The reason the trail has to run halfway up the canyon is to skirt around Enchantment Resort.  In places you are hiking right along the fenced boundary with plenty of warning to stay out, security cameras and all.  The resort looks nice and new but seemed fairly quiet and empty as we hiked by.

Not too far into the trail there's an opportunity to head up a spur trail away from the resort to get to the base of this spire.  Not sure why but we decided against hiking up to that.