Skyline Trail Abajo Mountains

To escape the heat, we drove up to the Abajo Mountains in the Manti-La Sal National Forest north of Blanding Utah. The Skyline Trail is a 5+ mile trail connecting the Causeway Trailhead with the Shay Ridge Trailhead. We decided to start at the Causeway Trailhead (8,200 ft) and hike up until we had great views and then return. We hiked up 3.5 miles to 10,700 ft then returned for a 7 mile round trip hike with 2,500 ft of gain.  We saw some bear hunters driving along the road, but we were the only people on this trail today.
From the trailhead, this trail goes up, we soon had fabulous views looking out over the north portion of Cedar Mesa, the Bears Ears can be seen on the horizon.

We hiked thorugh a field of balsamroot in bloom.

There were lots of bluebells in bloom among the trees.

Horse camp about 1/2 mile up the trail

Beautiful aspen trees as the sun rises above the mountains

There were quite a few downed trees both before and after the horse camp.

As the trail emerged above the forest, we had wonderful panoramic views

We could see into the southern portion of Canyonlands to the northwest.

The trail entered the woods again for a short ways, here we came across the only snow/ice patch on the trail, it was right along a steep slope.

We reached the saddle and trail junction at 2.5 miles.













View of the ridge line we are hiking up from the saddle. We would go up another mile.

colorful rocks

View as we continue up the ridge

Enjoying the views as we continue hiking up

Panoramic view from our lunch spot at 10,700 ft: amazing! Fun to see so many of the areas we have been hiking in this past week.

Horned toad lizard
















Watching the clouds roll in as we hike back out.

Some of the many wildflowers we saw along the trail today: