McDonough Wildlife Refuge: Zigzag Trail

On May 5, Cool Guy, Scamp and I took advantage of a beautiful day to do a short hike at McDonough.  I'm so glad we did.

Zigzag Trail is probably about 2 miles round trip.  There is a small bit of incline, but it's basically level.  We hadn't been to McDonough since winter, and it was interesting to see how different it looks with spring in full force.  There were plenty of wildflowers on the edges of the path.

It had been fairly dry, so the path was not as muddy as it usually is.  For such a beautiful day, it was strange that we were the only ones on the path.

I think what made the biggest impression on me for this hike is how silent we were and how peaceful it all was.  I never regret hiking.

Kanawha State Forest, Polly/Birch/Wildcat

On March 30, Burt, Cool Guy, and I took at trip to Charleston to visit Kanawha State Forest and hike.  It was a fantastic day, weather wise, about 60.

Our plan was to take the Polly Trail/Wildcat Ridge loop counter clockwise (supposed to be the easier choice).  It didn't quite work out that way.  The Polly Trail begins on a fire road, and we first missed the turnoff for the trail.  It wasn't marked in any way.  Before we figured out that we had missed it, we had gone quite a ways and had crossed about 5 streams.  Then we backtracked and found the trailhead, went uphill, and had a marvellous hike along about the halfway point up the mountain.  Cool Guy thought it was neat that he could pick up coal from the ground.

After a bit, the trail merged with the fire road again, and it was supposed to do that for a bit and then split off again.  Well, again, we missed the fork, and we were looking for it, too.  Oh, well, we never got to see what the second half of Polly had for us.  Consulting the map, we saw that by keeping to the fire road, we'd be coming to Beech Glen trail, which is also a mountain bike trail.  I just don't see how anyone could enjoy riding a bike on conditions like that.  I think we had to step over fallen trunks and branches about half a dozen times.  Would not like to be hauling a bike over that.

Beech Glen Trail ended up being my favorite part of the hike.  It really was a beech glen, and it was mostly flat, a little more open, less wooded than Polly, running by streams, sometimes across them.

We stopped and had lunch on a fallen log and encountered a few other hikers.  We were the only ones there without dog.

Eventually, Beech Glen intersected with Wildcat Ridge Trail.  To get to Wildcat Ridge, we had to get to the top of the mountain.  Beech Glen did this much more slowly and gently than I think Polly did.  We covered more mileage, but it was not as intense.  It was a nice walk getting to the top.  At the top, we intersected with Wildcat Ridge and then began our descent downhill.  Sometimes this was pretty steep.

Total distance, about 3 miles.  It was a very nice hike, though I don't think quite as nice as Overlook Rock.

North Bend, Ten Acre Trail

On April 4, Cool Guy and I went back out to North Bend to hike the Ten Acre Trail.  This is a 3 mile trail designed for mountain bikers.  If hiked in a clockwise direction, it has a slow, switchbacking ascent to the top and then a fairly straight way down.

It was a nice day, about in the mid 40's.  We brought Scamp with us.  He barked nonstop the entire drive in the car.  Right in my ear.

When we arrived at North Bend, we were the only people there besides the park employees.  That always amazes me, especially when the weather is decent.

We began Ten Acre Trail, following the directions and going clockwise.  Cool Guy really liked the way that the upward movement was steady and not too hard to do.  The problem occurred when we reached the top.  Suddenly, there were no markers to be seen anywhere, and we were at the edge of the park boundary.  I checked the map, and it looked like at this point we should be making a sharp switchback and finishing the ascent, but there were no blazes, and no clear trail at all.  We made wide circles around and finally came back down the way we went up.

All in all, I'd say this was a so-so trail.  There weren't any great views, or rock formations, or really anything of real interest.  It was just a nice walk in the woods.  If I drive to North Bend again, I will choose another hike.

Conkles Hollow

The entire family went to Conckles Hollow in Hocking Hills SP on March 25.  The weather was mild.  When we started the drive there, it was 30 degrees, and by the time we got home it had risen to about 45.  Perfect weather for hiking.

