Wildcat Mountain State Park

I used to ride equine at Wildcat Mountain nearly every week with Rich. I started hiking it, snow shoeing it, and cross country skiing the trails about 10 years ago. That's when Rich stopped driving, riding, and doing many things he used to be able to do.

The view above is from the Lookout point not far from the parking lot. I just had my little point and shoot camera with me and cell phone. So this is just a view looking out from the Look out point framed by a tree.

This was taken two years ago on a hike with a fellow blogger Aurora in November. I think this is one of my favorite Autumn photos of all time. But then I have many!

I'd gone to see if I could find an attendant at the Park Office and of course it was closed. I wanted to pay and receive a year's State Park pass. 

Charlie and I decided to hike the Old Settler's Trail which is a 2.2 mile hike. I don't consider it a rough or tough hike but it really can be. The altitude changes on this trail add up to 581 ft. That is pretty interesting as I never had a used a GPS tracker before to figure that out. What a great workout it is!

The footing is pretty good in most places but one has to watch out for roots and rocks that hide on the trail and spring up to grab your foot! 

I came across and elderly man [maybe he wasn't elderly I just perceived it that way] who was hiking with hiking poles. I thought to myself. That is very smart with those attack rocks and roots. I've never used them. 

I tried a walking stick for a while but in true Val Fashion. I see something I want to photograph, drop the stick and then have to backtrack to pick up the stick I forgot.

The sign at the start of the Loop says that the trail takes 1.5 to 2 hours to complete. 

I told Charlie, I thought that was a good challenge. With all of our sniffing and dawdling, we did it in 1 hour and 20 minutes. 

I think these 'stairs' were probably the hardest part. They are on steep hillsides alongside bluffs and are not spaced like a normal person would walk. Charlie handled it fine. I was a bit more careful. These stairs went around a bluff called Taylor Hollow Outlook. I wish they'd cut down the brush at the outlook point so one could see better into the valleys.

Yet, the rock formations remain very impressive.

I will admit to climbing around on those rocks when hiking with my young neighbors a couple of years ago.

I don't do that when hiking solo.

Charlie seemed tireless and kept the pace going except for when he found a good scent or a perfect tree that he could pee on.

Charlie and I have hiked 151 miles since the first of October. My Garmin shows only 148, but one day I didn't have my watch along so I used MapMyWalk. I get too restless if I am stuck at home going through stuff, so I need a break and fresh air often.

I leave things right here as I don't want to charge off on other topics that have been on my mind.

Have a day.