2020

COVID-19 Perspective: We had the trail completely to ourselves! As we were pulling away from trailhead two cars showed up but the trail was fairly wide in most places to allow for social distancing, with only a few places where it was too narrow to provide distancing.

The Trail:

Length: 4.6 miles
Moving Time: 02:13:22
Elevation Gain: 817 feet
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Trail Surface: Packed dirt and some rock
Areas of Caution: At the top there were some steeper areas where we would not let the kids roam too far but for the most part the peak was flat with lots of room to move around.
Running Wild: The only thing that stopped us from letting them run too wild and free was the evidence of large animals. One couple that pulled into the trailhead as we were leaving carried a firearm and I suspect this is for good reason.

What’s in it for the Kids: Lots of space to roam around up top for exploring and prime picnicking.

What’s in it for the Adults: The hike was nice and easy, with pretty awesome views from the top. The ease of the hike was a plus, as the kids were able to tackle it no problem.

Overall Rating: 7/10 – I prefer more of a challenge from a hike, which is why this one is rated a little lower but you cannot go wrong getting to the top of any mountain.

We had a slower start this morning and hit the road by 6:30 am. We had planned a longer hike but were not feeling overly motivated and decided to go for a shorter and easier hike. Biff and I purchased new hiking shoes the previous day because his just were not comfortable for him and mine had deteriorated enough overtime that I had gotten some pretty hideous blisters over the past two days. We were both pretty excited to try out our new shoes! On our drive to the trailhead we saw a Mountain Lion run across the road – it was incredibly awesome!!

The first portion of the trail was mostly flat and straight through the forest. After a quick ascent we reached Queen Lake. This was a small lake in the middle of the forest, which looked so peaceful and secluded that I really wished we could have camped there.

From there it was a rather steady climb to the top. The trail itself transitioned from hard packed dirt to more dust/sand with rocks (big and small) scattered throughout. We even saw a huge pile of bear poop! From there on out we made sure to make tons of noise singing songs from the Sound of Music and telling silly fart and poop jokes.

Our first “peak” was not actually the top but a nice ridgeline with awesome views. From there we could see another higher portion of the mountain and made our way there.

The peak was awesome! We found two geological markers!!! Blaze is quite fond of geological markers and when Biff found the second one, he was so proud to be able to show his daddy his AMAZING find! We also found the remains of an old wood structure with broken glass, bullet casings, screws, wood planks, etc. The peak was flat and allowed for exploring, which we took full advantage of and stayed exploring and snacking for 45 minutes, give or take.

Three days prior, someone from California placed a can with a jar, notebook, and pencil as a peak register. We were only the second group to sign!

On our way back down the mountain we sang Christmas songs with our own versions, including poop and fart talk, picking on one another the entire time. Dad is VERY talented! We saw one couple pull into the trailhead as we were leaving and several other cars heading up the mountain as we travelled down. Looks like we were there at the right time and had the place to ourselves!

Thank you for joining us on our little adventure! Hiking does wonders for our soul, contact with nature in general does and at this point in our journey I could finally feel the stress melting away. It almost seemed like the pandemic was no longer a part of our lives – if only we could bottle that feeling up and take it with us everywhere. As always, take care, stay safe and HAPPY HIKING!!

Scotchman Peak – Clark Fork, Idaho 08/13/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: Early in the morning we only saw a few people on the trail but it was quite crowded by the time we made it down. There was enough space on the trail to allow for social distancing and everyone we met on the trail was polite and gave us space, as we gave them space.

The Trail:

Length: 7.3 miles
Moving Time: 04:14:49
Elevation Gain: 3,317 ft
Difficulty Rating: Moderate
Trail Surface: Packed dirt to the top and tons of scree at the peak
Areas of Caution: We felt pretty comfortable with the kids on this one. Just be cautious on the scree and of the Mountain Goats (yep Mountain Goats!)
Running Wild: We certainly did let them run wild and free on the way up and more so on the way down. But we definitely exercised hand holding at the top, just in case.

What’s in it for the Kids: Did I mention the Mountain Goats?!

What’s in it for the Adults: The views were amazing almost immediately and just kept getting better as we continued on. The Mountain Goats were a real treat and definitely a favorite part of the hike for all of us.

Overall Rating: 9/10 because of the amount of people towards the end – we really like hiking on our own away from the crowds. If we had gotten there an hour or two earlier, this would have been a 10/10 hands down. Perfect start to our 2020 summer adventure!

We were up at 5am and were greeted by an amazing sunrise off our bedroom, open porch. What a way to start the day!

We were on the road to Scotchman’s Peak by 6am. Combo had chosen this trail because the description said people saw many Mountain Goats and it was all she could talk about. The road in was bumpy and we missed the initial turnoff, driving nearly a mile before we noticed. Note: do not use the driving directions provided by All Trails. There are a few reviews which give you far better directions and will save you a TON of time. We ended up using our GPS map to navigate to the trailhead and boy oh boy was the road bumpy!! When we reached the trailhead there were two cards there, one of which had a person sleeping in it.

We hit the trail and were met with switchback after switchback and a steady incline. Some portions were steeper than others but it was definitely a steady rise to the top. About halfway up, the thick tree coverage started to lighten up as we discussed the various animals and crops, we would have if we won the lottery and started a ranch in Montana. At this point we encountered three gentlemen, one with a shotgun (which the kids questioned) whom had camped on the mountain the previous night. The kids were in such an awesome mood and we praised them to the moon and back. They were delighted when we told them this would be the hardest hike in Idaho. I might have also told them that the longer the hike, the more we would spoil them. They actually asked for more miles!!

As we climbed and climbed the view became more and more expansive and spectacular. We could see the surrounding mountains and gorgeous Lake Pend. Pictures do not do the beauty justice nor do words. Amazing!!

In a few places the tree’s stopped and we hiked through mountain grass and portions of scree, this was where the views were the best! And the scree is where Combo heard and saw Picas! Combo squealed with delight, which made our hearts soar. The kids were thrilled by this time and had an extra pep in their step.

The top of the mountain was covered with scree and a little difficult to navigate but manageable. Nearby we saw snow but were unable to reach it as it was on the side of a cliff. The kids had just about given up hope of seeing a Mountain Goat when we reached the false summit and BAM there were 3 standing right on the trail we needed to take! We stood around taking pictures and making lots of noise, hoping the Goats would move on but no luck, they started to approach us! Signs were posted which asked people to maintain at least 100 feet from the goats, so we retreated. The goats followed us for some time but when we noticed they had stopped, we stopped for lunch. We found a large rock and sat down to enjoy our late morning treats. This was cut short because the goats found us again! We packed up and headed back down.

