Forest Park Hike of the Month
The Jacksonville Park Rangers are excited to lead you on the second of a series of hikes in the Jacksonville Forest Park. These hikes are being presented to get more people acquainted with this wonderful trail system located just west of the city limits of Jacksonville. This City of Jacksonville Park has been developed to give the outdoor recreationists an opportunity to enjoy a different environment, one that gives the hiker, equestrian, and mountain biker a chance to be in the mountains often alone on the myriad of trail types. Yet you will be meeting people like yourself enjoying the mix of deep canyons alongside rushing streams and tumbling waterfalls, or feeling the deep sense of history in this expansive area full of old mining activity, or soaking in the spectacular views. These canyons and hillsides drew the miners to dig mine tunnels into the steep slopes, or turn their high-powered water cannons on the dirt and rocks to wash the sand, gravel, and gold into their sluice boxes. To bring water to these cannons and create the water pressure necessary to blast the hillsides, they built several miles of ditches to carry the water to a point high above the mining area.
This hike will start at 3 PM on Saturday April 28. All participants should meet at the kiosk at the park lower entrance. A park ranger will greet you there and give you a small map showing how to take a short drive, or hike to the starting point of the hike. Parking is available at the start point, but is somewhat limited so carpooling is advised with your friends. To reach the kiosk, go ½ mile west of downtown Jacksonville on Highway 238 to the intersection of Mary Ann Drive and Reservoir Road. Proceed up Reservoir Road for one mile to the kiosk.
The hike will cover the fascinating Canyon Falls Trail from its beginning point on the Norling Creek Trail to its upper end at a trail head parking lot on Norling Road, which is the confluence of four trails. The Canyon Falls Trail is aptly named, for it will treat you to a trail ecosystem full of ferns, towering pines, tumbling waterfalls, and steps built into the trail. Walk on one of the old miner’s water ditches, and catch sight of yet another ditch higher on the mountain above you. See you on the trails!