The Vortex

For me, there has to be some element of a hike that makes it really special in at least one of three categories: the actual hike or trail itself, some special geographical element, or an incredible view at the end. The Bowl achieves a higher than average score on its trail but nothing spectacular. You start in a high desert terrain and quickly cross a wash into sandstone slickrock and sand. It’s a lot more stone than sand luckily. Sand can be a real pain after a very short distance. But what really makes The Bowl special is its geographical formation at the end of the hike. After a short mile or so in, you will loop right onto a large sandstone rise. It doesn’t seem like the right thing to do when looking for a huge hollowed-out bowl in sandstone, but it is. I learned the hard way where it was by overshooting it and climbing to the highest point I could find in order to get a better vantage point. This is a good time to mention that more preparation and planning is always a good idea. Once you climb up the sandstone tower, you’ll notice a shallow bowl filled with sand and grass and, depending on the recent weather and season, maybe even some water. That’s not the actual Bowl with a capital B, but it’s still a cool additional feature. As you head further up the tower, you’ll come to the real Bowl.