Tall tails of Trails

Trail Challenge 2023 is coming along nicely. Of course a lot of my hiking is with Charlie or totally solo. 

My buddy Bill is dealing with asthma issues as well as honey-do issues. Olive has Spring Track Meets and she is coaching 5 evenings a week so she pulls double and triple duty, working full time, being a mom and a coach. However, she is enjoying it which truly matters.

I took Charlie with me to do the south end of the Hay Valley Trail which I did last summer. Time Out ~ If you want to review it...

I thought it would be neat to see the same trail in the springtime.

I brought along my infrared camera of course. I can't resist viewing the world in a different light.
These were taken with a 720nm filter.

Bridge 10 with traffic

Kickappo River

Kickapoo Backwaters

The North end of Hay Valley offers some neat places to note. One of the harder places to cross is what I dubbed 'The Swamp'. Last year it was wet, mucky, but doable by walking on logs and clumps of grass. It was rather shaded when I did it, but still noteworthy. A walking stick would have been good for some extra balance, but I'm terrible at walking with one. 
I generally set it down and have to go back for it.

Anyway. Spring brought a different view to The Swamp.

It was a bit more wet but more trees had fallen down. Over the years, hikers have place pieces of wood in strategic spots to use while crossing this spot.

All the plants that are in this photo below are Skunk Cabbage plants leafing out. The bright greens of fresh leaves and sunlight were amazing. 

Skunk Cabbage:

The next attraction was the Twin Caves. I don't know if anyone else makes up the names like I do, but it helps me remember exactly where these neat spots are.

I'd seen a hint of a rock shelter when I went through here last year. I wanted to see it in the spring before the undergrowth hid everything.

I was not disappointed as I found a trail that went right between them.

Each 'cave' or rock shelter was at least 6 or more feet tall inside. I didn't have time to hike down into them. I'll have to do that at another time. Perhaps in the winter when the water flows over the rock and forms ice walls.

The forest floor was littered with Virginia Pinks blazing away. We walked the trail rather slowly. I wanted to look at it all.

Most of the trail is part of the original trail system that existed before Kickapoo Valley Reserve took over from the Core of Engineers. Some of the trail has been re-routed to stay out of the steep gorges.

I don't find that trail extremely difficult, but this can be a long hike if you have to go back to where you started from. It was just under 5 miles when I hiked along Highway 131 to get back to where I parked.

Otherwise the distance from bridge 10 and Hay Valley to Bailout Trail is only a bit over 3.5 miles.

It took Charlie and I 2 hours and 40 minutes which included stopping often to look at things which included a trailside chat with a couple of older folks that were out hiking.

The next time I visit this trail, it may be during the fall or winter. Then I can say I've seen it in every season.

Sections 38 and 39 have been knocked off....