So excited we threw off a dog boot!

Today we hiked in a new area.  We went to a lake about 20 minutes from our house and hit the trails.  This lake boasts about 29 miles of hiking trails.  We have hiked a few of the trails but probably not more than 15 miles of the trails at the most and I think we had hit the same trail a couple of times.  This time I found a map, did a little research and we were rewarded.  The map to the trailhead left off a couple of key details like street names but we managed to find the correct spot.  

Winston was really excited because there wasn't another person around for miles.  This meant he got to run off leash.  He has only been on about 2-3 short hikes during the week so he was ready for a long run! 

The trails were very well marked.  It was pretty obvious that these trails didn't have as much foot traffic as our other lake trails that we frequently hike during the week.  

There were good signs and mile markers too.  

The trail went for almost a mile on top of a ridge overlooking the lake.  Since the leaves aren't on the trees yet we can still see the lake.  This beautiful view will be gone and it will be very wooded during the late spring and summer months.  

The trail then goes down toward the lake and there is a little spot to walk out to the water.  

Winston was really excited about getting in the water because it was a warm 60 degrees and he had been running since we started.  He loves going for a swim.  We took advantage of the waterfront for some pictures and enjoying the cool breeze off the lake.  

We continued on the trail for another few miles until Winston was begging for another dip in the lake then we headed back.   Since Winston was all refreshed after his swim he was in super dog mode running like a speed demon through the trails then running just as hard back to us!  In the midst of his crazy running phase Winston lost one of his Ruffwear Summit Trex boots.  I was concerned this might happen after he was in the water.  A quick retrace of his speed demon run and we found his boot, right on the trail!  We were so lucky to find the boot that we ended up just taking the boots off.  The trail was dirt without sharp rocks and we had not seen many locust thorns or glass.  He did fine the remainder of the trail without his boots and we weren't as worried seeing him racing through the trails.  

This trail doesn't loop so it is just an out and back on the same trail.  It was still a pretty trail with lots of changes in scenery.  Lakeside trails and wooded areas and even a few areas through old farmsteads.  The smell of the lilac and rosebushes from the old farmsteads was amazing!!

Sometimes walking among all the trees one tree will stick out and you just stop and look at it a little longer.  Here was my tree for this trail.  Don't forget when you are out and about hiking through the trees to stop and look at them.  They are really beautiful sometimes.  

We are excited to have found a new hiking area with lots of miles of trails that we are unfamiliar with.  This lake also has good campsites that we can get away for the weekend!  Looking forward to posting more about these trails and camps! 

Hellroaring Creek in Yellowstone National Park

While the weather didn't cooperate for hiking this weekend I reviewed some old pictures and my journal that detailed one of our favorite hikes, Hellroaring Creek.  This is one of the most beautiful and peaceful hikes in Yellowstone National Park.
Here's a look back at 2012.  

Our day started about 2 hours before sunrise with cinnamon rolls warming on the dash of the car by the heater.  It was yet another chilly October morning and the nighttime temperatures had been below 20 degrees every night.  Our tents and bags were keeping us warm but the heater of the car was a much needed pick up!  We were headed North from our base camp at Madison Campground to Lamar Valley.  Lamar Valley is well known in the Yellowstone Park System as being the place to view wildlife, especially wolves.  

We were able to make it to watch the sunrise and see the park come to life.  Unfortunately, due to the size of the Valley we ended up doing a lot of windshield time.  

The road winds through the valley and offers many views and opportunities to see wildlife.  There were a few cars on the road.  It was October so the height of tourist season was over and the week before they had almost a foot of snow, lucky for us it melted!

Can you see this guy?  It's a coyote centered in the photo.  They are camouflaged very well.  We were able to watch him catch a mouse.  It was fun to see him hunt.  

One of the highlights for me was to be able to see Moose.  Moose are one of my favorite animals to watch.  We were so lucky to see a bull, cow and calf grazing in the valley.  

I absolutely love watching these animals.  I could have sat for hours just watching them wander around. 

During our time at Lamar Valley we didn't see any wolves.  We had hoped to at least catch a glimpse.  We did see a large group of cars and people with spotting scopes.  We stopped to ask them if they had any luck spotting any wolves and turns out they follow the wolves and have devices to monitor the wolves' tracking collars.  They told us the wolves were in the backcountry and hadn't been near the road in the Valley for a couple of days.  

We had spent most of the morning in the car and we were all getting stir crazy.  I had done a little research before our trip and had a hike in mind, Hellroaring Creek Trail.  It wasn't very far from Lamar Valley and had great reviews.  We decided we would enjoy our lunch at Hellroaring Creek since it was a short 2 miles to get to the creek.  The trailhead was easy to find and had several cars already there.  