We saw at least 30 people on the way down and Biff warned each and every one of them of the goats, like he was an expert. It was pretty cute. As the number of people grew, our pace quickened to the point were running often, kicking up copious amount of dust and we were completely covered by the end!

Back at the car we were so proud of the kids and they happily chittered away about this was their favorite hike yet! And even cooler, we actually saw a Minnesota license plate! Boom! Blaze and I wholeheartedly agreed. We drove through the host town of Clark Fork, which was really quaint and somewhere we could see ourselves visiting on another trip out West. One odd thing we did see was a car that was riddled with bullet holes and broken out windows. Odd.

That was it for this one folks. If you are ever in the panhandle of Idaho, this is a definite must see! We have hiked many trails and I would put this one in my top 20, for sure! I’ve been slow to write about our summer adventures in light of everything that is happening in our world around us today. It has taken a toll on us all. I feel compelled to say this. Please take care of those around you, love with compassion, accept the differences of others and celebrate those differences, treasure every human life, be kind, bring joy and not hate. If we are to overcome all that is happening, we need to unite and be in this together and I mean truly together. We owe it to one another. We owe it to future generations. We need to do better and it starts with each and every one of us. We need to stop fighting and strive to understand the beliefs and opinions of others. We need to do better. And if we stick together, we can do better and we can create a world full of love, compassion, and acceptance. Take it for what it is worth but please, do what you can to make the world a better place, one act of kindness at a time. Take care and HAPPY HIKING!!

Sibley State Park – New London, MN 08/09/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: The park has many fairly narrow trails and gets pretty busy depending on the time of day you visit. That being said, if you stay away from the Hiking Club trail and the bigger attractions, you are less likely to see the crowds. Going during off-season is another way to enjoy all that the park has to offer without seeing as many people.

The Trail:

Length: 4.0 miles
Moving Time: 01:44:40
Elevation Max: 1,276.25 ft.
Elevation Min: 1,102.36 ft.
Difficulty Rating: Easy, with some areas of elevation gain
Trail Surface: Packed dirt throughout most of the Hiking Club trail (featured here) with a smattering of paved trail. There are also horseback trails which are mostly grass and some packed dirt.
Areas of Caution: Nothing to note, pretty easy going. Cell service was not the best in some areas but it was nothing to be concerned with.
Running Wild: Definitely let them loose!

What’s in it for the Kids: There is a swimming beach that the kids have loved after hiking! We did not make it to the beach this time due to the weather.

What’s in it for the Adults: Expansive views from Little Mt. Tom and Mt. Tom, which are impressive no matter what time of year you go. The majority of this trail was heavily wooded which gives you a sense of escaping from it all.

Overall Rating: 8/10 due to the number of people that you usually encounter on the trail. It’s a fun hike, without decent views and relatively easy for the smaller hikers.

We were just about to embark on our journey West and had a ton to do before we left, so we wanted to stick closer to home (one hour or less drive time). We decided on Sibley State Park for our last Minnesota hike for a while.

As we pulled into the park, we noticed that it was quite a bit chillier than we had expected and we were not dressed for cool weather! Luckily, we had just gone through our clothing and sorted out what we wanted to donate AND those items just happened to be in the car! We pulled on some long sleeve shirts and hit the trail. The first portion of the trail was paved and wound through beautiful flowers and along the treeline. In the distance we could see clouds starting to roll in and figured it would not be long before we were getting a bit damp.

Biff, in true form ran ahead and into the trees the first chance he had. Combo and strolled along pretending not to notice him, when all of sudden BOOM he came running out of his hiding spot, determined to scare us. Our hearts were light but the clouds were looking heavier and heavier by the moment, it would not be long now.

We’ve been to this park multiple times but what struck us this time was the moss covering so many of the trees. It did not seem like it had been that wet of a summer, but I guess it must have been. As we drew closer to the campground the rain drops started to slowly fall. The kids were thrilled of course!

By the time we made it to Lake Andrew we were all soaked but it did not stop us. We strolled along the lake, stopping to throw a couple rocks into the water and of course we needed a little trail snack – MMMMM chocolate!

The rain had really picked up and Dad checked the radar and found that there was another, bigger storm coming after this one so we knew we would have to cut the hike short today. Since we had so much to do back home to get ready for our trip, it did not seem so terrible. What better way to get the kids to kick it into gear than starting a rambunctious game of tag? It was game on! I cannot believe one of us did not trip or fall on the wet trail (thankfully).

Amidst the running, slipping and sliding we came upon a most curious little creature – a jumping mouse! I have no idea what kind of mouse it was but it was sure fun to watch! It jumped this way and that, falling over itself on more than one occasion, never seeming to know just quite where it wanted to go. Biff wanted to take it home with us…

We made it to Badger Hill in record time and with minimal complaints. There is a little hill up as the name would suggest and sometimes the ones with shorter legs have been known to fuss and muss about it, but not today!

Before long our game of tag had us on top of Little Mt. Tom and close to our destination.

Back at the car, we were soggy and muddy but so very happy. Our last hike in Minnesota was not what we had planned but we made lemonade out of the lemons and it was the best lemonade we’ve had in some time. That’s the thing about hiking, you never really know what you are going to get yourself into when you lace up your boots and hit the trail. The important thing is to keep an open mind and let the trail do the rest.

That is it for this one folks. Our next stop – Idaho! We switched up the reporting on the trail, let us know what you think and if there is anything else you think we should include. Stay safe and Happy Hiking folks!

St. Croix State Park – Hinckley, MN 08/02/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: The park itself can be VERY busy but if you get there early and choose trails away from the bigger ticket sights, you can lose yourself in the woods and have the trail mostly to yourself. That was our experience this time around.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – Go for it!
The Trail – We did a choose your own adventure type of hike and made our own loop through the woods and back along the Kettle River. We encountered packed dirt, horse trails, a walk along the road and a small portion of overgrown trail near the river.
Trail Conditions – A little overgrown on one portion but nothing terrible.
Bugs and Pests – Bring the bug spray, this park can be pretty wicked sometimes. Luckily this was not the case this time, after we loaded up with our spray. Oh, and a fun bugger that stung me, more about that later.
Plants – No issues. We did see a ton of mushrooms though!
Bathrooms – We did not encounter any along this portion of the trail.
Cell Service – Once you get into the park a bit, service is pretty much non-existent and we end up turning our phones on “airplane mode”.

