Linton Lake

Going hiking with a 4 year old is something that everyone should experience. They have little legs that do not move incredibly fast and short attention spans. I was still going to take the opportunity to have a day of hiking with my son. Zyla and Jacqueline were going with her friend Lillia to town to paint pottery to celebrate Zyla's birthday, so I decided to take Conrad hiking. This was going to be one of our last hiking trips in the McKenzie area as we had decided to take jobs back in Southern Utah. We really liked this area, but ours jobs had become pretty rough with massive staff layoffs and increased workload. I was feeling over my head with teaching 6 grades and I needed a new start. I decided to take Conrad to one of the first places that we hiked when we came out to the McKenzie area, Linton Lake.

It was a warm Saturday on Memorial Day weekend in May. Somehow, 242 was open, so Conrad and I took advantage of that. We got a leisurely start and the trailhead was pretty quiet when we got there. Once we hit the trail, there were lots of branches and small limbs down. Since we were up there so early this year, I am sure that the trail crew hadn't been up there yet. Conrad was a good hiker, but he got easily distracted. His favorite thing seemed to be to find a stick to walk with. That stick could be used for many things most of those would be defeating his enemies which were the shrubs and pushes all around. He was being a very good hiker and enjoyable company. There is not much more entertaining than the ideas that a 4-year-old comes up with while hiking. 

The trail is only a couple of miles in, so soon we were at the lake. It was a warm day, so we found a place to sit, have a snack, throw rocks and pine cones in the lake, and eventually get our feet wet. It was early season, so the lake was very cold. I could not get up the guts to go all in, but we both at least got our feet wet. This lake was so pretty when it was packed full of water. I wanted to bring a paddle board out here as it was only a few miles in. Sadly, since we were moving away from the McKenzie, I was going to miss my opportunity to do this. That is why you have to make the most of each day, because you don't know when that opportunity will come up again. Just like today when I got the opportunity to hike with just me and my four year old son. 

He may not remember the hike specifically in the years to come, but I am sure he will remember that he enjoys hiking with his dad. He also enjoys finding large sticks to attack the bushes with. I think it is great that kids this age can find enjoyment and pleasure in so many different things. We as adults, get so used to the monotonous and the every day that we tend to forget about the simple pleasures. That is what having a four year old child to hike with can show you. You don't always have to go to some new and crazy place to have a new and exciting experience. Sometimes that experience is just what you make it when you are out there. Today we had a great day walking in the sunny afternoon to a great big lake up a steep highway with lots of large sticks to attack many small bushes. I look forward to many exciting hiking trips with Conrad in the future.