We quickly gathered our daypacks and lunch and took off! 

The trail starts with a 700ft decent into a valley via switchbacks.  The switchbacks offered a continuous view of the Buffalo Plateau and Hellroaring Mountain.  Once you get to the bottom you arrive at a suspension bridge over the Yellowstone River. 

  

The view from the bridge at the Yellowstone River below. 

After the bridge you walk through a wooded area filled with songbirds. 

After this wooded area the landscape quickly changes to a valley like appearance.  Few trees, tall grasses and small hills make up the remainder of the trail to Hellroaring Creek.  

Just after the wooded area there is this sign that points to backcountry campsites.  My quick and initial research on this trail didn't speak about it being a path to backcountry sites.  I have since read that they are great sites to camp at.  When we go back to Yellowstone we will have to do a backcountry hike from this trail.  

It is easy to see by the scat and tracks that many animals frequent this area, especially bison.  Once we got to the creek it was like an oasis.  It was a beautiful, rocky creek.  The rocks caused the water to sound like it was rushing all the time.  I can't imagine how this creek must look and sound when the snow is melting and it is really rushing! 

We stopped for lunch and enjoyed the privacy and sounds of the creek.  We did a little exploring around the creek, playing on the rocks and building rock cairns. While we were exploring we found an iPhone.  It was in a sturdy case and clearly had been lost by someone.  We decided to take it back to the car with us and see if we could return it to it's original owner.  

While we were sitting enjoying our lunch we were joking about how crazy it would be to see a bison out here.  We had seen so many tracks that we were certain they were in this area often.  We discussed how we would feel exposed with little area to hide except in the bushes along the creek, if a herd of bison were to appear.  We also joked about what we would do if a herd approached as we were on the grassy area of the trail.  

All of the joking came to a sudden halt when this guy appeared. 

At first we thought we were day dreaming.  We then starting hoping he was alone.  We also kind of hoped he wasn't.  We were so amazed that he was just walking right up to the creek where we were at.  

We of course made little movements and didn't talk and stayed clear of his path.

We were all very mindful of not getting close to him and allowing him to drink at the creek undisturbed.  It was just amazing to be so close to this bison and feel like we were apart of his world.  We were enjoying the creek and so was he.  

After we made it up the switchbacks to our car we charged the iPhone that we had found on along the creek.  It did not have a lock on it and we were able to discover who it belonged to.  We called the owner who lived in Georgia.  He had been on a boy scout trip several months earlier and lost it along the creek.  When we returned home we mailed the phone back to its' rightful owner. 

It's so nice when fun surprises occur.  

The tiny window of trail perfection!

This past weekend I have spent my mornings hiking and my afternoons trail riding on my horse.   Spending all these hours on the trails has given me the opportunity to enjoy the subtle act that I think so many people overlook while trail running, mountain biking and even trail riding on horseback sometimes, Spring is occurring.  Yes, the beauty of spring, the snow is melting, the trails are drying out, and the flowers are blooming. 

Where I live there is a tiny window of perfection with regard to the outdoors.  This tiny window of no ticks, no flies, no mosquito's, no spiderwebs, no snakes and no poison ivy/oak.  This tiny window only lasts a week.  Apparently that week was two weeks ago!  

This past week I found a tick crawling on my pant leg.  GROAN!!!   Ticks have been so bad in the past couple of years that they drive the horses mad, and attempt to carry off my dog.  They make hiking impossible.  

Spiderwebs are my nemesis with regard to the trails.  I absolutely hate spiderwebs.  I always insist on being the second, third, fourth, or best yet last person on the trail either hiking or trail riding on horseback.  Why is last so desirable?   Everyone else takes out the spiderwebs.  When I ride my horse and we run into spiderwebs it seems like I'm karate chopping the air going crazy on the back of my horse.  My arms are flailing around like I'm being attacked by an entire nest of spiders.  I have been known to bring feather dusters on trail rides to hopefully knock down spiderwebs before they plaster my face.  I also have been known to utilize a more effective tactic….a branch with leaves as pictured below!

Today, I found this little guy crawling along while I was riding my horse.  

He is, I think, a harmless little garter snake, but a snake none the less.  Unfortunately, seeing one little snake means the others are out as well.  It's not snakes that I dislike, but rather the Copperhead snake bites that occur regularly at the Lake I enjoy.  How often do they occur that I consider to be regularly?  Well, during prime season I'd say our local hospital takes care of a snake bite about every 1 1/2 - 2 weeks.  Anti-venom treatments can cost $50,000+ and copperhead bites can causes lasting tissue damage, all things I'd like to avoid.   

