nature

Loyalsock State Forest, Fern Ridge Trail and Equestrian Trail, September 23, 2024

September 23, 2024

We spent another weekend camping at World’s End State Park. This time for our hike we wanted an easy route just to stretch our legs. I wanted to spend more time at the campsite enjoying a campfire and toasting marshmallows. We drove to the Fern Ridge Trailhead and decided to explore. It was wet and boggy with too many slippery rocks. We opted to explore the Equestrian Trail instead which offered an easy walk without having to gaze down at our footing every step. We got back to camp just as the sun began to fall below the horizon. We set up the tent, built a fire and settled in to enjoy the quiet evening. It was a new moon and the forest was as black as I’d ever seen it. Millions of stars sparkled overhead. When we got tired we cozied up in our tent in our sleeping bags and drifted off to sleep. Sometime during the night a Barred Owl visited the trees just above our tent. I loved listening to the calls in the darkness with hardly another soul around.

For more photos click “Read More” below.”

Swiftwater Forest Preserve, August 11, 2024

August 11, 2024

This summer has been unbearable with the heat and humidity. I’m afraid with global climate change, this may be our new normal. But today it was a little cooler and we took advantage of the favorable weather and got out for a hike at Swiftwater Forest Preserve in Paradise Township. I love this short hike for its coniferous forest and soft, pine needle-covered trails. It’s a mellow hike and today there were so many mushrooms to look at. We had heavy rains this week, but the trails were mostly dry and not too buggy. We took our time exploring and enjoying the fresh morning air.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Worlds End State Park Camping & Hiking in Loyalsock State Forest, July 7 & 8, 2024

July 07, 2024

We spent the weekend camping at Worlds End State Park. It’s the height of summer and the weather was quite warm. We did a few short hikes on a section of the Loyalsock Trail, but the purpose of our trip was mostly to enjoy the campsite and relax without feeling obligated to reach a specific destination or hike lengthy miles. We did a loop starting at Coal Mine Road, where we headed into the forest on the a dirt trail and finished with a trek back on Coal Mine Road where we checked out the more primitive campsites. In the early evening, we drove to High Knob overlook which offered sweeping views of the Loyalsock State Forest before settling in back at the campsite. It was the perfect amount of hiking, site seeing and relaxing for a warm summer weekend.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Camping at Worlds End State Park, Loyalsock State Forest, June 9 and 10, 2024

June 16, 2024

We spent a relaxing weekend camping at World’s End State Park. We did a few miles of hiking but didn’t commit ourselves to completing any particular trails. It was simply a weekend of relaxing by the fire, making s’mores, and enjoying nature and each other’s company.

Click “Read More” below for more photos from this trip.

Worlds End State Park, Loyalsock State Forest, Canyon Vista Trail, 5 Miles RT, 780' +/-, May 18, 2024

May 18, 2024

This was our first Pennsylvania camping trip. It had been a long time, and I think the last time we used our overnight gear may have been when we backpacked the Mt. Whitney trail in the Eastern Sierra. I was excited to experience an overnight in the woods. Our previous overnights were high up in the mountains of California, a completely different experience. But I enjoy the woods and the quiet of the forest. I find being surrounded by lush green forest and birdsong very relaxing. The Wood Thrush and Ovenbirds are back for the season. They are my favorite sounds to hear while hiking through the dense woods.

We planned a night at the campground in Worlds End State Park. The camping here is much more modern than what I’m used to. There are modern bathrooms and even showers. I feel like I could get used to this. We chose one of the “walk-in” campsites. The walk isn’t far from the car but set back enough not to be right on the edge of the road that loops through the campground. We had a picnic table, fire ring, and there was even a tent pad with mulch.

When we arrived in the morning around 11:30 am, we stopped at the visitors’ center. We picked up a map and chatted with a very helpful woman at the center who showed us exactly where our tent site was and recommended some hikes. I’d already done my homework and knew I wanted to start with the Canyon Vista Trail which was the hike she recommended.

