Comments: I used to hike this trail almost weekly when I lived in Canyon. If you want solitude and a bit of that pioneer feeling, this is a good trail. There are parts of this trail that are a bit wild as nature has taken control of some of the areas. Painted buntings can be found in the junipers along the ridge that follows the road from the visitor's center. There is a large area of flat rocks that extend from this ridge that overhang an area shaded by large trees, both junipers and deciduous. That is where I could always find the elusive little birds. but be very quiet! The trail is especially nice early in the morning in the spring when there is a fog settling in the canyon. You are almost guaranteed to run into some deer on the trail. They aren't used to seeing a lot of people in this area of the park.