I believe we all have a happy place. Somewhere that just naturally brings you joy. Puts a smile on your face. Lets you breathe a little easier. Deeper. Somewhere you let go of schedules, calendars, appointments and “to do” lists.
I found such a place in Michigan – Rifle River Recreation Area. It’s a State Park just east of Rose City MI. It’s not fancy. And the best campsites are ones that have no electric or water and are nestled deep into the woods. But you’re surrounded by beauty beyond comparison.
Numerous lakes invite you to canoe, fish or take a swim on a hot day. And if it’s June, you just might be lucky enough to find Showy Lady Slippers.
Showy Lady slippers are a rare treat to find. It’s an orchid that one hardly ever sees in northern North America, primarily due to habitat loss. These plants like woodlands and wet areas. But they don’t often survive transplanting. I’ve read that a hundred years ago they were so common you would often see them in flower vases in churches. But no more. Which is why it is such a joy to find them.
And if your timing is right you just might hear the call of loons on the lake, or see one pop up out of the water in the distance while you’re paddling your canoe.
You might also experience the feather light touch when a dragonfly lands on your knee or shoulder as you paddle along the quiet banks in the morning, listening to the warblers fill the air with beautiful music.
It’s my happy place filled with nature that calms the mind and touches you like nothing else can. I wish I could take you to this place. Share it with you.
But perhaps a few photos will help you feel some of the magic that lives there. Where caterpillars are vibrantly colored jewels. Where native blue flag graces the area. Or you find insects with gossamer wings that are their own unique art. And Yellow lady slippers that hug the base of a tree.
I hope you have such a happy place that makes you smile and breathe just a little bit more deeply. Someplace that beacons you to explore and look closely at the beauty that surrounds you. Someplace where you let go of your troubles and worries and “just be.”
Until next time, keep exploring nature up close. And find your happy place.
I’m always looking for new adventures…things to do, to explore, to experience. This summer took us to the beautiful rolling countryside of southern Vermont for a 4-day inn-to-inn walking tour.
I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve been on multi-week hiking treks in Scotland and Ireland, but this Vermont tour was on “quiet country roads primarily of dirt and gravel.” I was a bit apprehensive; did I really want to walk on roads? But the prospect of not having to endure an international flight to Europe was appealing. But hey, why not try a new adventure?
The tour consisted of four nights at Inns and B&Bs, along with four days of walking an average of 11 miles a day on hilly roads. They were hilly but beautiful; quintessential New England at its best. The Inns were wonderful, but more about those later.
Throughout Vermont you will find never-ending stone walls along your path. Most are a couple hundred years old. They surreptitiously line almost every road, trail or path you may take. Walls that define fields and property lines, that once contained cattle or other animals, or were built into the hillside for structure and support.
Our first days walk had us on narrow country roads winding through many wooded areas. Gently rolling roads beckoned us through a unique area where small wooden single-room buildings were scattered on both sides of the road. Music floated from the open windows. It was Kinhaven Music School, a summer music camp (at this time of year) for gifted children. Our feet slowed. The music invited one to stop and and absorb this totally unique experience. What a wonderful unexpected gift to our senses and well-being.
Of course it wasn’t just a quarter of a mile further when we saw the black bear crossing the road in front of us. Made us realize, yes we are in the woods! But the bear simply ambled on, oblivious of us. Perhaps he enjoyed the music as well.
Vermont is a state with amazingly beautiful scenes. Babbling brooks, old cemeteries, country stores, old wooden barns and structures with so much character. It’s a feast for the eyes and the soul.
It invites one to stop; take a break. Sit on that stone fence and have a snack. Listen to the quiet. To the sound of wind moving through the trees. Observe the puffy clouds above your head. To actuallyjust “be.” It’s difficult to describe, but if you’ve ever experienced this, you’ll know what I mean.
The bygone culture of old no-longer-used structures makes one wonder…was this someone’s house at one time? What stories might have lived within these walls? And how long ago?
