March 24, 2012: Highland Cemetery Nature Trails

The weather has been amazing the past two weeks, but unfortunately, I have not been able to hit any hiking trails.  I can only describe the past week as "distantly tragic".  It started on the 13th, when a dear friend of my family passed away unexpectedly.  He was a close friend of my older brothers, thus became an older brother of sorts to me. We had not seen him in years, but that did not diminish the shock and sadness we all felt when we heard the news.  This was a guy that accepted me as a younger brother, that helped look after me when I would tag along on their hikes into Red River Gorge, and he even took me on my first - and last - motorcycle ride.  He is going to be missed dearly.  So, instead of asking one of my brothers to hike with me last weekend, we spent time working on clearing underbrush in the wooded portion of my backyard.  Not my first choice, but I was still in nature enjoying the company of my older brother.  On the 18th, after a weekend of working in the yard, I was chatting with a hiking enthusiast friend from Hawaii and discovered that his hiking mentor and good friend had tragically fallen to his death earlier in the day while on a hike in Oahu.  I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but I did recognize him through videos, blogs, and photos.   Another young life ended way too soon.  So, there you have it:  a "distantly tragic" week.

Today, I was able to sneak away from the house for a couple of hours to do some hiking.  It was a bit of a spur of the moment decision, but I wanted to have a few minutes on the trails to recharge and to reflect on the events of the past week.  So, I packed up the hiking boots and cameras and went solo to check out the hiking trails in the wooded portion of a local cemetery.   I drive past the cemetery daily and have driven through the cemetery several times in the past, but I did not realize until just recently that within the property was a well organized set of nature trails.  The Highland Cemetery Nature Trails cover 4 miles of trails and approximately 150 acres of undeveloped cemetery property.  Having never explored these particular trails, I was a bit skeptical as I entered the trailhead.  But after my first 100 feet of trail, I quickly realized that these trails are truly a hidden gem in Northern Kentucky. 

The hiking trails essentially follow several cascading streams.  There are actually six separate, but linked trails on the property.  The trails are easy to follow and the beginning of each individual trail section is clearly marked with a sign.  With the mild winter the region experienced and the relatively hot weather we are having in March, the forest is already in bloom.  All around me, the forest was awakening:  dafodils, groundcover, and scattered trees in bloom.  Add this to the recent thunderstorms the area experienced and the streams are alive and flowing with sound. 



Highland Cemetery Nature Trail Cascading Stream



It did not take me long to find what I did not realize I was looking for:  a small clearing at the confluence of two wooded streams.  The birds were singing in the forest canopy above me and the sounds of the cascading streams as they met in a beautiful little waterfall was idyllic.  It was a perfect place to reflect and to give a quiet shoutout to an old friend lost and a guy I'm sure I would have befriended if the stars would have aligned in a different way. 



Highland Cemetery Nature Trails Waterfall



After my short pause, I started exploring the remainder of the trail.  I decided to stay on the Black Squirrel Trail and add the short Possum Path portion.  It was approximately a mile of trail through mild elevation changes.  I love stories and local lore and I was pleasantly suprised to stumble upon an old spring house in the stream along the Possum Path trail.  A sign along the trail describes a spring house as essentially an early refrigerator that was built in a stream.  The spring house would utilize the cool spring water by allowing it to run through it to refrigerate perishables.  This particular one was probably built pre 1880's. 



Highland Cemetery Nature Trail Spring House

 After passing the spring house, I was able to follow the trail the remainder of its distance up the ridge to the terminus in a woodside meadow.  A beautiful trail to spend a  day afternoon of reflection and recharging;  I will definitely return to hike the remaining portions of this trail system in the near future.



Highland Cemetery Nature Trails



Highland Cemetery Nature Trails



Highland Cemetery Nature Trails



Highland Cemetery Nature Trails



March 7, 2012: Backyard Hike to Eagle Nature Trail

It has been nearly a week since I have decided to get back into nature.  On March 1st, I was having serious spring fever, but in the week since, the weather has taken its toll on the Northern Kentucky - Greater Cincinnati area.  March 2nd brought significant tornados to the area.  There was significant loss of property and even life only miles away.  Needless to say, there was no hiking this past weekend.  So I prepared to venture into the woods behind my home early this past week, but that is when mother nature struck again.  March 5th, I awoke to two inches of snow on the ground and a high temperature of 36 degrees; totally not expected.  It is March in Greater Cincinnati, so it comes with the territory.  I decided that the next opportunity that presented itself I would take advantage of, and that opportunity was today:  sunshine and a high temperature around 70 degrees!

