Billings Creek

This is rated as a fairly difficult trail on KVR by Wisconsin Explorer. Though to be truthful, the guy who rated it, did it from one end to the other and did it when the trails had not had straight wind damage and a lot of down trees. I did it out and back without crossing the large stream. 

This is not a trail to take Grandma on. 

It resembles a deer trail at times or a one track that is narrow and packed with roots, rocks, holes, and steep terrain.

Oh boy did I love that! It was just like hiking at the neighbor's land who has two valleys and steep difficult terrain.

The first time I wanted to do this trail I couldn't find the trail head. It was literally hidden in tall grasses and brush.

 

They've painted the markers bright orange now so it is more obvious.

The trail is easy to follow ~~  but as one gets to the ridge above Billings Creek [after some very mean climbs in and out of steep areas and around some windfalls...] there are a few more markers to let a person know they are on the right trail. Because the trail and game trails look pretty much the same in this section.

We stopped where we did because I'd need a day without a dog to figure out how to get around the huge piles of downed trees to continue down into the valley from the ridge.
I'd heard the noon whistle from Ontario and so my time was running out.

I'd taken an hour and 22 minutes to get to the spot we turned around. Mostly because I'd wandered off trail to explore old equine trails and peer down bluffs.

We were tired, warm, and thirsty. Charlie tried drinking right out of my bottle as I poured his water in a tiny lid for him.

I will be coming back here often because I found some places to explore when the light was different.

It was fun to sit on top of a bluff and watch school kids canoeing below us.

I need to go back and visit this again:

And this....

I fell in love with the bluffs and the pines. 

Someone was draggin' tail by the time we got back to the car, so I took him down to the river and 'beach' where we sat on a log and shared an apple.

I think we could have spent the rest of the day next to the river gazing at the rocks.

He slept while I drove home.

I'll be back.

Old Harrison Trail + More KVR Trail Challenge

I decided that this hike should be shown to my son who says I cannot take a hike without stopping numerous times to take photos.
He is absolutely correct. I am trying to develop an attitude that while on these hikes I bring just a small pocket camera to carry plus some food and water items.

I've been working with Dixie to see if I can get her to climb into the dog kennel in the back of the Subaru. She can.
So yesterday was her maiden car ride and she did pretty well. Lots of whining but she didn't use her loud hound voice to bark in protest.

I started this route at the Visitor Center. I followed the Old Harris Rd Trail to Old 131 and headed north to Star Valley Trail, I peeked in at the 4H trail and headed east.
Star Valley to Willow Trail.
Willow Trail to Old 131.
Old 131 south to River Crossing Trail to the Kickapoo River crossing and backtracked to Old 131 again.
I headed south through the ponds and headed back to the Visitor Center. I completed 8 segments in one fell swoop.
However, the segments were not hard and only had one elevation on Star Valley so it was pretty straight forward and flat.

Back tracking can't be avoided in some instances because the trails aren't laid out with loops so you have to create your own 'loops'. I really like this hike as it was swift and I was surprised at how much I saw and how beautiful it was.

Harrison Road Trail:
Shadows of Dixie and I

 Pretty straightforward trail with some interesting landscape.

Old 131 Trail headed north towards Star Valley:

Some 'lovers' kissing on the side of the trail. I thought they might stop and look at us while we walked by...but they were too busy.

Dixie was off leash for most of the walk. We stopped at the Memorial at Star Valley Trail.

We must never forget these people. I like that.
I can't imagine how life must have been in this area. The land is very fertile and the river floods here often. I do love this area.
I had some water and a snack while sitting on a bench near this memorial.

We then headed up Star Valley Trail:

At the equine campground we found the trail head to Willow Trail. I am glad we chose to go this way because the trail sign was missing at the other end on Old 131.

Dixie was very curious about my finger puppet buddy. I set Stinky down to take his picture and she came and nosed him over into the dirt a few times before I finally got a shot.

Later we played "Where's Dixie!"

Dixie kept 'photo bombing' most of my shots.

But that was okay because she kept checking in with me all of the time.

I went to Campsite "G" and followed the horse trail.

~~ Nearly the same spot in the beginning of December ~~

At that point an Eagle flew over us and we watched him glide to the dead trees in the ponds.

I was excited and Dixie wasn't.

I finally checked my cell phone and decided to head straight back towards the Visitor Center.

Some pretty birch trees:

Dixie had her first real bridge crossing and she suddenly did NOT like it!

I had to lead her across and then she was okay with it.

We headed towards the Visitor Center and went up the stairs.

I leashed her up and we found the Subaru.

She was pretty sure that she didn't want to get back into the crate. But I asked her nicely and she did.

Our first 'doggone' adventure went well. Dixie settled in and quit whining. When we got home she jumped out of the car and trotted around as if nothing ordinary had really happened.
I'm wondering if she'll want to go next time.
I figure it will only take a trip or two for her to figure out how much fun we can have together.

This was my 3rd hike out. The logistics of the trails will now be a bit more difficult. So I need to sit down and figure out how to do them.

My neighbor has offered to follow me out and let me drop a vehicle off at the end of a trail and then she'd drop me back to at a starting point.

I am having a blast.
I'm loving this challenge.
And I am really getting to know the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. There is nothing like hiking all the trails to really get to know a feel for the land.

This route was rather easy, the footing was good and there was only one hill to really walk up and that was a rather easy elevation from Old 131 up Star Valley. There was more to see than I thought there would be even with the dull landscape of February with very little snow.