No walking (or hiking) tour could be without hoodoos. And Vermont was no exception. Some were quite unique. This one included a pretty good use for an old tennis shoe. It was an unexpectedly bright spot in the day that brought a smile to the face.
Hoodoo or art? I don’t think this one (photo below) would pass as a mailbox but it was close to the road. It does make one wonder…
And then there’s this one (pictured below). Stonehenge? A local stopped when I was taking the photo. Said he has lived here for 12 years and still doesn’t know what it is! My guess? Perhaps a type of sundial? Twelve stones around a center stone.
I mentioned quiet country roads but haven’t really shown you many as yet. Here’s an example of what we traversed. Most, however, were not nearly this flat.
And some trails were through woods and forests and over small streams.
Beautiful homes line the lightly traveled gravel roads. Cheerful flowers grace the countryside.
Stone homes…
Vermont’s beautiful scenic countryside welcomes one to breathe in its natural beauty.
Earlier, I mentioned the four Inns which were our hosts for this walking tour. They provided both breakfast and dinner, as well as supplying one with plenty of tasty snacks to have on the walk. Each evening the Innkeepers would discuss your next day’s walk and what to anticipate. And all one would need to carry was a simple day pack with snacks and water. Your luggage was transported to the next inn and waiting for you in your room when you arrived. Each inn was unique in its own way. The breakfast and dinner cuisines were superb! Here’s a few additional photos you might enjoy:
So if you should get the opportunity to do a walking tour in Vermont, I would highly encourage you to do so. It’s beauty and scenery are magnificent. The gently rolling country roads will embrace you with its quiet peacefulness as you stroll along taking it all in.
Until next time, keep exploring nature up close!
ADDITIONAL NOTE: This is NOT an advertorial for this inn-to-inn walking tour, but if you are interested and want to learn more, our walking tour was done through Vermont Inn-to-Inn Walking Tours (https://www.vermontinntoinnwalking.com/). Ours began in Ludlow and included inns in Weston, Chester and Proctorsville VT.
I admit it…my favorite time of year is Spring. But the contrasts winter brings can also be mesmerizing. Hiking in winter isn’t for everyone, I know that. It’s cold. It’s sometimes snowy, icy, muddy or wet. And my fingers never seem to get warm when I hike in the winter, no matter what combination of gloves I wear.
But winter hikes can also bring a fresh perspective and a new view of your world.
Some friends recently shared a couple of their favorite winter hikes with me. Hiking these trails in southeastern Ohio in winter brings not only wonderful views, but few (if any) people on the trail. You virtually have the entire preserve to yourself. A cell phone had to suffice for photography on these adventures. (It’s hard to be gloved up with hiking poles in hand and manipulate a camera too.)
Near Logan there is a short hike of just over a mile that is in Rock Stalls Preserve. While privately owned, it is open to the public from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The trail starts out rather mildly with a level, fairly wide grass trail through woods, then steps take you down into the “rock stall.” I’ve been told that Indians used to winter their horses in this area due to the nature of the rock formations and water source. I’m not positive as to the accuracy of this, but once you view the area, you will understand its plausibility.
You drop down into fantastic rock formations that surround you on three sides with heights of roughly 20 to 30 feet or more.
A small meandering creek winds through the bottom ground. You cross this several times when hiking through the area. It’s peaceful there and quiet except for the sound of water. Waterproof hiking boots are highly recommended if you want dry feet.
Rock formations rise impressively on both sides. It’s very easy to understand how horses could have been “corralled” within these structures. It’s natural fencing of sorts.
And at the very end is a waterfall that is approximately 20 feet tall, although at this time of year it was only a trickle over the rocks. But mineral stains easily show the normal width of the falls in times of increased rainfall. A tree had, at some point, lost the battle of balance along the top edge of rock and tumbled down.
