At Mile 16.5 is Black Birch Canyon. Contrary to the name, don’t expect to find black birch here. Instead, the valley 1,000 feet below is filled with pine and fir trees. After being wowed by the other stunning landscapes throughout the park, you might be underwhelmed by Black Birch Canyon. So, for the first time all day, watch the skies. You might glimpse a bird soaring overhead with a nine foot wingspan. The California condor – North America’s largest land bird – became extinct in the wild in 1987. The rare scavenger was reintroduced in southern Utah and northern Arizona during an extensive conservation program.