Conkles is the lesser-known treat of Hocking Hills SP, lagging behind Old Man's Cave.  Though I love OMC, the crowds turn me off.  Conckles is just as nice and has almost no one there.  When we arrived on that Friday morning, there were two other cars in the parking lot.  When we left, there were two other cars in the parking lot.

We did both the Rim Trail (2.5 mile loop) and the Gorge Trail (1 mile out and back).  We began with the Rim, deciding to go clockwise this time.  To get up to the rim, we have to climb a lot of stairs, but once at the top, it's pretty level the whole way.

What was outstanding about the rim trail this time, apart from the fantastic view was the icicles.  We could see them on the rock edges of the canyon, perhaps around a bend, and they were so long.  And then as the day began warming up, we would be lucky enough to see a mass of them crash below.  We got to witness that a few times.

At about the halfway point of the Rim, we came upon the lookout point and the waterfall.  When we had gone last summer, the waterfall was all dried up.  This time, we were lucky.  It was a lovely view across the canyon, and entrancing to watch and hear the water falling.

The opposite side of the canyon had quite a bit of ice on the trail, and that could be a little scary at times.  This side had more solid rock as the trail, and when it was a sheet of ice, it made us nervous about slipping.  There are no guard rails on the edge, and it's at least a 200 foot drop.  We walked very gingerly, and still, Cool Guy, Encyclopedia, and I each slipped once.  We were joking that Burt was next, and he said he'd save it for a big fall.

Eventually, we arrived at stairs bringing us to the floor of the canyon again.  We decided to do the Gorge Trail, which we had passed on last time here.  This trail is concrete paved and is for the enjoyment of those in wheelchairs, baby strollers, etc.  I thought it would be a boring walk, but it was wonderful.

First, there are all the microclimates.  A jungle of ferns here, a cave there, a gathering of slump rocks over there.  It was never the same look twice.  Then we reached the back of the canyon where the concrete ended and the waterfall began.  Oh, my.  This was the highlight of the trip!  Going beyond the sidewalk, onto the path that led us to the base of the waterfall, we were amidst rock overhangs, caves, ice sculptures.  It was so neat to be in the semi gloom, feeling very cold, surrounded by ice and water, and then look backward and see a fern forest behind us, like looking at two different worlds.

The boys had the best time knocking down icicles.  I mean, they were mesmerized for a very, very long time, just climbing among the rocks, finding icicles to knock down, and doing it again.

Burt was over at the foot of the waterfall and suddenly, he slipped.  It was an ice sheet he was standing on, and he went down hard.  The bigger they are, the harder they fall.  Yes, he was right, saving his fall for the grand finale.  Pained a little, but OK.  Nothing long lasting.

Cool Guy said it was the best hike ever, and Encyclopedia actually admitted to have a great time.

Giant Pine Trail, North Bend SP

Yesterday, Cool Guy and I went to North Bend State Park in order to hike the Giant Pine Trail.  It is a short loop, only .6 mile, so we decided beforehand to hike it in one direction and then go back in the other.

The day was crisp, in the 30's, but it was a fair day, as in not slushy and not raining.

We took a little pal with us, Scamp, our Australian Shepherd.  Scamp had never been on a hike with us.  After yesterday's experience, I'd say he deserves to go again, depending on the trail and the distance involved.  Scamp could handle anything, but I don't think I can handle nonstop barking in my ear on the way there.  A huge benefit of Scamp is that he makes Cool Guy a much better hiker.  I don't have to prod CG along up the inclines because Scamp drags him along.

The loop begins right across from the lodge.  Lots of parking and very easy to find.  The trail is very well-marked with a yellow blaze, and the trail is easy to follow.  At the beginning of the hike, there were a lot of downed trees, and I was afraid that the hike would be one long, continuous view of what had been before The Storm of last summer.  Luckily, that was only the beginning part.