Trail Information:

Length – 6.68 miles
Moving Time – 02:44:51
Elevation Gain – 118 ft.
Difficulty – Moderate due to length

Highlights:

Combo – Getting White Castle after! (you have to love this kid seriously)
Biff – Being in charge of Minnie!
Blaze – The peacefulness of the river.
Ripper – Everything! The trail itself was not particularly scenic except along the Kettle River but we had a fabulous time. Everyone was in a great mood and Minnie was a little Rockstar!

We parked in the small pull off for the Kettle River High Banks trail. We park here because the other Our beloved Black Lab, Minnie, was ecstatic to hit the trail with us and was pulling on her leash to get a move on guys!

We took the road for a distance until we reached a horseback trail leading into the woods. From here we continued on for 1.5 miles, discussing various ideas for our upcoming trip (snacks, restaurants, places to check out, etc.) The kids found a really cool feather too! Biff decided to take the lead with Minnie and this was spectacular to watch, he bounded on ahead happy as could be. Of course, Combo wanted in on the action so we made a deal with them that they could switch at each trailhead. This is where the bugs were the worst on the trail.

Combo was proud to take the reigns with Minnie when we reached the road which was shared with the Matthew Lourey Trail. We followed the road for 1.6 miles, which was not our favorite as we would have liked to be on an actual trail but we made the best of it. The weather was absolutely perfect – it was overcast and in the 60’s, perfect for hiking! We began to notice more and more flowers and we even found another “Trident Plant” like the one we saw at Forestville. The kids thought that was pretty cool. We also discovered a MASSIVE Spider Web, which Combo compared to the webs you might find near Aragog from Harry Potter – gotta love her imagination!

Finally, we found the trail to Big Eddy and Biff was pumped to get ahold of Minnie again. Minnie is getting on in years and cannot keep up with all of the hiking that we do but she was in her prime that day, bounding along the trail like a puppy, without a care in the world! Suddenly I felt amazing pain in my right calf and heard a buzzing run through my hair and next to me ear – AHHH! I am terrified of bees (working on getting over it) and getting stung really got my heart pumping. I think I must have stepped on a ground nest or something because the little bugger came out of the ground and boy oh boy did it hurt like a word I cannot say here. When we made it to the Big Eddy the kids frolicked for a few moments before we hit the trail again. This area must be good for gathering mushrooms because we saw a small group with a plethora of mushrooms spread across the picnic table.

Along the Kettle River Highbanks Trail is the most scenic portion of this hike. The river and rapids were impressive and we enjoyed taking a few spurs to get down to the water. Minnie was grateful for the chance to sip some water, as she refused to drink the water I squirted from my hydration pack. We usually pack a travelling water bowl but we decided to hit this trail at the last minute and had not planned on bringing her with – but when in Rome right? Minnie decided that she had enough walking behind folks so she raced Biff for the lead. It was funny to watch her weave back and forth trying to get ahead of him. She really was terrific and did a great job keeping the kids motivated to continue on. Seriously, they did not complain ONCE! The further we went on the trail, the more mushrooms we noticed EVERYWHERE! Some small, some huge, some brightly colored – so many varieties and very fun to spot on the trail.

The Kettle River Highbanks Overlook alerted us to the fact that our journey was just about over, as it would be back to the car from here. We enjoyed the views for another few minutes before hitting the trail, still a long drive home.

The last short portion of trail was a gorgeous walk through massive Red Pines! Very impressive indeed!

And that is a wrap folks! It was another fantastic day on the trail and I hope you enjoyed following our adventure. Please feel free to leave any comments or questions, we love hearing from you! Until next time, Happy Hiking and Stay Safe!

Bear Head Lake State Park – Ely, MN 08/01/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: We did not run into any issues within the park. The trails were a bit narrow in some places but we did not encounter anyone on those portions. That being said, I am sure during different times of the day the trail could be quite busy but I think as long as a person is careful about choosing non-peak times to go, it would be ok.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – No real areas of concern, let them enjoy the trail and lead you😊
The Trail – This is the Hiking Club Trail within the park. We parked in the parking lot leading to Norberg Lake (this is where we saw the majority of the people). After a fairly steep descent down to the lake, the rest of the trail was relatively flat with gradual slopes dispersed throughout. The trail starts with packed dirt, follows a gravel road for a distance and back to packed dirt. The last portion had some bigger rocks on the trail, so watch your footing, Biff definitely biffed it.
Trail Conditions – No issues.
Bugs and Pests – Bring the bug spray, we started to encounter more mosquitoes near the group camp.
Plants – Nothing to note.
Bathrooms – Vault toilets are located within the campground and boat launch – these were open when we went.
Cell Service – A little touch and go in a few areas but pretty good overall.

Trail Information:

Length – 3.47 miles
Moving Time – 01:53:01
Elevation Gain – 112 ft
Difficulty – Easy

Highlights:

Combo – Seeing the bear!
Biff – Seeing the bear!
Blaze – I liked that we finally made it to the park and that it was in the middle of nowhere!
Ripper – Norberg Lake was absolutely gorgeous! I loved how absolutely clear the water was!

This park has been on my list for some time now but due to it’s location it has been a hard one to get to. We had camping reservations here for the weekend after our Montana trip but unfortunately had to cancel because Blaze needed to work. So…we decided to make the trip up on a Saturday, spend the night at my parent’s cabin and head home in the morning. We left mid afternoon and did not get to the park until around 5pm or so and it was perfect! The sun was beginning it’s descent and we were treated to some spectacular color!

We made a quick pitstop at the Ranger Station for the passport stamp, then turned around to head back to the parking lot (we did not want to get too far into the park if we could avoid it). Once we were getting ourselves geared up, we discovered that Biff had forgotten to bring socks! Thankfully we had his hiking sandals with and that was just going to have to work for this one. He was not overly pleased because rocks and sand kept getting into them – at least it was a short hike. Overall, he was a trooper though and trekked along the best he could. This was definitely a lesson learned for him – he double and triple checks now to make sure he has socks!

I am still in awe of how beautiful Norberg Lake was – this alone was well worth the LONG drive we had to get here. We made a quick pitstop to throw some rocks in the lake, explore a little and then it was off to the races.

It is about 0.2 miles to get to the road to the campground from Norberg Lake, the trail is a bit narrower in portions here so be watchful. What surprised us most was that we found the password just off the gravel road on the sign for the park. The passwords are usually a bit more buried in the trails.

