Trail Talk is a monthly column by Clayton Gillette about hiking the Jacksonville Woodlands trail system. For more information, please visit the Jacksonville Woodlands Association website at www.jvwoodlands.org. 
A wiser man than most once observed that if one can’t see the forest for the trees, then maybe one should focus on just one tree and the forest will come into view in all its splendor. And that is the essence of living in the moment…being aware of the one thing you can see, […]
Winter finds Forest Park subdued and enticing. The crackling crunch of summer’s madrone leaves, followed by the deep rustle of ankle-deep big-leaf maple and oak leaves is a distant echo. Blooms of the forgotten spring sleep under a carpet of forest litter and snow, yet swelling […]
One thinks of recreation in Jacksonville with a strong bias toward wining, dining, shopping, and concert-going. Yet, for the outdoor enthusiast, there’s a wide choice of areas for hiking and running away from crowded areas. Most folks know of the Britt Trails, but across Highway 238 to the west and north, […]