Fortunately, my window of trail perfection also opened Saturday during the trail ride on horseback.  I saw this amazing feathered friend.  It's a beautiful owl.  I'm not sure what kind and I was kicking myself for not having my better camera along.  I sometimes will pack along my nice camera on the trails.  Especially on days when I'm taking a longer ride and might pass by the Eagle's nests.  I love seeing the Eagles and their young.  It's just amazing to watch them catch fish and feed their young.  I do have to say I was really excited about this owl.  I have seen a few owl's along the lake but this guy was pretty content in the tree near us and didn't seem bothered by the horses.  I hope to have my other camera along when we take this route again to snap a better photo.  

Jon and Winston waiting for me to snap another picture before moving on.  They hike at a much quicker pace than I do and are so kind to hike ahead and stop and take breaks while I catch up!  Hopefully, I'll get faster when I don't have to be quite as cautious not to twist my knee.  

We found some neat sort of mushroom growing on the trees.  I'm not sure what kind they are exactly but seem to be thriving this time of year.  

Winston taking a water break.  He really likes this water bowl since it doesn't collapse.  The only hard part is that when it is collapsed down it looks like a Frisbee and Winston gets really excited hoping to play! 

 There is a small stocked pond near the lake and along the trails.  It is very peaceful and had a mating pair of ducks with four younger ducks.  I am not sure how old they were but I think they were too old to be born this year.  Unfortunately, they were not willing to let me photograph them.  They were a bit camera shy! 

I hope you were able to get out and enjoy mother nature this weekend or this week!  Even an evening walk helps clear the mind!  Enjoy the weather before the bugs, humidity, heat, snakes and spiders!  

It's a Dogs Life on the Trails

Today was a great Saturday.  I slept in and refuse to disclose the time I actually got out of bed.  Once I woke, I made breakfast sandwiches on ciabatta rolls and Jon, Winston and I headed for the trails for a hike.  We went around 2-3 miles and had one minor scare.  We were running and playing on some bike trails and bike bridges when Winston's leg slipped through the crack in the wood.  We kept him calm and Jon was able to get his leg out.  We were just really lucky that he was moving pretty slow on the bridge before falling through, or his leg could have been broken.
After that little scare we headed back and Winston was able to roam off leash for a while.  We worked with Winston about always staying on trail.  We have been trying to keep him from roaming off the trails to be good stewards and preserve the natural areas.  His only weakness has proven to be squirrels.  He can't resist chasing them no matter how hard we try.  After our hike we sat on a rock for a while enjoying the quiet.  Winston enjoyed his new water bowl that doesn't fold onto his face while drinking.

Jon couldn't help but spoil Winston with a little treat that was in our backpacks.  It's a Dogsbar.  They come in two flavors Peanut Butter and Blueberry.  Winston had the peanut butter flavor.  Winston isn't very treat driven and he has been known to be temperamental with eating.  He just has certain flavors and foods he likes and is ok not eating for a couple of days if he doesn't like the food.  He doesn't like crunchy dog treats and doesn't like hard bones or even rawhides.  He will occasionally eat a pig ear but it's rare.  So, I was skeptical that he would eat this Dogsbar.  I hoped that it wouldn't be a wasted $3.99 from Petco.

The cool thing about Dogsbar is that they donate a bar to a dog in need with each purchase.  It's a pretty awesome company with a great mission.  Their bars are gluten free, organic and made with awesome ingredients.

They come in a bar that could easily be mistaken for a granola bar that we would eat and honestly I'm sure we could eat them and they would probably taste better than some of the energy/fiber bars that I have had for people!  Winston refused to take the entire bar and initially showed little interest in it.  I think this was more related to the fact that we rarely feed him from our hand and he isn't a big fan of treats.  But once we broke it apart he was willing to try it.

After he tried a couple of pieces of it he was hooked!  He loved it and ate the entire bar.  I will be purchasing a few more of these bars in the future.  We may even try a blueberry one!  I think they would be a great energy boost during a long hike.  I try to remember that if I allow Winston to be off leash he is typically running a lot more miles than I am hiking.  If we are hiking I always try to be mindful properly feeding and watering Winston.  He is dependent on me and I don't want him to get sick drinking questionable water he finds along the trail. 

 I'd love to hear about your adventures with your dogs!  

Happy Trails!