canyon.

Near the ridgeline, you get great views of Doso Doyabi, which still has a dusting of snow.

I even found one patch of snow near the trail.

I was surprised how brown the Timber Creek section looks. Hopefully it will green up soon.

I found a bunch of snow buttercups.

Near the Timber Creek trailhead are these lovely bridges.

And then I was at the trailhead. I took a sharp right to take the trail down to Baker Creek campground.

Through the trees I spotted a couple marmots lounging on boulders.

I went through Baker Creek campground, the connector trail, through Grey Cliffs Campground, and then back to my vehicle. Here's a different yellow violet, with different-shaped leaves. Overall, I think it was about 10 km or 6 miles. With my frequent stops for birds and flowers, it took me about 3 1/4 hours, and I only saw two other hikers. It's a lovely jaunt when it's not too hot.