We left the center and parked at the campground heading towards Loyalsock Creek to begin the loop in a northeast direction. The first part of the loop took us around Loyalsock Creek just off the side of Route 154 across from the campground. There were fishermen here and the creek looked very pretty. The trail eventually crossed over the 154 and began to ascend switchbacks into a forest of hardwood and fern. Light rain fell off and on, but the temperature was warm. The forest looks like green technicolor in the rain. The trail met up with the Cold Run extension trail loop and we took a short side adventure to explore the impressive boulder formations that made me feel as though I was in Jurassic Park. I wondered how many millions or possibly billions of years old this geology was. We could have hiked the Cold Run loop and added another mile and a half, but with the weather being unpredictable, we opted to stay on the Canyon Vista trail and explore Cold Run another day. The forest had a heavy mist of fog lying low all around us. It was beautiful. When we made it to the top of the trail, there was a viewpoint overlooking Loyalsock Canyon. This is the most expansive forested area I have seen since being in Pennsylvania. Most of the views I have experienced in this state have been blocked by trees or they overlook farms or freeways. It’s been difficult adjusting to the lack of wild spaces like I was used to coming from out West, but Loyalsock was an exception. And while the mountains are not high peaks, the name of this range “Endless Mountains” was fitting. The vista is accessible by car and you can drive up from Mineral Springs Road if you don’t want to hike it. It is also ADA-accessible. After enjoying some time at the vista, we made our way back to camp, got a fire going and enjoyed the rest of the evening.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Delaware Water Gap, Orchard Trail, Hamilton Ridge, Pioneer Trail, Van Campens Glen, 8 Miles RT, 1,003 +/-, April 14, 2024

April 14, 2024

Another day hike in the Delaware Water Gap, New Jersey side. We hiked from Millbrook Village on the Orchard Trail which connects to Hamilton Ridge. From Hamilton Ridge we took the Pioneer Trail, then took a spur trail down to the river and back then onward to Old Mine Road where we crossed and hiked through Van Campens Glen. We walked the last few miles back on the road. Old Mine Road is going to be closed for most of the summer due to construction. It should be a nice time to visit the Glen as many people will not want to hike in or walk the road to get to the waterfalls.

At the start of the Orchard Trail I saw Bluets (Houstonia caerulea) blooming. The first spring ephemerals are starting to pop out from under the leaf debris. I also saw a firefly that somehow found my hand. It seems like it’s much too early for them. The day started partly cloudy with some sun, but as we hiked the clouds began to darken the sky. I came across some bright orange Juniper apple-rush, something I’d never seen before. I’ve been using the Seek app (by iNaturalist) on my phone to identify the plants I see along the trail. I love learning as much as I can. As we reached the spur to the river, it began to rain. On the riverbank I saw Yellow Trout Lily and Dutchman’s Breeches. We ate a snack and by the time we were finished the sun was back out. I was glad we didn’t have to cut the day short. We proceeded on to Van Campens Glen. As always the glen was beautiful full of cascades and green moss. We took off our packs and laid on the rocks above the waterfall listening to the wind and soaking in the sunshine. I used my birding app to identify a bird I’d never heard before. I recorded its song and BirdNet suggested what I was hearing was a Louisiana Water Thrush, a new one for my life list.

We hiked out of the glen and then headed back to Millbrook Village on Old Mine Road. Along the way we passed a garter snake basking in the sun. Seems we weren’t the only ones taking advantage of a warm sunny day.

Click “Read More” below for more photos from this hike.

Bear Creek Preserve, 7.9 Miles RT, 856' +/-, March 31, 2024

March 31, 2024

The day started cold and damp. The kind of dampness that chills to the bone. It had rained the night before and sections of the trail were mud which is mostly to be expected this time of year. But we continued our hike, hoping to see the sun eventually. We hiked through hardwood forest until we descended to the creek. We crossed the bridge and hiked through rhododendron tunnels, hemlock, and white pine. The bridge to return that crosses over Shades Creek further south of where we started was washed away. But I remembered there was another bridge further up the trail and luckily that one was intact. Once on the other side, we hiked to my favorite rocks on the creek's edge and sat down. We got lucky and the sun broke through the clouds. We spent a while there lounging around and soaking it in before heading back in a loop to complete the day.