Another 0.3 miles on the gravel road took us to where the Hiking Club Trail splits from the road to the group camp site. Happily skipping along the gravel road, the kids thought they were pretty sneaky stealing treats out of my pack. It was fun to pretend that I couldn’t feel their little hands yanking and pulling out the treats. Here we took the opportunity to load up with bug spray. With the bug spray though, the mosquitoes barely bothered us.

The Norberg Lake trail was about 1 mile long and offered scenic views of East Bay, which was also amazingly clear. I can see the allure for camping here and will definitely plan on securing a backpacking site next season. Imagine waking up next to the crystal-clear water with no one else around. We also saw an impressive wasp nest and ended up carrying Biff because the rocks in his shoes were getting the better of him.

We had hoped to swim in the beach but it was starting to get late and we still had several hours to drive before we could call it a night. Luckily the kids were satisfied with getting their fingers wet and playing on shore for a period of time. Definitely a beach I would love to spend the afternoon at!

The last portion of the loop takes you through the woods, near to the main road running through the park. On the bright side, you could hear the traffic but due to the dense tree coverage you actually cannot see any of the cars. There are no lake views on this portion of the trail but instead you find yourself in awe of the massive trees seemingly creating a canopy over you. Rocks began to get bigger and more frequent here, causing Biff to biff it pretty good but he wiped himself off and continued on without too many hysterics. The kids especially enjoyed discovering the “twisty tree” and the “trident tree”, while Dad and I could not take our eyes off of the setting sun.

And we were back at Norberg Lake ready to make the climb back up to the car. BUT not before we checked out the lake one last time!

We thought that our adventure for the day had ended here but boy oh boy were we wrong! We saw a bear just outside of the park limits, right off the road maybe 15 feet from us!! We stopped to watch the graceful creature meander his way next to the road, stopping to watch us in return. They do not call this Bear Head Lake for nothing!

And that is it for this park – definitely one to add to your bucket list, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. Until next time, Happy Hiking and Stay Safe!

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park – Preston, MN 07/25/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: We felt pretty good here. The trails allowed for social distancing and the people were for the most part respectful and followed the governor’s order for social distancing.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – No concerns, let them loose. Just be sure you can keep a close enough eye on them so they do not spook any passing horses.
The Trail – Winding trail through the park (see map for more details). The majority of the trails were fairly flat and packed dirt. There were a few portions where the trail became steeper (noted below) but for the most part it was more of a leisurely stroll.
Trail Conditions – Great conditions when we were there but I can imagine there would be some serious mud during the spring months.
Bugs and Pests – No issues.
Plants – Watch out for the itchy plants listed below.
Bathrooms – Spread throughout the park and campground.
Cell Service – Sketchy in some areas. Go prepared with maps and what you need ahead of time. On the way out we definitely lost service for a bit but luckily, we remembered the roads to take out

Trail Information:

Length – 9.02 miles
Moving Time – 04:36:03
Elevation Gain – 256 ft from highest point to lowest point
Difficulty – Moderate due to length and heat.

Highlights:

Combo – The town part was pretty cool!
Biff – Going on the bridge, spending time with you, and the abandoned buildings.
Blaze – The big spring!
Ripper – Getting some bigger miles in finally!

The last time we were at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park it was miserably hot outside and we only made it to the Hiking Club Trail. Then a magnificent storm came through which kicked us out of our campsite, so we have been determined to get back there. This was the weekend. We were looking for something farther out of the way (potentially less people) with a decent number of miles. We started on the Big Spring Trail which wound along Canfield Creek. This portion of the trail was flat and easy sailing.

We crossed the creek via a really cool bridge that we would have loved to explore more but when we stopped and turned around, we saw a group of horses waiting for us to leave the bridge, so they too could cross. Of course, Blaze being the charmer that he is had the ladies riding the horses smiling from ear to ear with his goofy jokes and smooth talking. I always kid him that he is quite the schmoozer.

Walking along the creek we saw several people fishing and enjoyed some of the delicious skittles that our mail carrier bestowed upon our kiddos. They have a very friendly relationship and the kids wait patiently for her to come to our house each day, to chat and catch up. It’s pretty sweet.

Eventually the trail will take you to a water crossing with a small plank bridge running across. The kids really do enjoy crossing the water, what way they can.

Before we knew it there was a second water crossing. There was a couple directly behind us and we decided to let them cross before us. Instead of using the offered bridge, they decided to traverse the water with their dog. The kids really got a kick out of that. We took the bridge and on the other side the trail was super overgrown and covered with itchy plants. Here we also noticed that it appeared that someone had been purposefully eradicating the Wild Parsnip, as these would be the only plants that died while all the other plants in the area were flourishing.

At the big spring the views were pretty spectacular, with the mist floating off the water. Unfortunately, several people were traipsing all over the land, off trail. There were more horses and we again encountered the ladies that Dad had charmed earlier in the day.

We followed the same route back to the trailhead and our legs were beginning to break out in some serious hives from the plants. We washed them the best we could with water from the creek and slowly they started to feel normal again. When we reached the portion of trail just beyond the itchy plants there were two more horses, one of which was spooked by the water crossing. They decided to turn back. As we crossed the final bridge on our way back to the trailhead, we noticed that we could see fish way below in the crystal-clear water – very cool! We also took this opportunity to decide which trails we would take for the remainder of our journey. I was dead set on getting 10 miles in but did not really care how we did it – choose your own trail adventure it was!

When we crossed the parking lot to get to the Maple Ridge Trail Loop (portion of the Hiking Club Trail) it was starting to get VERY HOT. Greeted by a steep hill up to the ridge, we became warmer by the minute. The ridge itself had an amazing breeze which was completely refreshing. We were starting to see more and more horses, but everyone was super friendly and worked hard to share the trail with us. One gentleman actually had a beer strapped to his saddle!

We crossed the road to continue on the Hiking Club Trail.

The people became less frequent but horse traffic remained at a steady pace as we made our way to the Oak Ridge Trail.

The Oak Ridge Trail to the overlook was a good workout, with a winding and never-ending slope up. Biff was getting pretty tired and hot, needing quite a bit of encouragement to carry on. But he did it! This was my favorite portion of the trail. Heavily wooded, hardly no traffic, and fun views of the trail running towards the sky. The only downfall was the gravel footing, I tend to prefer packed dirt.

