A ten minute drive and a twenty minute walk puts me at Hidden Pond. A half hour from my couch to the chair in the woods. Not bad...

The Startup Trail has a big "Trail Closed" sign at the bottom by the horse lot. No explanation as to why. It looks like it is still being used; and there is no sign at the top. Someone has brushed it recently - so go for it ?

The log crossing the creek at the start of the Midway has fallen apart. It was bound to happen with the increased traffic as the trail gets discovered. Not as stable as before, so pay a bit more attention when crossing.

Since I am not allowed to work on the trail anymore, you'll have to contact the proper authorities and complain. Tell them you want a real crossing there. (Or we can wait til someone gets tired of waiting and does it himself. There are some good 4x8 beams just up the trail by the boardwalks. Just sayin'...) 

Someone also brushed the Midway Cutoff and Hidden Pond Loop. Don't know if they got to the southend or not, as I stopped at the viewpoint. ;) No one there on this nice sunny day. You missed out...

Aahhh... 58 degrees and drizzling... Hello July!

Lord Hill is beautiful right now.  I think I say that every time I go there.  Lush green foliage, berries, mushrooms and lots of birds singing and woodpeckers pecking. 

Animals today- we saw a juvenile hawk as we pulled into the lot, a flock of sheep in the lot, a deer by Temple Pond and numerous frogs in the pond.

Went with my Dad to Lord Hill; very nice day to walk : )  We took Waynes World/Swamp Gas to the cut off trail to the Right, up to the road near the equine entrance, the up Start up, down Upper Springboard, Left on west View, right on the main road, then Left on Pipeline cutoff, then followed the Midway Hiker path with a quick break at Hidden Pond, then all the way back to the boardwalks and returned to the car.  Pretty nice little loop for the kids : )  Lots of fun!

Parked at the South lot today. Looks like they're getting serious about keeping the vehicles off the trails - concrete blocks are everywhere. Only a half dozen cars in the bumpy gravel lot. (Now that the gate is open, the local yokels like to come out and sling some gravel. That should stop when the county stations a resident ranger at the Park.)

Explored down by the river a bit, where a big grassy meadow lies between the water and a band of rocky cliffs. There are several trails that wind through the grass to the bank. If you want to check out the river without having to walk all the way down the River Trail;  well, here ya go. It's an easy, flat walk from the parking. (If you're thinking of swimming here later in the year; don't. There are many hidden snags in the area.)

Took the Midway to the Viewpoint and back - didn't see anyone til the parking lot. If you're stuck in a rut with the trails on the North end, give the South end a try! It's a pretty drive, and there's lots of parking!

PS : People live along this pretty drive, so don't speed through their neighborhood. Drive safely, and watch for kids and cats ... and chickens.

The good hikes are still snowed under, and the rest are packed. I just wanted to get out in the woods, and I didn't want to drive far. Lord Hill it is...

North lot was overflowing as usual for a Saturday, but I always seem to find a spot. (Maybe they should turn the play area into extra parking - I've only seen half a dozen kids on it in ten years.) Once on the trails, I saw three bikes on the Red Barn; and later that day, one hiker at the Viewpoint.  Not bad for such a "crowded" park!

Stuck to side trails for the most part. From the boardwalks : Beaver Lake/Waynes World/Midway/Beaver Lake/Red Barn/ English Pond/ "No Name"/Gravel Mine/OT - Temple Pond 2, Bald Hill Pond, Temple Pond/Pipeline/Viewpoint/Midway/Midway Cut-off/Horse Lot/Entrance. Good workout today!  (esp. the OT part.)

Wasn't going to waste any more pics on balloons, but this one pissed me off - only because it was such a pain-in-the-ass to retrieve.  So there I was, chillin' at my spot overlooking Beaver Marsh, when the sun glinted off something shiny. Yep, another balloon. Stuck in the grass out in the marsh. I couldn't just leave it - so into the brush, down the bank, through the grass, and out into the marsh ... to get your balloon. You're welcome...

PS : Another shout out for the "No Name" trail. From the intersection of the Red Barn/English Pond (leather map on tree), head toward English Pond. At fifty yards, look for an unmarked (and un-named) footpath on right. Follow it south to the Gravel Mine trail, where a right will take you back to the Temple Pond Loop.