Click “Read More” below for more photos from this hike.

Delaware Water Gap, Blue Mountain Lakes, Hemlock Pond, AT Connector Loop, 8.6 Miles RT, February 4, 2024

February 04, 2024

It was a beautiful day and the weather was in the 30s. It was a nice day to hit the trail and take in the sunshine. We hiked from one of our favorite trailheads at Blue Mountain Lake. We followed the Blue Mountain Lakes trail to the northwest side of Hemlock Pond. From here we explored the Wood Road trail which continues onward in a northeast direction. This trail intersects with the trail to Buttermilk Falls which we did not take today. Instead we turned south and climbed steeply up the connector trail to the Appalachian trail to get to the ridge line. At the top of the climb, we looped back heading southwest to Hemlock Pond before returning to the trailhead. I was happy for the climb today and the extra added cardio.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Nescopeck State Park, Snow Hike, 3.55 Miles, Januar 21, 2023

January 21, 2024

The temperatures have been below freezing and there were two snow storms this past week. We drove to Nescopeck State Park with the intention of a snow hike or possibly snowshoeing. When we arrived at approximately 11:15 am, the winds were gusting at around 16 mph, and the temperature was 20 degrees. The wind made it feel colder then it was. I opted to hike with microspikes because I did not do a very good job of checking my snowshoes and realized they’d need some adjustments. The snow level was about 4 inches over ice and easy to walk. I recalled the last time we were here, the Creekside Trail had a lot of mud, roots, downed trees and a few of the bridges were out.

We began the hike walking along the southern shore of Lake Frances heading onto the Nescopeck Trail. It was bitter cold, but the sun was shining, the forest looked lovely, and I warmed up as we hiked. The wind gusts seemed to lessen as we got further into the woods.

Hiking along the Creekside Trail, I heard the ice crack under the snow. I suspected this would be the case remembering that the last time I visited, much of this trail was very muddy. We had to cross the frozen creek a few times to continue the loop because of the bridges that remained broken.

Nonetheless, the waters of Nescopeck Creek were sparkling in the sunlight and glistening snow. I could hear black-capped chickadee in the trees and the forest was beautiful in all its winter glory.

After crossing a bridge that looked to have been repaired, we got on the Fern Trail to continue the loop. This trail took us away from the creek and into hardwoods. We passed a few cross-country skiers enjoying the day.

We took the Hill Trail to the turtle pond on the eastern side of Lake Frances. We stopped to listen to the quite and enjoy the stillness of the winter day.

Click “Read More” below to see more photos from this hike.

Janet Johnston Housenick & William D. Housenick Memorial Park, Winter Solstice Morning Walk, December 21, 2023

December 21, 2023

The Janet Johnston Housenick & William D. Housenick Memorial Park and Archibald Mansion has become my favorite place for a nearby walk, morning run or birdwatching. This is a birding hotspot! I’m starting to recognize the regulars who come every day with their binoculars and cameras. I discovered the park in October. I had no idea it was even here. There’s a paved walking path that’s great for running and exercising and afterwards, you can take a walk along the Monocacy Creek and past the Wetlands. Today I came with my husband for a slow, peaceful walk. There was quite a bit of bird action and we were treated to a a fox as he (or she) displayed her hunting skills as she/he caught what appeared to be a large rodent. There’s always something magical here at the park. I’ve spotted many species of birds including bald eagles, red tail hawks and pileated woodpeckers. Enjoy this short series of photos I took on our walk today on the morning of the winter solstice.

Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, December 30, 2022

December 30, 2022

December walk at Mariton.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

The last of autumn at Mariton Wildlife Sanctuary, October 27, 2022

October 27, 2022

The trees remind us that we are shifting into the dark half of the year. Soon the vibrant, golds and yellows will be replaced with earthy brown and bark as the trees rest deep in the earth until Persephone emerges and spring will return once again.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Late Afternoon Walk at Graver Arboretum, October 22, 2022

October 22, 2022

Late afternoon walk listening to the owls and enjoying the conifers at Graver Arboretum.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Adirondack Park, Cat and Thomas Mountains, 7.8 Miles RT, 1,647' +/-, 2,031 Max Elevation, July 12, 2022

July 15, 2022

Today we hiked both Cat and Thomas Mountains. Both summits are part of the Lake George 12ster challenge. The day prior we had hiked hiked Sleeping Beauty, also part of the 12ster. So we’ve now done 3 of the 12 peaks should we decided to complete the challenge in the future. The weather was calling for potential severe thunder storms, so our Plan B was to just do Thomas if the weather decided to turn since we’d already hiked to the top of Cat the last time we were in the Adirondacks. At the start of the hike at the trailhead off Valley Woods Road we heard thunder. We began hiking but noted the time to see if we’d hear more rumbling. Luckily it seemed to pass, and when we reached the summit of Thomas the weather looked promising. We we decided to continue on to Cat Mountain and complete the loop. The hike to Thomas was fairly easy up an old carriage road. The summit opened up to beautiful views of Lake George. At one time there was a cabin on the summit, but it has since been taking down. Next we found the trail to continue on to Cat. From here the trail quickly made a steep beeline down. The trail had quite a bit of up and down and a few easy scrambles. When we arrived at the spur for Cat, we decided to hike up even though we’d done it before. The weather was still holding in our favor, so we took in the views and then made our way back down and back to the trailhead. The weather Gods must have been in our favor today because on the way out, the sky opened up and it began to pour. I was happy we were able to get in the two peaks in one hike. Another beautiful day in the ADK!

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Adirondack Park, Sleeping Beauty Mountain, Lake George Wild Forest, 4.6 Miles RT, 1,109' +/-, Max Elevation 2,347', July 11, 2022

July 11, 2022

We had a lovely hike to the summit of Sleeping Beauty Mountain in the eastern area of Adirondack Park in the Lake George Wild Forest. The hike was easy with some lovely switchbacks and a beautiful summit overlooking Lake George. We decided to add on some extra mileage by making the loop to Bumps Pond. It was absolutely beautiful and full of dragonflies and puddling butterflies. There’s a whole network of trails to explore in this area and I’m looking forward to coming back again for more hiking.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Woodland Hills Preserve Walk, June 21, 2022

June 21, 2022

Walk around Woodland Hills Preserve. Always enjoy seeing the red-winged black birds here. Great way to start the day listening to the sounds of nature.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, North Lookout, June 13, 2022

June 13, 2022

This was my first trip to Hawk Mountain Sanctuary. I’ve known about this place since we came to Pennsylvania, but avoided it because of how crowded I understand it gets. Since it was a weekday, I took a chance on it being less crowded and I’m really glad I did. There are so many trails here to explore and the visitor’s center (complete with gift shop) is wonderful. We did an easy out and back to the North Lookout. There are harder routes here with lots of rock scrambling which we will try another time. Today was a day for sight seeing and checking things out. I can only imagine how awesome it must be up here when the birds are migrating along the flyway. We didn’t see a much today aside from a turkey vulture riding the thermals, but it was a nice day to come and explore and learn a little bit about the history of the place which I didn’t know at all. Hawk Mountain was founded in 1934 by Rosalie Edge, a conservationist who eded the pointless hunting of raptors migrating along on the Kittatinny Ridge. Raptors were once thought to be a threat to “wild game” and humans thought they needed to interfere with nature by slaughtering thousands of raptors. Heartbreaking. Thankfully, Rosalie Edge stepped in and silenced the rifles. Today Hawk Mountain Sanctuary is a place to learn and explore. There’s also a wonderful native garden with a turtle pond just near the entrance. We will definitely be back to hike more of the trails and do some bird watching.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Bear Creek Preserve, Sparkling Cascades & Mountain Laurel, June 10, 2022

