Four fantastic Trailblazers set out from Rim Top Trailhead on a one-way hike to Two Sixty Trailhead. We enjoyed the best summer weather imaginable: 70° with a clear sky and a light breeze.

“They started to mark the Rim Lakes Vista Trail with blue diamonds, but ran out of them and started using gray,” Ted explained. Drivers waited for us as we crossed the Rim Road. The first part of the trail, which parallels Highway 260, was idyllic.

But change is in the air. They were logging south of Rim Top Trailhead in 2016, and now part of the Rim Lakes Vista Trail is a road. It leads to a new communications tower. Ted walked around trying to find the spot where he had taken pictures earlier, but finally just took a picture and left.

We enjoyed amazing overlooks along the Rim Lakes Vista Trail. Then we got to the Military Sinkhole Overlook, the finest of all. Another hiker took our group picture, then we began our descent on the Military Sinkhole Trail.

Although it looks like it’s going on down to the highway, the trail turns northwest and crosses a canyon before going on down to Two Sixty Trailhead.

Raindrops started falling as soon as the hike was over. Ted drove everyone back to Rim Top Trailhead, and we all started home.