Northgate Peaks Trail in Zion National Park

 We drove up the Kolob Terrace Road on the west side of Zion NP to do the Northgate Peaks Trail. This is a 4.2 mile hike with minimal elevation gain. Our hike started at the Wildcat Canyon Trailhead. We had great views of Pine Valley Peak during the first part of the hike.

 The trail goes through sagebrush meadows and pine forests in the high desert. A short connector trail took us to the Northgate Peaks trail.

 we went past a small pond

 and lots of manzita in bloom.

 We had some glimpses of the canyon walls across Russell Gulch.

At the end of the trail, we had great views of North Guardian Angel, Northgate Peaks and looking back toward Pine Valley Peak (pano looking south to west to north):

 North Guardian Angel and the Greatheart Mesa to the south.

 zoom of the Greatheart Mesa

 looking east toward Russell Gulch

 these rocks where a great place to eat lunch and enjoy the views

 squirrels and lizards kept us company

 We watched as some hikers scrambled up on of the Northgate Peaks

 From the side of that Northgate Peak, we looked across Russell Gulch

 Some of the wildflowers and plants we saw along the hike: