2023 Hike 4 - McLane Woods
52 Hikes With Mike - Hike 4
McLane Woods Loops - Olympia, WA
I’m working hard to keep my hikes within a few minutes of home right now and it’s working. This week I drove a few miles, less than 10 minutes away, to McLane Woods. It’s a cute little area in the Capitol State Forest with a narrow road through tall trees to get to the trail.
We parked at the first parking area and took the loop around, through the forest, to the lake. The trees range from large and old to clearcut and new. The trail was mostly quiet, apart from a small section near the main road which was subject to some noise. Once deeper in the forest, that being the mile or so from the main road, all one heard was sounds of nature unless you happened upon a group of people.
Highlights from the trail included many large stumps with trees growing out of them (one of my favorite things to find) and so many lovely ferns. This trail didn’t seem as mossy also others in the area, until we moved away from the road and clearcut area and into the thick forest.
I loved this place because it provided some solitude and peace and was not far from where I live my life. I’m fortunate to be able to bike or drive there to go for a walk through nature. I’m grateful for the area in which I live and I don’t think that feeling will ever change.
2019 #hike5 - Cleburne State Park
“The hills kicked my ass” - Me
Quick Stats
Date: Sunday, February 3, 2019
Location: Cleburne State Park - Cleburne, TX
Distance: 7 miles
Trails: Fossil Ridge Trail, Coyote Run Nature Trail
Miles from Home: 59 miles
Weather: Cloudy, humid, 60s
Equipment: Apple Watch, iPhone
Highlights
No one at the park
Frequent hills to keep it interesting
Lots of shade
Views of the lake
Low Points
Lots of trash on the trail today
Rocks are basically like ice when wet, which they were today
So many people have made their own trails, it is difficult at time to see the real trail
Well, it took five hikes but I finally had to break through spider webs. I went a solid month without having any in my face and today I more than made up for it. The trail I chose today followed the edge of the state park boundary and was pretty well shaded for those summer days. The rocks that make up the trail, mostly the hills, were slick today because it had been damp and misty for a couple of days. The first mile of the trail is noisy due to the mine next door and natural gas compressors nearby. Once you get past the noise, it gets mildly quiet until a dog in a neighboring house barks or you begin to hear the noises of the campers in the campground. If you’re looking to fully escape, this place will get you halfway there. The trails near the lake are a bit nicer, but overall this place isn’t an “escape” from the real world like other parks can be. It’s a great place to camp and hike, don’t get me wrong, this is just my take on it. If you want to escape, head west. #westisbest
Today I did about 7 miles of hills, 3.5 miles around and back, and it really was a nice little up and down. At the end of my 3.5 miles was supposed to be a scenic overlook, but with so many side trails made it hard to tell if I was at the right spot. I found a lakeside clearing and took a break anyway, sipping on my cider and basking in the breeze. I was sweaty. The hills were a workout for me and my hat was soaked through as were my shirt and shorts. The entire 3.5 miles back to the car were basically me wiping dripping sweat from my head. I bagged two small bags of trash, mostly bottles and juice boxes, and deposited them in the dumpster near the entrance. The trash I picked up was blatantly thrown out, nothing looked accidental. Some people really need to check themselves.
I hope you find your trail and pick up some trash along the way. Hike 6 will be a series of hikes this week when I go to Minnesota, so stay tuned for that next week! Until then, happy trails!
Before & After
2019 #hike4 - Dinosaur Valley State Park
“I hear the river and it’s all rivery” - Me
Quick Stats
Date: Saturday, January 26, 2019
Location: Dinosaur Valley State Park - Glen Rose, TX
Distance: 6.3 miles
Trails: Paluxy River, Horseshoe Equestrian Trail
Miles from Home: 75 miles
Weather: Sunny, 50s
Equipment: Apple Watch, iPhone, Olympus TG-5 camera
Highlights
Great weather, plenty of sun but cool enough to stay comfortable
Trails are well maintained
Not many people in the park
Great river views
Plenty of trails throughout the park for all skill levels
Low Points
Social media hadn’t updated in 10 days about the river crossing or trial conditions
Dinosaur Valley is one of my local to-go parks that I visited many times last year. I fully plan to visit this place more than once this year, but I’m going to try to keep exploring other places and not fall victim to my own laziness. This park has a lot to offer hikers of many different skill levels. The trails on the main side of the river are relatively flat and accommodating, while the trails on the north side of the river offer a little more variety in terrain and wooded areas. Today, we focused on the main area of the park and walked along the river, admiring the views. We did a little loop that is frequented by horses, and then took the river path back. It was simple, lovely, and offered a nice escape from reality. The river was a little higher than normal and there was a lot of algae and moss, more than we’ve noticed before. Another sunny day hike in the books for 2019 and a stop at our favorite diner afterwards. Happy trails!
Before & After
#hike4 - Cook County, Minnesota
This hike is becoming an annual tradition for me and I'll take it. Every year, my buddy and I are trying to get up to his aunt's remote cabin in the winter. Anyone we know is invited, but they must brave the cold and trek across the frozen lake. This year, it was just the two of us because it was rather last minute, but hopefully we'll get a good annual group going sometime each year in mid-February.
We hit the lake at sunset, getting to the cabin at dark on the first night.
Date: January 26-29, 2018
Location: Cook County, Minnesota
Distance: 3.5 estimated miles
Trails: Straight shot across the lake from the boat landing to the cabin landing, up through the woods to the ridge
You always go into this trip not knowing exactly what to expect, as the area is pretty remote. We arrived at the spot where you can safely park, unloaded, and followed a snowmobile trail down to the lake. From there, we had pretty smooth sailing with hard, crunchy snow and no need for the snowshoes. Once to the cabin landing, we have a huge hill to hike up and there was only about 8-12 inches of snow there, which is relatively low and made for an easy climb with our sleds.
The cabin has no modern amenities, no frills, and no mercy. There is a good wood stove, an outhouse, and it's bitter cold for the first few hours upon arrival. After getting the place warmed up, it's cozy and great for drinking your favorite cocktail, playing board games, or reading a book.
On Saturday, we trekked up to a ridge just beyond the cabin. The hike is through the woods, without any real trail, and the snow level was manageable in most places, and was a nice way to break up the day.
Temperatures upon arrival were near 30 degrees Fahrenheit, but fell to -10 by the time we left. Last year we hiked across the lake from the cabin landing to another lake, on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, but this year we just didn't make it for some reason or another - probably the temps. On our last morning, we attempted the "throwing hot water in the -5 degree air" thing and that was pretty cool - I did my best to capture a photo of that below.
For more background info and a more detailed account of previous cabin adventures, check out my last trip here. I hope you all have great hikes this week and happy trails!
