North Shore - Bell's Trailhead to River Bend Campground Loop #1

Leg 1 -  Bell's Trailhead > Trailhead to Trailhead (S) > Dinosaur Trail > Upper Big Hill > service road (S) > Badlands > park road to River Bend Campground   3.4 miles

Leg 2 -  River Bend Campground > Lower Ghost Camp Trail > South Slick Rock > North Slick Rock > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > North Scenic Loop > Trailhead to Trailhead (N) > Shady Trail > Bell's Trailhead   2.4 miles

Temp started at 46, ended at 65.  Sunny with a steady North wind.

A nice hike along groomed, damp trails.  Severe winds had blown through the past few days and there was debris on the trails that I removed.  Not much animal activity except for an Axis Deer buck I spotted at the beginning of the hike (photo attached).  Bird activity was minimal and the grasshoppers were not as plentiful as they were a few weeks ago.  At the River Bend Campground, I saw a Loggerhead Shrike and there was plenty of standing water in the river; unfortunately, the water was not flowing into the lake.

Quiet and peaceful but not much going on.

NOTES

Info kiosk and a bicycle repair station at Bell's Trailhead.  Water and shade available at the nearby campground.

Water, shade, and info kiosk at the Dinosaur Tracks Viewing Area.

Water, shade, info kiosk and dry toilets available at River Bend Campground.