Juniper Gulch

This realitively short hike offers a lot of adventure and a great sampling of the unique Leslie Gulch environment. Fifteen million years ago, violent explosive eruptions blanketed this area in massive layers of hot ash and rhyolite pyroclastic flows. Subsequent uplift, erosion and weathering have exposed and sculpted the complex of layers into colorful and convoluted cliffs, spires, canyons and ridges. Honeycomb-like pocking was created by hot gasses trapped within layers of ash and mud. In just about 3 miles, this adventurous little hike allows one to experience the dramatic geological history of this magnificent landscape. You'll hike along the base of towering cliffs and castle-like spires, scramble over and around gargoyle-like outcroppings and under tunnel-like overhangs, and finish with a grand view of the maze of canyons and rock formations you just passed through. Bighorn sheep, Rocky Mountain elk, western meadowlark, and California quail are frequently seen in the area. The trail starts out fairly easy, but the last third or so becomes quite steep, with multiple possible routes. Some routes may require some scrambling.