Following the sightings of yellow aspens during the previous hike on the Upper Blowhard Trail, I was eager to hike the lower section of the Blowhard in search of more. This portion of the trail doesn’t have many aspen trees along the trail itself but it does provide spectacular views of the aspen-draped mountainsides across Cedar Canyon and it also has a few photogenic clusters of aspen lining the meadow at about the two and a half mile mark. Though I chose to hike the Lower Blowhard that day in order to see more fall foliage, I love this trail for many other reasons: the dramatic sandstone cliffs at the trailhead, the views into the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness and up to Cedar Breaks, the switchback section through beautiful fir and spruce forest, and the spectacular half mile long meadow that provides 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains. I did an out-and-back hike this time, but the hike can easily be extended into a loop via Crystal Springs and either the Long Hollow or Potato Hollow Trails.