June 10, 2022

Today we did an early morning hike at Bear Creek Preserve. I’m hanging onto what’s left of spring because soon it will be too hot and humid to be out on the trails. The east coast is now transitioning into summer. Personally, I think it’s the worst time of year for hiking. This time of year I wish I was back in SoCal where we could escape to the High Country where the mountains are cooler at elevation. Don’t get me wrong, the trails still got hot, but we knew to be up before dawn and done with our hike by mid-morning. I think I am conditioned from hearing the countless stories of SAR having to rescue people off the mountains because of heat stroke and dehydration. Maybe Pennsylvanians are are a heartier bunch? I’m not really sure. But hiking in heat is not for me. However, back to the hike today… Pennsylvania’s state flower, the mountain laurel, is in full bloom. Clusters of flowers in shades of white and pink adorned the lush, green trails as we meandered along the undulating trail in and out of hardwoods. We started our hike today just off Rabbit Run Lane on the red trail. The trail took us up to the top of the first waterfall and then dipped down to the creek where we picked up the gray trail. The bridge to get across Shades Creek had been blown down by a storm, but it has since been replaced. After crossing the bridge, the trail continued along the creek passing by sparkling cascades and winding in and out of rhododendron tunnels. It took us through a forest of hemlock and white pine and eventually to the spur trail to the bottom of the first waterfall that we’d seen from the top. The last time we were here it was in the winter when we were snowshoeing. Bear Creek Preserve is a beautiful preserve. It has enough variety in scenery so that you don’t get bored since there’s not a whole lot of elevation. We closed the loop at about 6 miles. It was an enjoyable day.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.

Woodland Hills Preserve, Morning Meadow Walk, June 6, 2022

June 06, 2022

Photos from a quick morning walk around Woodland Hills Preserve. I like coming here because 1) it’s fairly close to my home and I can get in a quick nature walk before heading to work and 2) it brings me great joy in knowing that this used to be a golf course. Don’t you just love it when nature takes it back? The meadows are filled with mugwort, yarrow and the common milkweed is just starting to bloom. Soon this place will be filled with butterflies, sphinx moths and pollinators galore. As I passed through the wetlands, tall stalks of poison hemlock towered above the marshy grass. Dozens of red-winged blackbirds perched high in the trees drooping their wings and singing flute like notes that tapered off into a trill. Frogs in the pond chimed along with their deep croaks and bellows making for a melodious morning chorus as I walked along the paths. I spotted a monarch or two fluttering about sampling the first taste of sweet nectar on the newly blooming milkweed. And on the wing still are the Little Wood Satyrs although some of them were a little tattered and past their prime. Wild rose was blooming and the aroma wafting through the air was just incredible. It was a marvelous way to start my day. I always enjoy coming here.

Click “Read More” below to see more photos.

Jacobsburg State Park, Summer Azure, June 1, 2022

June 01, 2022

A quick morning walk around Jacobsburg State Park this morning to check out what was blooming and spot some butterflies. At the start of the trail which is just off the side of a busy road, I immediately saw a fluttering of tiny wings. This, I’m pretty sure was the Summer Azure butterfly. I could, of course, be totally wrong here, as there’s also a Spring Azure which looks almost identical. (At least to me as a novice citizen scientist and long-time butterfly enthusiast.) I crouched in the bushes along side of the road to get my photos as cars drove by either not noticing me at all or if they did, they probably thought I was just some crazy person. But I managed to get some pretty decent shots of the tiny little beauty at the very beginning of my walk. As I continued along the trail, I saw quite an abundance of wildflowers in bloom including: dames rocket, solomon’s plume, wild rose, buttercups, golden alexander, fleabane and forget-me-nots just to name a few (Thanks iNaturalist!). Along my route I spotted some interesting mushrooms which I later ID’d as Petticoat Mottlegill. Quite a dainty little name for a mushroom that is noted to mostly grow on poop. I guess this would make sense since I was on a horse trail. It was a lovely morning and I enjoyed the walk and fresh air to start my day.

Click “Read More” below for more photos.