Indian Staircase Ridge

1/7/16

The weather was perfect and the semester hasn't started yet, so I decided to dump the kids at school/daycare and head to the gorge.

I've been wanting to explore the Indian Staircase area so that is where I headed. Started at the Bison Way trailhead, then up the trail to the Sheltowee Trace and then took the Indian Staircase Bypass trail from "Hinterlands".

Spooked 3 deer just as I got to the top of the ridge and then I sat and enjoyed lunch with a view.

I poked around the rockhouse under the ridge. I'm always intrigued by different shapes in the sandstone.

Followed the ridgeline towards the Indian Staircase and again enjoyed the views.

I wonder what made this circle in the cliff? I mean I know it was water a long time ago, but what made it a circle and left the surrounding area flat?

Then poked around the rockhouse at the end of the canyon before climbing back up on the ridge.

I filtered water from the trickle that becomes Sargent Branch and then headed up the "ATV Highway" and out the "Four Wheeled Wonderland trail. There are some amazing views on those ridges.

The light was really harsh, so this is the best picture I got of Cloudsplitter.

Then back towards the Indian Staircase trail and the Sheltowee Trace.

A great 5 hours in the gorge.