Home computer blowup
Looks like I’ll be tinkering with my home computer for a few days trying to get my boot drive back up and running.
Computers can be a pain in the a**.
Archive | August, 2009
Another first on the trail
I spotted a giant walking stick on the Mitc h McConnell trail in Jefferson Memorial Forest Sunday evening along with a patch of stunning, though unidentified mushrooms. Here are the images.
Giant Walking Stick (missing 2 legs)
Mushrooms on the Blue Trail
It was extremely humid [...]
Trail Shorts: August 2009
Short stories from trails around Kentuckiana
Do You Smell Cucumbers?
On a recent hike, I joined the Louisville Hiking and Backpacking Meetup Group in Jefferson Memorial Forest. (A great group if you’re looking to get into the local outdoors!) During the hike, I heard an interesting rumor about smells on the trail. That’s right, [...]
Hike Bike Pike, Bernheim Forest’s multi-use trail
While doing a little research online for an upcoming blog, I was looking at the map of Bernheim Forest and came upon a surprise. Having been a visitor to Bernheim since I was 3 years old, I thought I knew the name and location of every trail in the park.
But [...]
Over 8 feet of rain in 24 hours?
Holy cow. Typhoon hits Taiwan hard.
And we thought the Louisville flash flood was bad.
Fairmount Falls, Jefferson Forest Gem
There is a gem of a trail hiding in Jefferson Forest.
It’s not very long, and it’s certainly not well known, and it’s hiding one of the more spectacular attractions in all of Louisville.
It’s called Fairmount Falls, and I can only describe it with a single word;
WOW.
Before I [...]
No photo albums for now
Blog.com has seen fit to switch formats, which includes them deleting all of my photo albums. Did I happen to mention how bad their customer service is? Be patient, I’m figuring out the new interface and will try to repopulate the images from at least this year.
4 Under 2
Short trails can deliver great sights too
Not everyone enjoys strapping on a pack and traveling over hill and dale for many miles. If you’ve never hiked a trail before, the stories of all-day treks in the great outdoors might be a little daunting. In this edition of the Hikers Review, I’m going to introduce you to a few trails in our area that aren’t long on distance, but are chock full of interesting things to see.
Jefferson Memorial Forest, Horine Reservation Mitchell Hill Trail: 1.5 miles
The Mitchell Hill Trail in the Horine Section of Jefferson Memorial Forest (JMF) is one of my year round favorites for its variety of wildlife and habitat. The 1.5 mile trail includes pines, hardwoods and the gem of the Horine section, Mitchell Hill Lake. The trail is set up as a short spur to a 1.1 mile loop that includes one long downhill and one long uphill section. At the bottom of the hill is Mitchell Hill Lake, where you’ll find a picnic table along with serene lake view benches for romantic outings, a family picnic, or for enjoying Walden-like solitude.
Also known as the Blue trail (marked with blue flashes), Mitchell Hill is known for its tortoise population during the Spring and Summer. Lakeside, you can expect to see a wide variety amphibian, reptile, and insect life. If you’re a photography buff as well as a hiker, Mitchell Hill Lake is one of the best areas in Jefferson County for snapping literally dozens of varieties of dragonflies. (Fishing on the lake is prohibited)
Halloween Pennant on Mitchell Hill Lake
Be sure to hike this trail year round and try to take advantage when Louisville gets an occasional snowfall. (Also, don’t forget that the Horine Section of JMF requires a free pass which you must acquire from the Welcome Center. Directions to the park can be found at the JMF website).
Mitchell Hill Lake in Winter
Other short trails in Jefferson Forest:
- Horine Reservation Orange Interpretive Trail: 1.7 miles
- Tom Wallace Purple Heart Trail: 2 miles
- Tom Wallace Lake Loop: .5 miles
- Tom Wallace Tulip Tree Walk: .5 miles
- Scott’s Gap Shortcut Loop: 1.4 miles
You can checkout more photos from a recent visit to the Mitchell Hill Trail here.
