A Good Hike

Bud enjoyed yesterday’s walk on the Maple Trail, so I asked him if he might like to walk the mile trail to a day use pond area. He and Matey could wait there while I walked another mile and a half to an overlook. He agreed.

We started out before 9. It was less than 50 degrees, but the day was going to get hot, so we wanted to walk early.

We took the East Trail to the Ponds, along Can Creek.

There were several places where you could use stepping stones or walk in the water.

Matey chose the water route and took plenty of opportunities for drinks.

It was a nice level path and the sun on our backs felt good.

We passed a dam. Above the dam was just rubble, but the water was flowing out a pipe at the base of the dam. I don’t know if it was an old dam that had filled in or if it was built to keep the rocks and trees that washed down in floods from coming any further downstream.

Further upstream the creek was flowing nicely.

Right at a mile, as promised, we came to a large pond.

I left Bud and Matey sitting on a bench, in the shade.

I will admit, I wasn’t sure how far I would go.

The next section of trail started like this, and this wasn’t the part labeled “steep” on the map.

I was getting pretty high, but I still didn’t think I’d gotten to the steep part, so I kept going.

When I got this far, I was pretty sure this was steep. This was in front of me,

and this was behind me. It wasn’t so bad, so I kept going.

Looking back from near the top the trail just dropped from view.

At the top was a side trail for primitive camping area B. What a trek to haul your gear up here, but what a lovely, remote spot.

Now the trail was level and I made good time.

I stopped at one place where I could see the valley we’d walked up, but that wasn’t the official overlook.

After more than a half mile I came to the side trail to the overlook.

And there it was.

I took a break to have a drink and mark the moment and then headed back.

Along the way I found a spot where I could look down on the pond. Bud and Matey were down in those trees.

Going down the steep part I passed this young woman on her way up to camp at area B. After she’d passed me I thought to ask if I could take her picture and she obliged. I was impressed, although there was a time when I would camp alone.

But I was happy to come back to Bud and Matey and I was very glad that they walked the first and last mile of the hike with me.