Wyalusing trails: Old Immigration Trails and Old Wagon Trail

We arrived just as a snow squall/sleet settled in for the first 20 minutes or so of our hike. I figured it was perfect weather for us to tackle the steep trails.

So we did.

I'd forgotten Charlie's orange canvas safety jacket last week when we hiked at KVR, but we never saw or hear another human.

This was the case here too. We started before 10 am and finished at 12:30pm. Again, we were not in a hurry, we were browsing the Park instead of working for pace. 

Charlie picked the pace once more, so there were stops for sniffs and stops for photos. A few times I just stopped and watched a Kingfisher, Juncos, and Redtail Hawks down by the Wisconsin River. There was no hurry to get anywhere.

I'm still trying to get used to that feeling. I followed the Sentinel Trail past the connection to the trail I wanted so I could check a lookout. 

This is where it can get confusing. Sentinel Trail has a branch to Old Immigrant Trail. I wish they still handed out paper maps of the trails.

Don't try to read this map, I'm sure it is too little. However before I went I circled the areas on a pdf file that interested me for this time out and had it on my cellphone.

I returned to the Old Immigration Trail which went down to the confluence of the two rivers and headed along the backwaters of the Wisconsin River to join up the the Old Wagon Trail. Going up or down the bluff is a real workout.

I ascended 821 feet and descended 824 feet. Yeah. The ascending was a bit of a puffer.

There was so much to see and admire with the leaves gone. Tumbled boulders, cliffs, bluffs, birds, and backwaters.
I'd recommend the trail by the river and backwater  NOT be hiked during mosquito season. I found evidence of a lot of spring wildflowers along the river too. 

So this trail is definitely worth the walk in early spring since I found Hepatica, Anenome, and Ginger leaves along the trail. Imagine nearly 3 miles of wild flowers next to the river! 

Imagine a spring hike along this trail!

Below is a map of the hike I did. I really enjoyed it so much. One would think there was nothing to see this time of year. But I found so much to look at.

Here is the V in the trail behind Charlie. This is one of the areas where the hiker drops below some very incredible bluffs.

I understand that some of them develop ice sheets in the winter and there are climbers who climb the ice formations.

[That is JUST nuts!]

In places, there were stairs made out of stones and railroad ties. Lots of stairs to prevent erosions from foot traffic and keep the trail from being slippery.

If a person had bad knees, this would not be a happy trail for them. 

From the look out points, the scenery was pretty amazing  even with the grey skies. I was so taken by the reflections in the backwaters of the Wisconsin River.

When I got down next to the backwaters, the scenes were pretty breathtaking too. The first shot is taken looking west towards the railroad.

The second was taken looking north in the same area I'd looked down on from the lookouts.

It is stark and brown, but I found it beautiful in its own way. I think this could be a good area to watch for birds in the spring.

Our hike was 5.41 miles according to the Garmin Smart Watch I was using that tracked my route and steps. 

The route was not super difficult but there is a lot of ascents and descents that would tax most hikers.

The views and scenery is beautiful and well worth it.

Charlie and I made it back to our vehicle and we sat in the parking lot and had our packed lunch.

By noon thirty people started showing up. I counted 2 other vehicles.

I rather liked hiking on a Monday with some snow and sleet and cold weather. We had a great time.

Charlie was tired and actually slept in his new to us doggy car seat.

I have only a few days before hiking stops for a while. 

I may have to break out my Lego set to do while I what for the hunters to leave the state parks, private lands, and state natural areas.