The trailside ponds and the deeper reaches of the canyon — Monkey Rock, the still pools, and the lush green heart of the East Trail before the climb.
The canyon closes in around you here, taller and narrower and greener, into the loveliest, most sheltered stretch of the whole walk. Watch for the little ponds along the trail — still, dark, green pools where the river pools up behind ledges of rock, mirroring the cliffs and the trees. In the fall, with the maples blazing overhead and doubled in the water, this is about the most photographed spot in the park, and you'll see why.
Keep an eye on the canyon walls too. This area's got some fun named rock formations — watch for one they call Monkey Rock, a bit of the cliff that, with a little imagination, looks like a monkey's face peering down at you. These grottoes and overhangs and hanging gardens of ferns, wherever water seeps out of the rock, are the cool damp heart of the maples' world.
Enjoy the easy walking and the deep shade while you've got it, because I'll be straight with you: this is about where the trail changes its mind. In a little while, the path is going to turn away from the gentle river and start climbing — steeply — up out of the canyon toward the overlook. So this is a good place to catch your breath, take a drink, and maybe a photo of these ponds. And it's a fine, quiet place for a tale. Boone's got the big one for you here — the story of how these maples came to be lost in the first place. Linger by the water a minute and let him tell it.
Photo: Alec Norman · CC BY-SA 3.0
