May 20

We slept under a clear desert sky.  The moonless night made star gazing exciting.  It was the first time students had ever seen the Milky Way.  Waking up to the sun rising over the red cliffs was equally inspiring.  We made it to our trailhead early for our first hike: Negro Bill Canyon.  Everyone kept a good pace despite the rising temperatures.  We enjoyed a nice lunch at a local eatery and spent time browsing the shops of Moab.

Quotables for the day:

• "What's that smell?"  Reply: "Nature."
• "Is that the end?"  Asked by Charmonique about a dozen times along the trail.
• "Everywhere you look...this whole state is a postcard."

For three students, the Negro Bill Canyon trail was the first hike in their lives.

Annie breaks camp at Dewey Bridge Campground and readies for a day in Moab, UT.

At the end of trail in Negro Bill Canyon.