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.

Maiden Voyage

The fella above is named Steve. There is a little background regarding Steve here: Merry Green Marvel.

This was his first 'tour' or as he called it The Maiden Tour. Last week I was supposed to do this, but communications got fouled up and because of that he invited myself and my friend for a 'no' charge tour as an apology.

Steve gave us a demonstration on how to get in and out of the sit on Kayaks, how to steer, back paddle, make figure eights, and deal with the wakes from speed boots if we encountered them.

He explained Strainers and how not to be a Noodle.

[For the heck of it a few days ago I looked up the Kayak Lingo and terms...]

Strainers are low hanging branches and a kayaker can get hung up like a noodle trying to go through them on a river current.

Dragging over logs or getting Boned is another expression -- he didn't use that though. It wouldn't have been appropriate with all female Kayakers.

We took off and headed first into the what he called the Lotus Garden.

If you have never sat near these flowers and smelled their exotic and beautiful scent...you have not lived!

I paddled along with Steve's son for part of the journey and we talked about different kinds of kayaking. He lives in Alaska and has kayaked on the ocean. Wow. The difference in lakes, rivers, and oceans are pretty big and I enjoyed hearing about them.

We paddled for around 3 hours with a break on a 'beach' along the main channel. After that, we headed down river to find another entry point into the backwaters. Or as Steve called it, the Braided Sloughs of the Mississippi which was an excellent description.

The crazies were out on the main channel with their speed boats racing up and down the river. Personally, I've never seen the fun of that.

Quiet and slow have always been my motto. Silent sports and I get along the best, although I hold nothing against those who like those sports.

How was it?

Well.

Awesome.

Will I do it again?

Steve's shot of me exploring the

Lotus Garden

Oh yes.

Yes.

Yes.

Next time? Maybe an evening paddle? 

It was a well run 'tour' which felt more like a friend taking us to see some amazing sights.

The photos were taken with my little waterproof point and shoot camera. So I didn't get great shots of the eagles or the juvie eagle...or the eagle nest and turtles.

Time Out

I needed a Time Out. 

I didn't think the ponds would be thawed out at Kickapoo Valley Reserve, but Charlie and I went anyway. I forgot my YakTraks so I decided not to check out my favorite ice 'fall'. 

I like winter. I can walk across a frozen boggy area and not get wet. I did a lot of wandering off trail following wildlife trails. Little short Charlie had to negotiate the long grasses but he seemed to enjoy all the scents he found near the tiny stream we followed.

I was hoping to hear birds, you know, like Sandhill Cranes or Geese. But once I saw that the ponds were still iced, I knew I wouldn't find any.

But I did see an eagle. I didn't bother pulling the camera out at first, because eagles always fly off by the time I'd get the camera out of my pack.

However, the eagle kept circling overhead. Shooting straight up and trying to follow the eagle was really hard. 
Shooting straight up also makes me feel like I'm going to tip backwards.

It isn't the best shot and it is cropped a---lot. I was pretty pleased anyway.

We walked to the birding blind and looked at the frozen pond. Then we took off down another wildlife trail and explored the marshy area west of the ponds.

We found the river and a few places where raccoon had left trails in the bank.

Charlie was in heaven, so many smells!

The Ice Shoves from last week's heavy rains and warm temperatures were amazing. These shoves were piled high on the bank. The sun's warmth had given them Teeth! We found some shoves about 30 feet inland in the marsh too.

We headed back to the Visitor's Center. Charlie likes to lead the way. I suppose he thinks I don't know how to follow a trail?

The river was flowing but the ponds were still encased in ice. We didn't see another human and we didn't see any migratory birds, but we still had a great Time Out.

With next week's warm up the ponds should open up.

As I was toweling my muddy/iced up dog off in the parking lot, we heard geese and a Sandhill Crane calling overhead. At least I think it was a Crane.