We immediately began going downhill and switched back and forth and a mostly moderate grade until we reached the bottom, where we crossed a stream, went a little further downhill, met a larger stream, and then lost sight of all blazes.  It was not well marked at this major turning point, but we got lucky and found our path again with a sharp turn at the bottom of the valley and then began the climb uphill.

The climbs were steep, but not overly so, and never of any duration.  We saw some underground springs where some trees had uprooted, lots of evidence of woodpeckers, a pine plantation, and lots of new sights.  Scamp sniffed something out that he got pretty excited about, but we persuaded him to keep going.

As soon as we got back to the car, it began lightly spitting rain, and by the time we got home, it was snowing and has kept at it ever since.  We seldom get the great good luck regarding weather, so I was thankful for this break.

Would definitely do this hike again, although there are others at North Bend that I like better.  But for a short hike with lots of woods, something that might be welcome in the summer, this one's a keeper.

Boord Nature Preserve

This is a belated post about the last hike Cool Guy and I took in February.  On the 25th, we went to Boord Nature Preserve, which is between Barlow and Bartlett OH.  I have never heard anyone mention this place before, and I only found it because I was searching around on the internet and just came across it.  It is amazing to me sometimes what neat stuff is so near.

Being a nature preserve, we have to follow special rules, like no wandering off the path at all and no taking anything, not that we do anyway.

The trail for the preserve is only .75 miles.  Cool Guy and I have done this hike twice, and we agree that it is best to make it worth the drive and do twice, once in each direction.  It's amazing what you can see going the other way.

On this day, the sky was sunny, and the air was crisp.  When we arrived, about 10:30, there was still frost on the grass to begin the hike.  It is interesting that once we got under tree cover, there was no frost on the ground, which makes me wonder if the tree cover is also frost protection.

There was very little up or down, but that little bitty loop gave us so much.  We hiked through a pine plantation, through deciduous woods and the highlight, the waterfall and pool, which was actually running water at this time of year.

It is a quiet and lovely place.  We have never seen wildlife there, and have never seen another person or even a car on the road while there.  We've been twice and will more than likely go again soon.

Overlook Trail, North Bend SP

While at quilt retreat, I was fortunate enough to go on two hikes.  The second, done on Feb. 21, was the Overlook Trail.  We - Nanny, Charlie, Becky, and I - had to drive in Becky's new truck to the cabins to begin our hike.  It was cold out there, but the sun was shining.  It was definitely worth the time and trouble.

Overlook began with a descent and wound through woods, but round a corner, there would be a fantastic rock formation, or a view.  The point of this trail was to wind in and out around the Hughes River and finally to reach an overlook of the dam.  The hike and the river were fantastic, but the dam was just a dam.

In general, the trail was well-blazed, except around the dam area.  If it weren't for Becky and her amazing sense of direction, we might still be wandering around trying to find our way out.  Going out, we hiked through more woods, crossed a stream, and in general just had the nicest of times.  I plan on taking the family there soon.

Ohio River Islands Upland Trail

Cool Guy and I did the Upland Trail of Ohio River Islands Wildlife Refuge on Feb. 15.  It was cold and spitting snow.

The trail began straight up and wound through the hills in the area.  One big difference between this trail and the riverside one was that this trail was much more primitive.  Actually, I enjoyed it more.  It was almost exclusively a woods trail.  Not much of a view to speak of, no big water interest, just woods.  But they were pretty woods, even in the winter.  We crossed several small ravines and had several nice woodsy scenes.  There wasn't a lot of up and down after the first up, just a lot of meandering until it was time to come down.

The trail was well-blazed, and a really nice perk was that several trees were identified for us.  I especially remember the Virginia Pine, and I think I could identify that myself now.  Cool Guy was most impressed with the poison ivy vine (id'd) that was a thick around as my wrist.  Glad it was winter.  We don't like poison ivy.

The trail was about a mile in length, with a shorter loop or figure 8 option that we didn't take.  Next time....

