A Walk in the Woods

Last week it rained for a whole day or two then it got cold. Turkey Mountain was closed to bikers but open for hikers. So off I went.

As usual I traversed a combination of legacy trails and new trails.

The new trails, thanks to their water shedding design were not muddy at all. By now the trails are very hard packed almost like pavement. The old trails were okay but a bit muddy at times.

It is amazing. There are no guards at the trails or rangers or anything and yet the bikers stayed away. I think most of the users are invested in the trails now and comply with the requests to stay off after rains. Bikers especially turn out huge for the trail work days and really buy into keeping the sustainable trails in good shape.

So on my hike I only saw a few other people, all of them hikers. No bikers nor signs of bikers at all.

I love trees in the wintertime. We get to see their bones and the results of them stretching up to the sky to get some sun.

I also love seeing the dead wood in the woods. You couldn’t buy a sculpture like this at any price. Turkey Mountain is an old growth forest. They don’t cut down old snags and they don’t clear the woods of them either. Sure they have done a little bit of controlled burns and mulching and their clear trails of fallen limbs and trees but they just push the wood off to the side of the trail. Dead trees make great habitat for all sorts of little critters.

I love the rocks on Turkey Mountain. Above is from a large outcropping called Rock City.

Muddy Boots

My boots got a little muddy.

And I had a great time. All by myself.

Kind of reminds me of a line from Mary Oliver’s “How I Go to the Woods”

“…If you have ever gone to the woods with me, I must love you very much.”

Three plus miles at my own pace.

I am linking with Skywatch Friday and My Corner of the World

19 thoughts on “A Walk in the Woods”

  3. Veronica Lee

    I enjoyed this walk in the woods with you, Yogi.
    It’s wonderful to hear about the harmony among trail users and their commitment to maintaining the trails’ sustainability.
    Wishing you a Merry Christmas filled with the tranquility of nature and the warmth of the holiday season!

  4. tomthebackroadstraveller

    …Merry Christmas and keep putting one foot in front of the other! ā˜ƒļø šŸŽ„ ā„ļø šŸŽ…šŸ¼

  6. Penelope Notes

    How quickly the year has gone. Wishing you and yours a wonderful Xmas. It’s great when folks obey the rules to benefit all. I love the crunchy leaves. Turkey Mountain at its most natural state is a fantastic refuge for wildlife and nature lovers alike. šŸ™‚

  8. Peter B.

    Muddy boots means a good hike! Rock City area looks interesting. Have a wonderful Christmas, and thanks so much for hosting Skywatch Friday!!

  12. Masha

    A nice walk and a great dead wood sculpture. I like strolling through the forest all by myself too.
    Merry Christmas to you and yours šŸ™‚

  13. Eileen

    Nice hike, I always enjoy a hike in a forest.
    It is nice the bike riders help out with the trail maintenance.
    Take care, have a great weekend!
    Merry Christmas to you and your family!

  15. Alana

    Besides the photos, what I really enjoyed was the video of where you stopped and took a picture. It was so interesting to see how Turkey Mountain is situated with (at least that’s what it looked like to me) city all around it. You never would dream of that, based on some of the photos. I so dislike mud on trails (our mud here is so slippery) and it’s nice that they are making your modern trails more friendly to the mud-adverse.

  18. A ShutterBug Explores

    Always great when we enjoy our own company ~ glad you had a great hike and got neat photos ~ love the sky shot with tree juxttposed against the sky ~

    Merry Christmas to you and your family ~ hugs to little Kodi

    Wishing you good health, laughter and love in your days,
    A ShutterBug Explores,
    aka (A Creative Harbor)

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