The trail to the actual overlook, offered little to no breeze and man oh man was it getting toasty. The tree coverage definitely obscured the views here and I imagine that in the early spring and winter you are able to see quite a bit more. Since we had not seen a soul in quite some time we decided to finally stop for a picnic. This has always been a favorite part of our hikes, stopping to enjoy a trail lunch. Due to the conditions as of late, we have not been able to do that so we were excited that we finally had our chance. When we had just about finished another group strolled up to the overlook and one person SNEEZED! Yikes, time to pack up and move it along.

Forestville itself was closed but we were able to walk around the buildings and check them out from afar. Imagining what the town looked like when it was functioning and alive was pretty fun. We spent time reading the interpretative signs to get a better idea of what we were looking at. I love checking out old towns that are no longer functioning but have been preserved to learn about the past.

The last leg of our journey was along the Forestville Creek and nearing the park entrance and campgrounds, so we started to see more and more people. Luckily everyone was polite and kept to themselves, following the rules of the trail. We were all getting hot and the kids were getting pooped by this time, so we were thankful that we were nearly done.

Near the picnic area there was this MASSIVE tree that we marveled at for quite some time. I can only imagine how old the tree was. Pretty cool!

The final stretch took us along the river, through the campground, over the bridge, back along the river, through another campground and on the road to our car.

That is it for this one! I hope you enjoyed the trail as much as we did, it was a splendid day for sure! If you have any questions or comments, please let us know – we value any input you may have and LOVE to answer questions or point you in the right direction. Happy Hiking, Stay Safe and Please Wear Your Mask!!

Willow River State Park – Hudson, WI 07/19/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: Avoid this park at all costs, especially on the weekends. I will go into further details later. I can honestly say this was one of the worst experiences I have had hiking to date.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – No way, too many people. When we have been here pre-COVID, we felt comfortable letting them run wild. The overlooks that they have are nicely sectioned off for safety. I believe we reviewed this one last fall, if memory serves.
The Trail – We did the Willow Falls and Nelson Farm Trail Loop. There is a mixture of prairie/grass and packed dirt, along with some paved portions.
Trail Conditions – No issues, except garbage, garbage, garbage. UGH!
Bugs and Pests – Nothing to worry about.
Plants – No concerns.
Bathrooms – Located just off the parking lot.
Cell Service – Great.

Trail Information:

Length – 6.0 miles
Moving Time – 02:31:30
Elevation Gain – 449 ft.
Difficulty – Mostly Easy with some Moderate hills

Highlights:

Combo – The deer we saw!
Biff – Finding the other trail away from the mean people.
Blaze – Knowing that the majority of hikers are not like the ones we saw today.
Ripper – Getting in the car and heading home.

With a late start to our day, we were not surprised to see that Afton had closed it’s entrances due to the number of people within the park. I had hoped to get the kids to water so after looking around, decided we would return to Willow River, as it is always a pretty hike. Dad and I agreed that if there were a ton of people in the parking lot we would turn around and head home. Happy to have our annual WI state park pass, we were waived right in and around those looking to purchase a permit for the day. Does this mean good luck? When we reached the parking lot there were only a few cars so we decided to give it a try.

We hiked the opposite route that we usually take and headed towards the beach first. There was a spur trail along the main trail which we decided to take to avoid people for as long as we could. This trail had some sort of game posted throughout – it looked like a scavenger hunt of sorts and likely was pretty fun. We also found a cool structure that we never exactly figured out what it was.

Just passed the structure we came upon the beach and there were TONS of people, we were the few wearing masks. We hauled butt through that area and people were giving us the oddest looks, dragging our little one’s quickly through. Just beyond the parking lot you will find another interpretive trail which follows the river and has signs posted telling you all about the area.

There is a scenic bridge that crosses the river, which is always a crowd pleaser. We did not spend too much time here as there were others that wanted to also check it out, but we did take the time to toss a stick in the river and watch it float under us and beyond into the great unknown.

Following the bridge your path takes you up an initial steep incline to a beautiful prairie setting with lots of wildflowers everywhere. Unfortunately, not everyone was in such a pleasant mood today and it took quite a bit of work to keep everyone cheery and moving along. Ok it was not all roses. There was some arguing, name calling, dirty looks, etc. and it was quite some time before there was peace again.

Before long, the trail provided and the kids bonded over a Daddy Long Legs.

Following the prairie, you pass through a parking lot and over a road to another, more open expanse of prairie. Here was where we encountered the first of the lack of social distancing. We walked by two different couples, neither would move to allow 6 feet between us and we had to move FAR off the trail to allow for social distancing. This should have been a good indicator as to what was to come next but we continued on anyways.

We saw two beautiful houses just before we moved back into the tree cover – what a view! Here there was less heat and we encountered two more experienced group of hikers (no flip flops in sight) and were pleased to see that they were doing their part to maintain distance, as well. This wooded portion of the trail was rife with gently sloping hills up and down, throughout. We stopped at a nice overlook to attempt to have lunch – not smart. People started to swarm the overlook as they wandered by (honestly, we should have known better than to stop here, better to stop somewhere people would not be interested in stopping). This cut lunch short and the kids ended up eating their lunch on the trail, while hiking along.

Here we are drawing closer to the falls and where the real action took place. We passed numerous people, none of which wanted to share the trail so to speak. We again had to get far off the trail to allow for distancing and had put our masks on in the event we could not separate ourselves 6 feet. And boy oh boy when we did…people began making fun of us, pointing and whispering. It was disheartening to watch the kids’ shoulders slump more and more. We also began to see more and more litter – maddening. Many people were climbing (literally climbing) on the closed trails, further eroding the trail surface. We even saw a woman traversing the closed trail and cliff in a thong…some things you just cannot unsee. Despite all of the ugly that we as humans provided, the area was still gorgeous! At this point we started to devise plans to keep people away. The family favorite was a gigantic squirt gun in each of the kids’ backpacks so I could whip them out at a moment’s notice and squirt the living daylight out of anyone that dared to come within 6 feet.

And then this says it all…we nearly ran through all of the people, finger pointing and mask shaming…

We lucked out and remembered a ski trail that we had seen last fall and quickly hopped off the main trail and away from the people. For the rest of the hike we could only hear the people in the distance but we never encountered a soul on the trail itself. We knew this would add distance to the hike, but everyone (even Biff) was game. Oh, and I have on good authority that you SHOULD NOT hike this during the winter months. I have coworker who’s father grooms the trails for skiers and hiking on them in the winter is a definite no-no.

It was unanimous, this was the best decision ever and our favorite portion of the trail! Unfortunately, Biff was still quite sad about being called names and was not able to fully enjoy himself. He did not start to cheer up until we were just about done.