Hoosier National Forest, Hemlock Cliffs Loop: 1 mile
It’s not often you find as many remarkable sights on a short trail as those you will find at Hemlock Cliffs in Hoosier National Forest. I hadn’t heard about this tiny section of the Forest until this year, and I was thrilled after my first visit.
Hemlock Cliffs is a steep box canyon that includes two remarkable waterfalls over 60 ft high, sandstone rock formations and steep rocky cliffs all within a simple 1 mile trail loop. (A note of caution should be made for family outings: watch carefully after young kids since this trail includes some sheer rocky drop offs and areas where rock falls can occur.) Both waterfalls are accessible and there is a short loop trail to one of the waterfalls that allows you to walk behind the falls on a rocky outcropping with an incredible amount of space. If huge overhanging sections of rock make you nervous, you might want to skip this section of the trail.
Waterfall at Hemlock Cliffs
For Louisville natives, Hemlock Cliffs is an easy hour drive west on I-64. You can find a map to the trailhead in the link to Hemlock Cliffs above. I look forward to returning here in winter to see the ice formations. (Check out more photos of Hemlocks Cliffs here.)
Bernheim Forest, Lake Nevin Loop: 1.3 miles
I’ve been visiting Bernheim Forest since I was about 3 years old, so this park and arboretum has a very special place in my heart. As you enter Bernheim (free on weekdays, 5 bucks per car on Saturday and Sunday), one of the first things you will see is Lake Nevin on your right. The Lake Nevin loop trail, as the name suggests, is a beautiful gravel covered trail that completely encircles the lake.
Along the trail’s 1.3 mile course, you’ll see wildlife, sculpture and a combination of habitats. On the backside of the loop, there is a section of bluegrass savanna habitat that segues into a cypress marsh complete with 2 bridge expanses across low water sections of the lake. During the warmer months, you can enjoy the sounds of a wide variety of frog songs.
Lake Nevin
Lake Nevin Loop is also a remarkable four season trail. In Spring, you can enjoy redbuds and dogwoods in bloom. In the Summer, you’ll see Canadian geese and you might spot a huge grass carp tail in the lake as it feeds in the shallows. The Autumn colors along this trail are outstanding, and the Sunrise Amphitheater at the southern end of the lake is a great place to enjoy the view. Winter offers serenity and stillness if you’re hardy enough to brave the hike during a snowfall.
Short trails in Bernheim Forest:
- Rock Run Loop: 0.5 miles
- Cull Hollow Loop: 1.5 miles
- Jackson-Yoe Loop: 1.5 miles
- Fire Tower Loop: 0.5 miles
- High Point Loop: 0.5 miles
- Iron Ore Hill Loop: 1.5 miles
- Guerrilla Hollow Loop: 1.3 mile
Look for an upcoming blog post on some of the other loop trails in Bernheim in the next week or so.
Hoosier National Forest, Buzzard Roost Trail: .8 miles
The Buzzard Roost Trail is a short and remote trail in Hoosier National Forest. The trailhead is located on a high bluff overlooking the Ohio River and it includes a small campsite area for mobile or tent camping. The trail begins next to a lily pad clogged pond that you should really walk down to just to see the rain of frogs you’ll scare back into the pond.
The upper part of the trail includes some great river overlooks while the lower section of the trail will take you through steep and rocky terrain next to a creek ravine. During wet weather, the lower section of Buzzard Roost is supposedly remarkable with outstanding water cascades over boulders in the ravine. The trail ends at the banks of the mighty Ohio.
Buzzard Roost Overlook
This trail is a little tough on the knees (if you have that issue) and has steep rocky sections that are very slippery in wet weather. Watch after children as there are several rocky drop offs of over 20 feet directly adjacent to the trail. On my first trip to this trail, my only negative experience was a run in with chiggers, which are plentiful in this area. Make sure to put on some deet or other bug repellent on your lower extremities.
Part of the adventure of the Buzzard Roost Trail is the drive (see map in link above). Take your time on some of the back roads as deer are plentiful in the area.
Deer along the road near Buzzard Roost
Blackberry Lilies
Check out the photos from my recent trip to Buzzard Roost here.
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