Today we spent a few hours exploring Bear Creek Preserve in the Lehigh River Watershed. The preserve is part of a network of protected lands and the hiking trails here are pristinely beautiful. There are about nine miles of rolling trails leading to waterfalls, crystal clear cascades, rocky ledges and through hemlock, pine and rhododendron. It was about 30 degrees with a wind chill today, and we had some snow flurries. The ground had just the slightest dusting of snow. Winter is finally setting in. There are three streams running through the preserve: Shades Creek, Bear Creek and Stony Run. We hiked the yellow and green trails which took us to an overlook and then stream side along Shades Creek to the top of a flowing cascade. We didn’t have time to hike much more today, but I am looking forward to coming back here and exploring more of the preserve