Cottage Trail, Turkey Spur: Pipestem SP

This is more in my Pipestem series {wink}.  New Year's Day dawned, cold and damp.  Encyclopedia walked to the lodge to spend some time with some WiFi.  Poor guy had gone over 24 hours without connection and was suffering withdrawals.  Burt and Cool Guy decided to go to the gameroom and try their hand at some pool, ping pong, and arcade games.  I hiked.

I never hike alone.  It's not really safe, and I'm a big chicken.  Plus, I'm directionally challenged.  But this hike I figured would be OK.  It was just around the cabins.  And it was OK, but I got lost.  Again.

I started with the Cottage Trail, which was basically just a trail to get you to the other trails.  It was fairly level, and went through winter woods.  The ground was hard, still frozen in the morning.  Not a soul around. Lovely and quiet.  I had my trusty trail map at the ready to guide me through.

 Cottage trail let to Turkey Spur, just as the map said it would, and I followed it.  More woods meanderings.  Of note were some tracks in the snow: rabbit, deer, probably fox, and I think turkey.  Another great happening was that at one point, about 100 yards away, a tree fell, and of course, I heard it. I have never seen a tree fall for no apparent reason.  That was pretty neat.

According to the map, Turkey Spur was supposed to intersect with South Side Trail, which had remnants of pioneer settlers, like old home foundations, and I was keen to take it.  But Turkey Spur came to a T, and there was no sign at this intersection.  Let me back up and say right now that in general, the trails at Pipestem were fabulously well maintained, well signed, and blazed almost to excess, which is about the level that I need.  I should have wondered as soon as I failed to spot any blazes, but it was definitely a trail and a wide one at that, so I took a stab and followed it.  Really, there was no other alternative except to turn back.

It wasn't any known trail, just a mystery trail or deer trail, though it was always clear and easy to follow.  I got a little worried, but after quite awhile, I ended back up at Turkey Spur, at which point I called it quits and  worked my way back to start.  Regardless of what the heck the trail was, it was still a very nice walk, but I was also plenty relieved to find myself back where I knew where I was.

Ohio River Islands, Nov. 10

Burt, Cool Guy, and I decided to do a very local hike for this weekend.  We had a lot going on and didn't really have the time to put in a lot of driving.  We chose Ohio River Islands National Wildlife Refuge because  we had never hiked the Upper Trail, which is across the road from the headquarters building.  That trail is on a hill in the woods as opposed to being on the flat floodplain.

What we didn't realize is that beginning Nov. 10, yes, Nov. 10, the very day that we were there, the Upper Trail was closed to hikers until Jan. 1 2013 because of bow hunting season.  Sigh.  It is time to break out the orange vests and chose hikes carefully.  Now, I am not opposed to hunting, and I hope those bow-hunters get lots and LOTS of deer, as we have way too many, but I just wish it didn't interfere with my plans.  Oh well.  It's a very little thing.

So we went to Plan B, which was hiking the Bird and Butterfly Trail, and the River Trail.  It was a fantastic day. The sun was shining, and we were thankful for the breeze because otherwise we would have been too hot in the layers we were wearing.

There were still grasshoppers on the edges of the trails, which surprised us, as we have already had more than one killer frost.  Another thing of note was this wonderful fragrance somewhere among the plants.  There was first a smell like one gets in a craft store full of the dried flowers that usually makes me sneeze.  And then there was another, spicier scent, which, when I asked at the headquarters, I learned was probably Spice Bush.  I'd like to go back and identify it positively sometime.

Also of note was the the path which runs right along the river's edge was completely washed out, as in covered deeply in mud.  There was a line of muddied debris right beyond where the path should have been.  This puzzled us because we couldn't think what would have caused this to happen.  Hurricane Sandy did not get this far inland, and we escaped the Frankenstorm.  All we had was a week of steady rain, but it was just rain, not wind or downpours.  I asked at headquarters and was told that the bottom trail is really just the first tier for the river to expand if it floods, and apparently, a week of rain and a storm elsewhere is enough to cause "flooding."  I'm saying it's not really flooding, just rising a little but still very much within bounds.

