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 wild places so easily; something that we should never take for granted. It’s a time to remind ourselves of our place in time and space, where we can take positive action to ensure that another generation will have an opportunity to be out and about, enjoying this wild, wild world.

Fall has always been a favorite time to be on our woodland trails. Changing colors of the changing season challenge us to take a different trail, to hike a bit farther, to finally solve the riddle of exactly how we can get there from here. Cooler days and crisper mornings make movement so much more enjoyable and the moister air we breathe along the way carries new aromas, autumn aromas, of decaying leaves underfoot and damp vegetation rejoicing in the blessed rains after another year of “too dry, too hot.”

As the days shorten and the weather turns cooler, it’s so much more enjoyable to be out moving, keeping the trail tread underfoot as one is “going there, making tracks.” Dogwood and maple leaves dazzle with brilliant vibrancy in the sunny areas. Mushrooms return to tempt “fungiphiles,” interrupting a simple walk in the woods as the tasty morsels must be identified and carefully collected.

Recent days in our local parks have echoed with joyous chatter of children back outside and busy learning, with the quiet conversation of hiking groups exploring new areas, and with the steady rhythm of birdsong as our feathered neighbors prepare for winter. It’s a great time to find a trailside bench and settle in to simply listen. Cold, snowy days will be upon us soon enough, when those delightful sounds of others enjoying the out-of-doors will be muffled and distant.

Forest Park visitors will by now have seen the new bridge at the north end of Ol’ Miners’ Trail, at the crossing of Jackson Creek and the intersection of Canyon Falls Hiking Trail. A generous donation from the Raymond Family Foundation provided for this long overdue structure, replacing the twin culverts on a tight corner: culverts that were undersized to handle a heavy run-off episode. The sweeping curve of the new bridge will allow mountain bike riders to negotiate the narrow canyon more easily, and a kickout on the bridge allows for a new bench where patrons can enjoy the tumbling water during the rainy season.

We can’t say if this winter will bring heavy snow that impacts our trails so heavily. We can’t say that there will be a strong winter storm that floods our low areas and blows timber down. We can, however, be careful out there, especially after adverse weather causes trail integrity to suffer. We can remind ourselves that shortcuts destroy vegetation. But most of all, we can simply get out and be present in these wonderful wild places.