Extricating oneself from this area (without backtracking) means climbing up a rock surface that thankfully had small foot indentions for boots but does require a bit of skill to scale. It’s a beautiful area that captures the imagination of not only today but days gone by as well. You can almost hear the whinny of horses in the distance echoing off the rock walls (or so I imagine).
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Another hike close to Conkle’s Hollow State Nature Preserve is Airplane Rock and Chapel Cave. While I’ve hiked at Conkle’s Hollow, I’d never been to the other two trails. I was in for an amazing experience.
Rock formations in this area also astound the mind with their intricacies and grandeur. It makes one stand in awe thinking how these rock formations came to be…how water, wind and weather helped shape their very existence.
The views continue to amaze, with towering formations of moss-covered rock and cave-like crevices. Small trees cling tenaciously to rocky surfaces, sometimes defying gravity in their exuberance to thrive. I always find this aspect of nature thought-provoking. That is, when living things survive best when left to their own devices without human intervention. I think there just might be an underlying lesson there for us all in this.
Some of the rock formations (see photo below) appear to defy gravity, like Table Rock. Not sure if that is this formation’s actual name, but it seems to fit quite well, don’t you think?
This one made me stop and fathom how this particular formation could have possibly developed. How does the effect of water, wind and ice over an untold number (millions?) of years create such an amazing grouping of stone that balances so precariously? I believe it’s the very essence of art created by nature, which somehow makes me feel small and rather insignificant in the grand scheme of things. And perhaps that’s the way it should be.
Further along the trail, one encounters a magnificent waterfall. Another of nature’s gems to behold and experience. The sound of water encompasses the entire area, making one halt and admire its dramatic effect.
And just in case you haven’t seen enough waterfalls yet, here’s another view of one I found amazing.
Did I mention that it was cold on this hike? Yep. In the mid-20s, which made for more solid footing and also for some interesting ice formations. At the base of the waterfall, ice had formed on logs and twigs where water splattered off the rocks. The ice on the twig (in the photo below) was more than an inch thick.
Earlier I mentioned the name of one hiking trail was Airplane Rock. And why you ask is it called Airplane Rock? Here’s the answer for those inquisitive folks who want to know…
Okay, now look at the above photo and squint your eyes a bit. See the point of the rock in the top center of the photo? Well, that’s the airplane “cockpit.” And the rock ledge I was standing on to take this photo is the right wing. Hence, airplane rock.
And now, on to the next portion of the hike. Chapel Cave is probably one of the most amazing caves I have experienced in this area. Its shape and size are astounding. From a distance, it beacons you to come explore.
It takes a while for the eyes to become accustomed to the darkness, and I have to admit, I did have images of bats flying around. But fortunately (for me) those were only in my head.
This is one cave you really need to experience personally to fully appreciate its beauty. You need to stand in its cool interior and see the height of the ceiling, the walls that encompass you and the embracing smell of earth.
The hiking I have shared with you in this blog wasn’t long by hiking standards; it was just short of 8 miles or so. But I can’t remember a hike in which I have felt more in awe and wonder of the natural beauty around me. It’s the kind of hike that leaves you feeling energetic and alive. And very happy to add this experience to your treasured memories.
My sincere thanks to our hiking friends, Chris and Eva, who shared these wonders with us, along with the stories behind them. You made this day very special!
We’re probably like a lot of people right now, trying to find outdoor activities to keep us active in cold weather yet still keep away from crowded parks. That can be a challenge. The Ohio state nature preserves usually work quite well, and we’ve been visiting quite a few of these lately. But today our destination was to walk part of the bike trail west of Gambier. It’s a pretty trail. Quite scenic. But that’s not what we actually explored…
Just off the trail, past the first bridge over the Kokosing River, was a dirt path leading through the woods and beside the river. Interesting. Thankfully it was an invitation we did not ignore. And that was an excellent decision, as this was our introduction to the 500-acre Brown Family Environmental Center. Until now, I’d never heard of it.
