Sound of Silence Trail (Uintah County, Utah)

Rising early for my second day of exploring Dinosaur National Monument, I set myself to completing two short trails on the western side of the park this morning. The first is called the Sound of Silence Trail. The trailhead is little more than a pull-off along the paved park road, but the park service has provided adequate signage.

As I take my first steps down the trail, I know very little about what to expect, other than the general route. The trail crosses an open area before entering the a red wash flanked by sandstone hills on either side. The trail mostly follows this relatively large wash for the first half of the distance. I've said in the past that the desert holds a sort of unique and savage beauty, but it's so very true here.

Eventually, the trail leaves the main wash and heads into a side wash, with red clay slopes on either side. As it twists and turns, I get glimpses of the larger landscape around me, the mountains above me, and the open fields behind me.

The name of this trail reminds me of something from a movie I saw long ago. One of the characters speaks about music he once heard in the desert. Not the kind of music heard with one's ears, but the kind that can be heard in the silence with one's soul. In this place, I can almost hear that music.

Finally, the trail reaches the plateau above the wash and I can see the entire landscape in all directions. It is truly magnificent. From this vantage point, I can see miles in all directions. Split Mountain sits to the northeast with the Green River flowing below it. To the south, a vast plain opens up to grazing land. 

The return to the trailhead requires a bit of easy rock scrambling as it returns me down to the beginning elevation. I covered about 3.2 miles along this trail. They were easy miles with great views.