Well that is it for this time! I implore you, please if you are going to be out hiking, leash your dogs, bring your masks, keep your distance, and for goodness sakes, follow the rules of the parks and take care of our trails! This is a quick way to ruin our beautiful trails and to further limit the activities that we can safely do during this pandemic. Ugh, enough of that. I hope everyone is well and at least enjoyed the scenery on this one. Happy Hiking and Stay Safe! Until next time!

Flandrau State Park – New Ulm, MN 07/12/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: We saw a few people on the trail but were able to distance ourselves without much trouble.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – Definitely let them run wild and free. No safety concerns and the lack of people left us confident with them tearing on ahead.
The Trail – We did the Hiking Club Loop, adding in a quick spur to an overlook. The trail was a nice mixture of packed dirt and grassy fields. We did cross the road a few times and walked along the sandy manmade beach (beach does not have any water due to COVID-19).
Trail Conditions – One area had a TON of mud but beyond that nothing to note.
Bugs and Pests – The mosquitoes were pretty thick but with bug spray they bothered us far less. We’ve definitely encountered worse.
Plants – Nothing of concern.
Bathrooms – There was one bathroom located off of the main parking area which provides access to the beach.
Cell Service – No issues

Trail Information:

Length – 3.07 miles
Moving Time – 01:40:13
Elevation Gain – 111 ft.
Difficulty – Easy

Highlights:

Combo – The mud!!
Biff – Talking to the people on the trail!
Blaze – Using the water fountain to cool the kids off!
Ripper – We got the password finally!

We visited Flandrau this past winter but the Hiking Club trail was closed to hikers so we decided to make another quick trip to check that one off our list. We are starting to run out of passwords and most of the parks are getting to be quite the distance from our home, so we thought this would be as good of time as any to grab it. We parked in the parking lot next to the RV Sanitation Station, to avoid people at the main parking area.

Almost immediately we encountered a spur trail to an overlook and decided to seize the day and add that to our journey. While deciding whether or not to give it a go, we also paused to apply bug spray because the little biters were getting us good. The spur trail to the overlook had several steps leading us up but they were not too bad. We encountered one group and decided to walk the spur loop in the opposite direction to avoid coming in direct contact with them. We also saw a house near the trail and the kids actually asked if we could go in! Sorry buddies, someone actually lives there. If you have the time, I would recommend the short spur because you are treated some pretty cool views.

Back onto the woodland trail we chatted about all the snacks that we wanted to bring with us to Montana, yep somehow conversations always come back to food and Montana. I guess you know what is on our minds! Just before we crossed the road we came upon a patch of super slippery mud. Combo said she felt like she was skating across it and I would have to agree. After crossing the road, we were surrounded by flowers and boy oh boy did Biff want to pick some. Here we also encountered a couple hiking and Biff stopped to warn them about the mud and they said “Thanks little buddy”. He was pretty proud of this.

Eventually the Woodland Trail meets up with the River Trail which we had hiked this past winter and remembered pretty scenery, so we seized the day again and went for it. There is a short detour here, which we followed, and then climbed the stairs up to the overlook. At this time of year, there is not much to see from the overlook due to the vegetation growth but it was worth a shot. Onward and outward!

Next you will follow the river on the Cottonwood Trail, alongside the parking lot and picnic area. There are several picnic tables set up along the river which would make for a nice place to stop for lunch, but the parking lot kind of took away from picnic vibe.

I’ve been told that the beach here is pretty awesome and we should bring our kids but alas it was closed. We strolled around the beach and found a water fountain which was more like a sprinkler. The kids enjoyed running through the cold water on the hot day.

Once around the lake we rejoined the Cottonwood Trail and walked to a river overlook. This was quite pretty and a nice place to stop to take in the scenery. Unfortunately, this is also when the bugs started to pick up again, so more bug-spray it was. We were going to be stinky (did I mention it was HOT) and sticky little hikers by the end.

The Cottonwood Trail gave way to the Oxbow Trail and we saw the hikers that Biff had previously warned of the mud. Of course, he had to stop to find out if they had found the mud and he was met with a resounding “yes” and another “thanks little buddy”. Beaming with pride, he continued on with an extra bounce to his step. This is the hiking community that I love. People looking out for one another and adults taking the time to make sure that kids feel important and appreciated. Whoever you, thank you, your kind words meant the world to our son.

As can be expected, with staying home all the time and stuck around one another constantly, while I work from home, the kids have taken to fighting like cats and dogs and this weekend was no different. If I am going to be honest with myself, it was torture for me, ugh the incessant arguing, name calling, pushing, etc. But somehow, the trail worked it’s magic yet again and they were actually getting along and if I am brave, I might just say that they were enjoying their time together. Combo was taking care of Biff and he was relishing in the moment.

Soon the trees broke and we were in a valley of sorts with trees towering around us on all sides. It was super-hot here and the sun beat down on us relentlessly so we did not stop for long but if the weather had been a bit cooler, I could see this as a nice place to stop for lunch or a snack. We also found the password here (hint hint) and decided that the kids would need to start carrying their own water to prepare for the longer treks in Montana. They were not too thrilled about this idea until we told them that they would be able to stash some goodies in their packs.

We took the Ridge Trail back to our car and this was my favorite portion of the hike. The trail was narrow and wound up and down and in and out of the trees to the ridge. Now this is not a ridge where you can see around you forever, it was covered with trees but it was really fun.

That’s it for this one folks, short and sweet. I would definitely recommend this hike for people with really little kids or those just getting started. As always, please wear your mask, stay safe, and HAPPY HIKING!

Tettegouche State Park – Silver Bay, MN 07/10/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: Once you get away from the falls and beach areas, the trails were perfect for social distancing – we only saw one group! And to top it off, we did not get there until nearly 2pm, peak time for people! There are many miles of trails to explore within this park and fortunately not many venture passed the big attractions. Winning!

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – We felt completely comfortable letting the little hikers run wild and free (once we left the trail to the falls that is).
The Trail – Parking lot for High Trails, SHT/Pine Knob Trail, The Drainpipe, Raven Rock Spur Trail, trail around Mic Mac Lake, passed the campground, looped around to finish Mic Mac Lake and off to Nipisiquit Lake. We then took the Nipisiquit Mountain Trail, hit Papasay Ridge and then followed the hiking/skiing trail back to the High Falls Trail. This route had everything – gorgeous views, challenges ascents, wildlife, and a nice calm cool down portion at the end. Honestly, this has been one of my favorites thus far this year.
Trail Conditions – We were surprised to not encounter too much mud this time around. Some portions of the trail were quite overgrown, while others were perfect. The trail conditions really depended on how far away from the main attractions you were and the coinciding less foot traffic to allow nature to attempt to reclaim the trail. I loved it!
Bugs and Pests – So many deer flies in some areas but closer to Lake Superior it was not bad at all.
Plants – No concerns.
Bathrooms – Located within the campground but again we did not venture to check them out. If memory serves, these bathrooms lie within the shower structure so you share the space with campers.
Cell Service – Decent, no real issues.