Other points of interest on this very short Plan B hike were surprising a dule of dove (that is the group name for dove; I looked it up), finding a bat house on an old dead tree, and finding the most interest tree that grew into a huge arch.  I wonder what caused it to do that.  It may have been that something else was in its way, so it had to grow that way, or there may be another explanation.  I will have to ask the ranger next time.

Total distance of this very easy hike was probably 1 mile.  We finished with lunch at Blacksmith Barbeque, our favorite place to eat and just across the river.  Enjoyed ourselves and learned a thing or two.

Old Man's Cave

On Election Day, Nov. 6, Cool Guy, Annie Oakley, and I drove to Hocking Hills State Park to hike Old Man's Cave.  It's about 1 1/2 hours to drive there, and we arrived around 10:30.  What really stood out to me was that the parking lot was almost empty.  Old Man's Cave is one of the most popular hiking spots in Ohio, and Columbus is about as close to it as we are.  Every time we have gone there before, it has been a weekend, and the parking lots are full, and we have people in our sight at all times.  This mid-week hiking after the leaves have fallen was a brilliant plan.

One thing about Old Man's Cave is that it really doesn't matter what time of year to hike it.  There is so much beauty and wonder, that one doesn't need fall leaves or spring wildflowers to enhance it, though those are nice bonuses.  But any time of year, it is worth the drive.

We began at Upper Falls and mainly stayed on the gorge trail which allowed us up close views of the falls, pools, and caves, or really, just enormous rock overhangs.  Hiking down the stairs to the gorge, we were struck by all the work that had gone into making this such a hikable place.  My guess is that it was WPA at work in the 30's, building stone walls, hewing steps out of the rocks.  Cool Guy's favorite part was the tunnels through the rocks that the trail took us through.  We did that part twice.

After doing that part twice, we went on down to the Lower Falls, which were even more spectacular, I think.  One scene I think we'll always remember is the family of either Middle Eastern or Pakistani origin.  Two of the men in the group wore swim trunks and actually stood under the falls.  Now, it was a nice day, sunny and 50's, but not a whole lot of sunlight gets to the gorge, and the water was freezing.  It was fun to watch their fun.

After spending some time in the gorge part of Lower Falls, we went up steps and hiked along the rim of it.  Cool Guy found a rock overhang that he could scramble up, with a little help from Annie, and he liked perching on that ledge, just hanging out.  The inside of it, sandstone, was carved with names and initials going back hundreds of years, I think.  It's neat to look at the etchings.

We left Lower Falls and followed the path, thinking we might be heading to Cedar Falls, but we were on the wrong path.  Instead, we found a new area to us, Broken Rock Falls.  It's exactly as it sounds.  Enormous, ENORMOUS rocks lie about as if some giant child had flung them.  They are house size and covered with moss, lying at odd angles.  At the end of the trail, way up top, there was a small stream of water falling down onto the rocks.

The rest was just backtracking, finding another tunnel with stairs leading up to the top and back to the parking lot.

In some ways, this was an easy hike.  To see all these wonders, one really only need hike about a mile.  We kindof did everything twice, sometimes on the rim, sometimes in the gorge, and sometimes going back for a second view, so my guess is that we covered between two and three miles.  The paths are very clear and well-worn.  No getting lost, no scrambling over trees, roots, rocks.  But there are a lot of stairs, some steep and narrow carved into the rocks, others easy and wide.  I would say in general it is an easy hike, and that is obvious by the number of people who are able to bring their children and the number of people with dogs.  But it can be made as challenging or as easy as you'd like.  Cool Guy certainly exerted himself more than the average hiker, walking ahead of us, coming back to hurry us up, climbing all over the place.

Hocking Hills SP is always worth the drive.  Next time, we will do Cedar Falls and Ash Cave, hopefully all in one outing.