Edmaier’s Secret

The previous post from this series can be accessed here.

Campsite 15, May 2, 2023 - We found a great campsite near several trails we wanted to explore. From our campsite we could walk to the first trailhead. We had not heard of it before, but when we saw the name “Edmaier’s Secret“ on the map we had to go! We looked up what we could find about it online. We needed a permit, but we could pay online. After paying our fee, we wrote our confirmation number on a piece of paper and placed it on the dash. That was our permit!

The next morning, we drove the 1/4 mile to the trailhead. Yes, we were being lazy, but we needed a place to post our permit! The permit fees pay for restrooms at the trailhead and trail maintenance.

The day started out cool, but we knew it would soon be hot. The trail started in sagebrush and grass with interesting sandstone outcroppings. At about one mile, we passed through a rock formation that felt like a gate. Occasionally there were stone formations that would catch our attention. Even better formations were ahead.

There is no trail to Edmaier’s Secret. It isn’t even one thing. It’s an area. We needed to watch the map and our location on it to determine the best place to go cross country. Eventually our trail came to a sandy wash. We consulted our map and decided the wash would be a good route to our destination. It would provide easy walking and be easy to relocate when we were done exploring the area.

Have you ever walked on a beach on a hot day, but in hiking boots. Every step forward makes your back foot slide into the sand, which then finds every opening to fall into your boots. In a few hundred yards the wash veered off to the north, our left. We had a choice to continue following it or start up the “slick-rock” in front of us. After consulting the map again, we decided the formations were more directly in front of us than north and at the top of the slick-rock, we would have a good view of the area. We could use that view to determine where to go from there.

At first it was more solidified rock dunes, like those we had seen in most other areas of southwest Utah.

Looking down from the top of the slick-rock dune

Typical sandstone from the area

As we climbed down, we started seeing thin layers of rock protruding from the ground. We had to be careful not to step on any of the delicate fins.

Then we saw more farther to the north.

There were formation everywhere. Some were fins jutting up from the ground. Others were huge lumps of stone with fins. Next to these were typical sandstone.

The fins looked like they were made of sandstone but why did the rock around them wear away leaving the fins? Were both made of sandstone or were the fins made of another material? I have not found out. Everything I read says “sandstone formations.” Maybe it is just harder sandstone but it’s super interesting.

It had turned into a hot day and was now approaching noon. We spotted a single tree in the distance and headed toward its shade for lunch. We were not the only ones to have looked for shade under this tree. Cows had been here and left their “mark.” It seems like cows would ruin the delicate stone structures. I guess it’s obvious to a cow that there isn’t much point in venturing into the area. There are lots of rocks but not much grass.

The Lunch Spot

After finishing lunch, we started back toward the trail. This time returning via the wash to the north that we had rejected before. As we approached the trail, we heard voices. We saw three men consulting their map. They were standing in almost the exact same spot by the wash where we had stopped. They were unaware of our presence. We stayed hidden. Finding the route is part of the fun. It makes you feel as if you are the only one that knows something special is there. We didn’t want to ruin that feeling for them. They soon started on down the trail. Maybe they weren’t headed to Edmaier’s Secret.

For next week’s post, do we head back to the Jeep or follow the three men south. Clearly, we head south!

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