Trail Information:

Length – 6.94 miles
Moving Time – 03:16:00
Elevation Gain – 607 ft.
Difficulty – Moderate to Strenuous (Drainpipe)

Highlights:

Combo – Seeing the Bear!
Biff – Seeing the bear!
Blaze – The Bear!
Ripper – Leaving the campground and seeing the bear. The views when we got into the clearing passed the campground were absolutely spectacular!

We had planned to go camping this weekend but we had to cancel our trip because the supervisor that Blaze manages tested positive for COVID-19 and was going to be out for the next 2 weeks. This meant that Blaze would be working open to close for 14 days straight…ugh! Not to mention the scare that we had that he could have brought it home with him (luckily, he did not). That being said, we cancelled our trip and decided to try to make the best of it. Another stroke of luck – a coworker volunteered to go in for Blaze on this day so we quickly packed up and hit the road, arriving to the park much later than normal (around 2pm I think). We donned our masks and hit the trail. People do not often wear their masks hiking and it was a fun surprise when another hiker with a mask spotted us from across the parking lot and yelled out “Hey!” Solidarity at its best.

We were only on the High Falls Trail for a short period of time before we saw it, the sign telling us to ditch the busy trail for the SHT – YES!! We waited a moment or two to let two thru hikers pass us and then we headed into the woods, hearts soaring.

The first portion was fairly flat but it wound this way and that until we made it The Drainpipe and then it was up, up, up! The kids were getting pretty tired and a little defeated but they kept at it and surprisingly barely complained! This is where we ran into one family, whom graciously stepped aside to allow us to pass. At the end of The Drainpipe you are treated to beautiful views of the park and Lake Superior. On a previous trip, Dad and I had stopped here for a snack (we had hiked from Silver Bay to Tettegouche and we had fun telling the kids all about it and how different the trail looked this time (we hiked in October previously).

I feel words are inadequate to describe the lush forest following The Drainpipe. I think everyone was feeling it because Dad suddenly yelled out “Forest Therapy!” Gosh it was nice to see him, everyone really, finally relaxed and at peace again. Funny how hiking and pushing yourself can do that to you.

Raven Rock Spur Trail soon appeared along our journey and we decided why not? Let’s give it a look. Down the trail we went. It was pretty apparent that not too many people take the spur trail because the surrounding vegetation began to encroach on the trail, which really just makes it more exciting. Raven Rock was HOT and super sunny, but did offer spectacular views. If it had not been so hot, this could be a cool place to have a picnic – we might have to make a trip here in the fall (we do have reservations at Cascade River State Park for MEA).

Leaving the SHT the trail almost immediately became less defined and the bugs began increase in population. Despite several applications of bug spray, they were still getting us. Biff had to walk in front of Dad so he could continuously swat the bugs off of his head because they were swarming him in particular. Dad even convinced Biff to start running, as the bugs would be less likely to be able to land on him if he did. We were headed towards and eventually walked near the shore of Mic Mac Lake but never caught a glimpse of the water the trees were so thick. This portion of trail was also taking us to the Tettegouche Camp (Inset A on the map). The kids were delighted to spot a Frog and a Bunny but alas the bunny was too fast to get a picture.

The campground was surreal, seeing it without any people. It looked completely abandoned and like something you might see out of one of those zombie shows. And then the darndest thing happened after we left the campground – there was a freaking bear not more than 15 feet away from us. We watched the bear quietly for a moment before walking away slowly, making as much noise as we possibly could, just in case there was a momma bear nearby.

Chatting about the bear and snacking happily on Beef Sticks, Dad hypothesized that he thought the next portion of trail was going to be pretty cool based on the horizon line that he could see. We had no idea just how cool it was going to be! The views were awesome, we were completely alone, the trail was overgrown and it was just the best feeling. Even the bugs picking up could not dampen the mood.

And if things could not get any better, we were soon greeted by gorgeous views of Mic Mac Lake. The lake was clear and calm, with the most beautiful contrast between the blue of the water and sky and the green of the vegetation. I really did not want to leave that area.

The trail then took us between Mic Mac Lake and Nipisiquit Lake, there were less bugs and the forest setting was enchanting. Our path was mostly flat, which made for easy conversation and messing around – always a plus.

At Nipisiquit Lake we watched a pair of loons dive for food and call out to one another. Yet another fun siting on our scavenger hunt of a hike.

Nipisiquit Mountain Trail was deemed as Minimum Maintenance and we were pretty pumped, things kept getting better and better! The bugs definitely picked up again but we had so much fun navigating the trail and a fallen tree that we really did not care.

Another spur trail presented itself, Papasay Ridge and given the “let’s make the most of this” attitude that we had, of course we needed to check it out. The spur was short and did not offer the best of views due to the tree coverage but it was still fun. I bet when the leaves fall you can see some really awesome views.

Climbing down from Papasay Ridge we were greeted with a nice little wetland before following the hiking/skiing trail.

The hiking/skiing trail was overgrown with tall grass which itched my legs like nobody’s business. Full disclosure, I am allergic to cats, dogs, trees, grass and dust. I have two cats and a dog and I spend every possible moment out amongst the trees and grass. I guess I am glutton for punishment! Unfortunately, I think Biff might have allergies as well because his poor little legs started to itch like mad too. We could hear people off in the distance at the picnic area but only encountered one group on the trail at this point. It was clear, itchy sailing!

When we met back up with the High Falls Trail we had a decision to make – do we make the short trek to the falls or do we call it a night? We decided to call it a night because there were just too many people and we had to make it home (4 hour drive) at a decent hour so Dad would be able to get up and make it to work by 4am. We whipped out the masks again in anticipation of the throngs of people and were glad that we did. No one else was wearing a mask but we were content knowing that we had done our part to protect others from ourselves. I protect you and you protect me when we all wear masks.

That is it for this time guys. Thanks for joining us! This was a wonderful escape from reality and I truly hope that you are able to find this kind of escape on the trails. It does wonders for us as a family but also for each of us as an individual. The kids might complain when they know it is a hiking day but the looks on their faces while we are hiking and after we finish up says it all – they need it too! As always, please wear your mask, stay safe and HAPPY HIKING!

