The drought was plague enough.
Then the pandemic arrived.
National parks taken for granted before
overflowed with local visitors.
Our favorite hikes grew so crowded
we took to obscure trails.
Up and up and up the southeast canyon wall
over three dozen switchbacks.
The pack I wore contained a small lunch
and four water bottles.
We studied up close the mineral beauty
of dry spill-ways down scratchy tuff.
copyright © 2021 Kenneth P. Gurney
Umflop 