The trail followed the river and offered benches that would have been inviting on warmer days. Huge Sycamores lined a portion of the waterway, no doubt loving the wet low ground.
Along the way we saw a few trees that still had green leaves, which was surprising. It’s December. Leaves should have already fallen or at least be brown and dried by now, like on Red Oaks or Beech trees which retain their leaves. These were green. What’s up?
These were not the leaves of a tree. It was Oriental Bittersweet vines (an invasive) that had wrapped around the tree and was prolific enough to resemble tree leaves at first glance. Luckily someone had recently cut the 3″ thick vine near the base of the tree. Hopefully this tree will live to see another year because an environmentally conscious person recognized the destruction vines pose to trees.
The Kokosing River is 57 miles long. It’s watershed is 435 square miles covering a good portion of Knox county as well as parts of Morrow, Richland, Ashland and Coshocton counties. If you’re near in the summer, you’ll undoubtedly see kayakers floating peacefully along this State scenic waterway. The trail we were on continued along this river and then made a turn to cross the Kokosing bike path and lead upward into the woods.
The woods was moss-covered with varying shades of green throughout the area. At this time of year, one might think it’s pretty gray outside, but this woods proves different. Like the colors found on this decaying log and at the base of the beech tree. What I believe are puff balls are at the tree’s base, though they have undoubtedly seen their better days.
Ferns covered the north-facing hillsides which are typically more shaded and provide moisture for these plants which grow in colonies. In the fall, ferns reproduce via spores which are so small they can’t be seen by the naked eye. However, some spores are encapsulated within something called “sori” which can be seen on the underside of the frond. I’m not sure how many species of fern call Ohio home, although I’ve read Wakeena state nature preserve in Fairfield county is home to 29 of them.
There was an interesting building at the Brown Family Environmental Center closer to the administrative building. It appeared to be used for storage. It had a stone base with some type of concrete or stucco wall. There were tiny cylindrical windows which were oddly shaped and not flat. Upon closer inspection these turned out to be bottles that had been incorporated into the walls. Pretty creative!
Within the woods is a pine plantation which was planted in 1991 by the biology faculty at Kenyon College. The area was used for student research to look at relationships between growth rates and tree spacing. The trails were softly carpeted with pine needles and you could hear the gentle breeze in the branches overhead.
But the trails were not all within the forest. A huge prairie meadow was in the lowland and was home to many types of wildflowers and native grasses. The prairie is maintained by annual spring burns which discourage tree growth – a necessary thing to do to maintain prairie.
On the return to the parking lot we took one last look at the Kokosing River beneath the bridge and found what we believe is a type of liverwort growing on the wet stone abutment. I believe it’s in the genus Conocephalum, but am unsure of species. Regardless, it’s an interesting looking plant when viewed up close. I’ve read that this plant is reproduced by spores and is somewhat similar to mosses as it is non-vascular.
From here we took the car to a parking area on the northside of the Environmental Center just off New Gambier Road. The trails here were quite different from what we had encountered so far. The forest area embraced Wolf Run stream and contained beautiful large White Oaks. The trails climbed ridges and followed the stream in the low land. Some of the wetter areas had recently had boardwalks installed. It was so new the boards didn’t show signs of weathering as yet.
The trails were quite pleasant with footbridges over Wolf Run which meandered through the area. As we walked, we encountered not a single soul unless you count the squirrels. It was like having our own private park.
One spur trail climbed a hillside and descended to a small pond. On the way up we encountered this huge White oak which overlooked the pasture. Quite stately looking and regal. Much larger than any tree in the vicinity. Not sure how old this tree must be but you can estimate it’s size by comparing it to the metal gates beside it. It was impressive.
We didn’t hike all the trails on this day but we easily had about 8 miles that we explored. I would imagine this area would offer great wildflowers and migrating birds in the spring. The terrain would suggest so. If you’re looking for a good area to hike that offers diversity and very few people, this is it!
Nature Views 