For Karl’s birthday weekend I planned what I called the a waterfall  tour of Utah County. I am sure there are other waterfalls, but the three that we visited we the easiest to get to. It took a little research on my part. But despite the expression on Karl’s face in the pictures below, I think we all had a fun time. Our first stop is a waterfall we have been to lots of times: Bridal Veil Falls. We, meaning I, got a little turned around and we took the wrong turn off to the upper entrance to the falls. We ended up at the overlook first. Which was really pretty.

I figured out where we were going and we made our way there.

It was pretty early in the day, so there were not too many people yet. It was a Saturday, so there was a pretty good group. We were the only people with masks.

Even though it was a hot day in the beginning of the hottest month of the year, the water from the falls was freezing.

The kids only wanted to put their toes in a little.

More people were arriving every minute do we didn’t stay there too long.

 

Our next stop was in Spanish Fork, near the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon. We were headed for the Dripping Rock.

We started up the trial.

It was mostly paved. Which was radical.

We had never been there before, so we weren’t super sure exactly what we were looking for. So we slowly went up the path.

There was no shade on the trail.

SO when we saw the hill slope down to the river and an opening in the trees leading down to the Dripping rock, we were stoked to get cooled off in the water.

It was a really cool place. Not a waterfall in the more traditional sense. But a really cool water feature.

The minute we gave the go ahead to the kids that they could get in the water, they were off like a shot.

Karl hung back with Luna. She was still not sure into getting in the water.

Karl and I swapped puppy time…

He and Lucas did some fun little exploring.

 

These pictures of the kids really show what the light down there was really like. We were just standing in this beautiful shaded river bottom, the water was cold, but not freezing, and was deep in places, making it nice for cooling off on a hot day. It was also shallow enough for the kids to be able to  walk around in it with not trouble.

On closer examination of the dripping rock, you could really see the plants and mud and moss that the water drips through on its way to the river.

We were mostly alone while we were there. There were two other groups, and everyone was really good about keeping distanced from each other.

I got these fun pictures with my babies.

Then the kids found some red mud…

It was thick and bright red in your hand.

Karl got the idea to do some face painting.

My cuties.

Back in the car, we headed to out last stop. We drove out to Paysen, then up a canyon there. It was 30 minutes from the last stop. It was a solid drive out there. When we arrived, we had a picnic lunch. Our tomato plants are really producing these days, and fresh vine ripened tomatoes are about the best thing in the world. So I packed all the delicious fixin’s for deluxe BLT’s

We ate our lunch on a log on the side of the road.

We did give Luna some bacon, and some lunch of her own.

 

Our last waterfall was the Grotto.

This trail was not paved. BUT it was SO beautiful, and the weather was so nice, and the kids and the dog were so happy…it was a really nice way to be together.

The trail suddenly narrows to a log bridge, only wide enough to go one at a time.

And then we were there.

The Grotto is a large round hollow in the rock with a stream of water falling down from above.

The kids were living their best lives.

I plucked up the courage, and took the risk, and had a stranger take our picture.

 

Karl ans Mirah, best buddies.

 

Then this fun picture:

On the hike back down, we were just enjoying the beauty of the place. I mean look at all of these flowers!

Such a great day, and a super fun outing.