Nerstrand State Park – Nerstrand, MN 07/04/2020

COVID-19 Perspective: This is NOT the park for social distancing if you want to check out the waterfall and popular trails. That being said, if you take the trail less travelled (not as scenic) you can really get away from the crowds. Just look for trails further out and away from the Hiking Club trail.

Kid Perspective:

Running Wild – No concerns other than social distancing.
The Trail – Hidden Falls Trail to the water fall and back to the trail center, Fox Trail, Big Woods Trail, Prairie Trail loop, Big Woods Trail to Maple Trail and then White Oak Trail (Hiking Club) back to the parking lot.
Trail Conditions – Once we left the Hidden Falls Trail the trails were overgrown with grass and because we were there in the morning, the trails were quite wet and our boots were soaked!
Bugs and Pests – Lots of hovering bug, but no biters at least!
Plants – No concerns.
Bathrooms – Porta potties were located near the parking lot but we did not venture to take a closer look.
Cell Service – Great!

Trail Information:

Length – 6.21 miles
Moving Time – 02:46:49
Elevation Gain – 203 ft.
Difficulty – Easy

Highlights:

Combo – The waterfall!
Biff – The waterfall!
Blaze – We got there early and we had the falls all to ourselves…that never happens!
Ripper – The big woods!

We arrived to the park before 8:00 am and parked at the main parking lot. It was still quiet hours for the campers so we had to remind the kids to keep it down.

Starting on the Hidden Falls Trail we immediately noticed the swarming bugs but continued on because such is life; they are a small price to pay to be out in nature, enjoying time on the trail. We could hear people off in the distance and hastened our pace. We really wanted to make it to the falls before the crowds came and we would be forced to continue on with only a quick glimpse. The other thing that we noticed was that the park had placed additional signs warning people to stay on the trail, even sectioning off the trail in some places. It really is sad. We’ve always encouraged people to get out and give hiking a shot but the disrepair, garbage and complete lack of following the rules within the park has been so disheartening.

Moving on. When we reached the falls, we had the area completely to ourselves and had plenty of time to let the kids explore and get their hands wet. YES water! A tree had fallen across the falls during a recent storm (or so we assumed) but it only added to the beauty. Last winter Combo had found a painted rock near the falls and she spent a few minutes trying to see if she could find it again, but alas no luck.

Continuing on the Hidden Falls Trail away from the Hiking Club Trail and towards the park entrance, we were pleased to note that we were still the only one’s on the trail! Being that it was the 4^th of July we started talking about all of the wonderful foods we planned to eat later. Brats, pasta salad, potato salad, zucchini, salad, donuts, smores, the list went on and on. Now the only decision to make was what can we actually fit into our bellies before we gave up?

Crossing the road, beyond the park entrance, we continued onto the Fox Trail. Here the trail was long grass and WET. We also noticed that the bugs upped their game and were quite plentiful. We passed an animal exclosure, which sounded odd and was definitely something that we had not seen before. We also hiked passed a waste treatment pond which smelled terrible! The treatment pond was closed off but that did not stop us from peering through the trees (from the trail) to try to catch a glimpse into what a waste treatment pond actually looked like.

Eventually, the kids finally busted out their bug nets and boy oh boy did they look goofy. Bright side, the nets worked and the kids were no longer complaining about the bugs! BOOM! At least the bugs were still just annoying little buggers and were not biting. Here we came across a trail runner, the first person we had seen, and we were happy that he maneuvered around us, keeping at least 6 feet and thanked us for doing the same. This does not happen often and was a really nice surprise! Biff was super excited that a Daddy Long Legs had found a place on the outside of his net and hoped to keep the little guy with him for as long as he could. The mud also picked up here, but again this only added to the fun!

The Big Woods Trail was just as it sounds. Massive trees surrounding us on all sides. This is one of my favorite things about this park and they are everywhere. You really feel like you are transported back in time to when the trees ruled the world. Oh, to be in simpler times again!

The Prairie Trail started with a steep descent down and then meandered it’s way back up to the prairie itself. We also encountered a really cool bridge on the way to the prairie. This was no ordinary bridge. The Earth continued over the bridge, which was covered with grass and flowers. An unnatural natural bridge so to speak. Pretty awesome!

The prairie itself was HOT – I mean really hot!! We were all completely drenched in sweat. Plus side – NO BUGS! We debated which was better – less heat and more bugs or more heat and no bugs? We were split down the middle. The girls appreciated the heat without bugs while the boys preferred the cooler temperatures with more bugs.

Wildflowers were everywhere within the prairie and Biff and Combo really yearned to pick them and make a bouquet like they do with the flowers in our backyard, but again it is a state park and you need to leave the flowers for others to enjoy. We also noticed that a particular bird continued to follow us on our journey, jumping from one position to another on the power line. Biff decided that he should check up on them and yell out a “cacaw” or two to see what was going on – he takes this stuff seriously. We had planned to do a longer loop on the Prairie Trail but decided with the heat that we should take the shorter route and we stopped at a bench to cool off and have a few snacks. It was a much-needed break that was only made better with the promise of shade just beyond our stopping point.

Retracing our steps on the forested portion of the Prairie Trail we rejoined the Big Woods Trail. It was cooler but we were back to the bugs. Our feet were also super wet by this point and we could feel the squish squish as we took each step – fun! Again there is always a bright side to things – we saw a bunny!

The Maple Trail loop was fairly uneventful but we spent our time discussing just what we wanted to do on our trip to Montana and Idaho. Ideas discussed: rockhounding (I found a state park that offers this!), Ice Cream, Steak, Flathead Lake, Kayaking, Huckleberries, Swimming, the Little Blue Joint (favorite restaurant in Darby, MT), Lake Como, Darby Candy Store and honestly, I could go on and on. Montana is always our favorite place to visit and we usually have more things to cross off our list than time!

After the Maple Trail we crossed the road again and found ourselves on the White Oak Trail (Hiking Club), entrenched with people. So many people! If you are concerned with social distancing, AVOID the Hiking Club Trail here. We encountered numerous people stopping to chat in the middle of the trail, leaving us to wait for their conversation to end because there was no way to pass while keeping our distance.

Despite all my complaining about the people and lack of social distancing (this is near and dear to me for various reasons which I am not quite ready to discuss here), the trail was wonderful and we had a fantastic time! As always, please wear your mask, stay safe and HAPPY HIKING!!

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