The trail passes through meadows and shady riparian zones along the creek. In a flat half mile you’ll come to remnants of a homestead: old fence posts and some gnarled fruit trees. After another easy mile of vistas, sage and a campsite or two, the canyon begins to close in. Red and gray basalt cliffs are fringed with vivid pads of green grass. Life is lush here. Evidence of beavers is everywhere: dams, gnawed trees, and lodges. Get lucky and you may even see bighorn sheep. And don’t forget to watch for rattlesnakes.