Kings Hill Scenic Byway

20090531 – Kings Hill Scenic Byway

After some morning birding at Aspen Campground we continued South on US89 for a few miles. We birded a cemetery, drove some more, then stopped for a short hike to Monarch Falls. A beautiful Falls with an upper and a lower section, quite accessible and enjoyed by children playing around the edges and trying to move logs and other fun things. We lunched there, then continued South, stopping at a now closed ski area that was highlighted on the birding trail guide. Then pulled into USFS Jumping Creek Campground on Sheep Creek. USFS has been cutting fallen trees, providing a more than ample supply of firewood for each of the 10 campsites (and for some locals poaching the supply, enjoying the free labor of the forest service crew). We hiked, napped, read and birded the remainder of the day here.

Birds: Yellow Rumped Warbler, American Robin, Chipping Sparrow, Common Raven, Red Eyed Vireo, Warbling Vireo, Mountain Chickadee, American Dipper, Grey Jay, Sandhill Crane, Ruffed Grouse (heard drumming).