May 31 – Lynn Canyon

We drove a short distance north to explore Lynn Canyon Park with a few hundred of our closest friends.

When I looked at the park map I was worried that the trails were quite short and we might finish too quickly. I had actually planned for a second destination today. There was no need. There were so many beautiful spots to stop and stare, and even though the trails were short there were SO MANY STAIRS that we were quite tired by the end.

When we arrived there was a sign saying that the suspension bridge was closed as of May 7th but that was not quite the case. It looks like they are redoing the anchor points for the bridge and were currently doing the rebar for the concrete anchors. So the bridge is still open but I don’t know for how much longer. It would seem strange to close it just before the busy summer season.

We crossed the bridge and headed down to look at Twin Falls. After lunch we retraced our steps and went north to the 30 foot pool and then continued on do to a loop back to the start.

I quickly took Jennie across the bridge and then came back to take some pictures. There were lots of moving people so the bridge bounced around quite a bit.

Especially when this class of Japanese school kids went across.

Looking way down and upstream. There was nothing special about the downstream view.

A closer look at the falls.

And the photosphere from the bridge.

Heading toward the Twin Falls there were a few flat spots but it was mostly many long flights of stairs.

Most people just go to the 30 foot pool, because the trail is mainly flat, so this part of the park was not very busy.

The bridge is directly over the falls so we got a top down view.

The trail loops back to the suspension bridge but we weren’t going that way. I climbed up anyway for a shot back down.

I thought that we might get a face on view of the falls if we went farther downstream. We climbed down this root covered hill along the fence.

If we stood (even me) on this rock by the large tree we could get a good view.

Much better.

A photosphere while standing on the rock.

Jennie continued down the fence to river level so I followed and I am sure glad we did.

Jennie explored the shoreline.

We only saw two other people here and they came down after we had had lunch and were ready to leave.

We had lunch out on that rock with a great view upstream.

The water was very clear. We guessed that it was at least 8 feet deep in the pool.

A photosphere from our lunch spot.

Watching the water gliders.

Back up we go.

It seemed like a long climb back up to the suspension bridge junction. We didn’t have the heart to count the stairs.

As I said the trail to the 30 foot pool is mostly flat with only a few stairs.

We popped out to the rock strewn river for a look. There were lots of people posing.

Looking upstream towards the pool.

It looked pretty busy.

Thankfully it was mainly a class of kids that were leaving just as we got there. The 30 foot deep pool is just to the right of the picture below

The pool is just behind that rocky point. There were signs everywhere about not diving from the cliffs, listing all the people that have died doing it.

A photosphere from here.

If you go out to the end of the point and crouch down you can see a small waterfall upstream.

The trail continued north but first we had to climb up another long set of stairs.

I did a photosphere from the stairs.

The trail was mercifully flat until we got to the bridge at the top.

The view downstream.

The view upstream was obscured by a pipeline bridge.

We had to walk along a road for a short while before the trail headed back into the woods. It proceeded high above the river.

Until we quickly went back down to river level.

A short look at the river and then we had to climb back up to the suspension bridge.

I did another quick bounce across and back. Jennie declined. I couldn’t decide which view I liked better, skinny or wide.

It is much harder to get a good picture of the falls when it is sunny.

And then home for our dual rewards again (ice cream and nap).