The rustling from a grove of gambel oak sounds too loud to be the wind on the sparse leaves still hanging onto the late November branches high in Ophir Canyon.
A small mass of movement in between the tree trunks betrays itself with a few quiet gobbles. As the wild turkeys waddle uphill, three deer spring suddenly to action and flurries of snow begin to fall.
Hiking in gorgeous Ophir Canyon can be a confusing prospect. “No trespassing” notices appear up and down the canyon, interspersed with “Entering public lands” signs. Fear not, hikers: Porphyry Hill is a safe bet, almost entirely on the Lion Hill Loop, a larger loop trail the county maintains for pedestrians, cyclists, ATVs and horses.