I love the tiny town of Boulder, Utah. So many good things about this place including the many windows in our airy, lux room at the Boulder Mountain Lodge. Right next door is the Burr Trail Outpost which was the only Boulder business serving food on December 31, 2017. No problem. That's all we needed.
From Boulder head towards Bryce on Highway 12 -"A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway." Highway 12 leads to Capitol Reef National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park and connects humans to portions of the majestic Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (don't ever shrink this place again, please!).
Exit Boulder to white dome tops and then back down down into red canyons, along a spine or ridge or hogback where both sides of the road drop deep down into winding, horseshoe canyons. After a few minutes and a few "turn or die" moments, we descended to Calf Creek Campground and Lower Calf Creek Falls trailhead.
The Lower Calf Creek Falls hike winds around the flat and sandy creek bed for three miles until it dead-ends into the falls.
Just go! Lenses can't do justice, especially in the drab winter.
The falls drop more than 100 feet. We had them all to ourselves. What a way to spend New Year's Eve.
Our feet and knees paid the price for 6-miles walking in the sand but it was worth it!
So lucky to have experienced this place in the quiet, cool winter and will love to see it again in the hot, busy summer.