Trail Talk
Enjoy the View – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – August 2023
“May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing views.” ~ E. Abbey
Our general impression of views is that they are for looking far and wide. Vistas […]
Summertime is Trail-Time – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – July 2023
The roller-coaster that was our recent weather should settle down as we head into July. Was that a late Spring followed by an early Summer we just witnessed? The heavy mountain […]
What a Spring – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – June 2023
Sitting on the Vulture’s Roost bench on the Lower Twin Peak hiking loop trail in Jacksonville’s Forest Park in mid-May, I was pleasantly surprised by a loud rustle of large wings. […]
Hiking Days Are Here Again – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – May 2023
Well, with our tardy Spring season finally awakened, we can get up and get out amidst the annual wildflower show along our local trails. Only time will tell, but with the […]
Spring’s Glory Awaits – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – April 2023
As this is being written, spring seems far away, yet we know it has to come around eventually… in all its glory. Pussy willows that bravely pushed forth in mid-January were […]
Nature Bathing – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – March 2023
As the cosmic wheel of the seasons turns once again to warmer days and brighter sun, it’s time to renew our relationship with wild places. Pussywillows abound and Spring blooms push […]
Our Trails Community – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – February 2023
After multiple articles for the Jacksonville Review and other publications regarding the “Trails Community,” we feel this is an appropriate time to catch our collective breath. The last decade has seen […]
Going There, Making Tracks – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – December 2022/January 2023
Another year of hiking our forest trails draws to a close. It’s a time to remind ourselves to be thankful that we have the ability to get out into the […]
Forest Park…a Rough-Cut Gem – by Clayton Gillette
Trail Talk – November 2022
For this issue’s musings, I’m putting on my Forest Park Volunteer cap. The last two years have seen a considerable growth in the number of folks enjoying Forest Park. In a […]
Larry Smith Releases “Jacksonville’s Emerald Necklace: from Goldmines to Woodland Trails” – by Ginna BB Gordon
In 2015, Larry Smith proposed to the Jacksonville Woodlands Association’s board of directors an idea for a book about the history of the “most successful, small-town, all-volunteer land conservation project in Oregon.” Larry says the […]