Horseshoe Canyon - Drumheller - May 12, 2023

Spring time is the best time to venture on down into Horseshoe Canyon, that's what I think!  What greenery there is will be green, it's ahead of the tourist season, there will be colour in the weeds & wildflowers and it is before the heat hits. Well, it's spring so it's go time.   It was a last minute decision to head here this morning.  The forecast starting tomorrow is for a heat wave and being down in the Badlands is the last place I want to go when the heat happens.  Down in the canyon bottom can be quite warm to begin with, today it was the warmest I have ever experienced.  

The gate was open so I parked in the inner lot.  I read you now have to pay to park here but there were no signs saying so.  There was an unmanned booth at the entrance.  I looked for a pay machine but saw none. I would deal with it upon my return if necessary.  It was time to gear up and get going!  Before heading down, this was the scene from a viewing deck of where I was aiming.  I have been to Horseshoe Canyon many times yet whenever I am here, it feels like new. I always try for different trails.

following the fenced pathway that leads to the stairs

standing here puts the size of these formations into perspective 

Once I was at the bottom, I climbed back up again in another direction, 

to get this view of the path I followed.

Never have I ever seen so many crocuses in Horseshoe Canyon.  

Many were in their prime while loads of others had already gone to seed.

view after climbing even higher in another location

doing a little wandering to see what I can see

The variety of birds was plentiful from what I could tell by the songs I heard. I was only able to spot and snap shots of a few.  I assumed they were blending in with the backdrop and the ground cover.  There were a dozen or so Robins.

Brewer's Blackbird.

Vesper Sparrow

For taking selfies, I went where I could get to in ten seconds.  

There was not a cloud in sight.  The only white speck was the partial moon.  There was no shade to be had and I knew that would be the case coming into this hike.  I knew too it would be on the warm side but I was not expecting the high heat.  I stopped to savour many sips and carried on.  My thinking was this would be the last time down here until maybe well into autumn or early winter, so make the most of it.   

I like seeing this colour of ground cover,.

Time came to climb up out of the canyon.  Nearing the end of the canyon bottom, I spotted a boy and his toy.  His toy sat in park gear on the hillside while he himself geared down to shorts and a short sleeve shirt.  I waited to watch the toy move on up.

By the time I arrived up at the rim, the parking signs were placed at the entrance and two attendants were in the booth.  I could have just walked past but I stopped by and gave my two dollars.  There was some shelter up here and it was that covered picnic area over there where I had my lunch before heading on home.