We just moved into our home this past fall.  The move was only about a total of one mile away from our previous home, but all of the things that go along with preparing the inside of a new home kept me from exploring the outside of our home.  It appeared that we had some wooded portions of our backyard, but after beginning the property border survey process this past month, it appears we have a significant portion of forest in our backyard.  The property adjoins city park property which is also wooded and contains a stream as well as what has been described as a nice hiking trail.  My goal for today is to check out my property and cross over into the city property and meet up with the hiking trail and explore an area that I have driven past several times a day for the past 10 years, but have never truly appreciated. 

The hike through my backyard is wonderful.  It still amazes me that I have all of this wooded property in a subdivision.   Despite the snow two days ago, the winter has been unseasonable mild and the proof is all around:  the trees are beginning to bud and ground cover is starting to pop up through last fall's leaves.   As I crest a hill and begin heading downhill, I lose sight of the houses and truly begin to realize that I am finding that happy place where nature surrounds you and the pressures and stressors fall off of you with each step that you take;  that place that I once had and that I desire again.

It has been a while since I have wandered through the woods, but I kept telling myself that it is like riding a bike, you never forget.  I can honestly say that I debunked that theory with my first creek crossing in over ten years.  The creek is only about twelve feet wide, but in the area that I stood, there are not many rocks to cross on.  I toed the edge of the creek and tested the strength of a small fallen tree that was laying from the bank into the creek towards a large rock.  My inaugural creek crossing on my journey back to nature went something like this: SNAP-SPLASH-SMACK.  There is definitely something about laying banged up in an extremely cold, swiftly moving creek that wakes a man up in the morning!   As I hiked up the hill to cut into the trail, I could feel the pain from my shin, hip, and elbow starting to set in.  I realized that this was the first time that I have had any type of cut, or bruise in years and I welcomed it with a laugh.  It was as if nature was reminding me that it is in control and it was cleansing me for my journey back into its fold!  I reached the trail and looked back and once again marveled at the fact that all of this beauty is sitting here in my neighborhood, just beyond a road that I drive on several times a day. 

The trail itself is linear, so once I hit the end of the trail, I had to turn around and follow it back the opposite way to the trail head.  It follows the path of the creek throughout the trail's entire distance.  There are a few man-made bridges mixed throughout the relatively level hike.  The only significant grade is at the trail head which starts at parking area and follows a grade down towards the creek bed through a tall grassy area. 

The hike was not very significant, but was perfect for my initial return to nature through hiking.  Despite not being very far from home, I was able to lose track of my familiar neighborhood surroundings and immerse myself in the hike.  I could not help but notice the beauty around me.  The forest air in my lungs and the sound of the babbling creek cleared my mind and soul.  One of my favorite quotes by John Muir is,

"Keep close to Nature's heart... and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean."

Granted, I was neither in the woods for a week  or climbing a mountain, but my short jaunt in the woods has definitely helped to wash by spirit clean. 

Eagle Nature Trail



Eagle Nature Trail




Eagle Nature Trail Bridge



Extended Spring Fever

As the temperature climbs and the days get longer here in Northern Kentucky, I yearn to get outside.  I am not sure if it is the unseasonably warm winter that is drawing to a close or if it is the increased stress that occurs with everyday life, but my body, soul, and mind are craving the outdoors.  I grew up spending time outside, playing in the woods behind my childhood neighborhood - often tagging along with my older brothers.  Even at a young age, I was spending days at a time deep in the back country of the Red River Gorge; camping, hiking, and rapelling with my brothers.  I had learned to respect and appreciate nature and it was an important part of my identity.

When I was a young teen, I travelled west with my parents and we made a day stop at the Grand Canyon.  My parents would rather stand behind the railing and take in the views, but luckily I was able to step foot on the edge of the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and walk a few hundred feet of the Bright Angel Trail.  It was a breathtaking moment and it was also a galvanizing point of my life.  Whether it is the simplicity of a woodland nature trail or the awe-inspiring beauty of a natural wonder,  I learned at a young age that getting into a natural setting put a smile on my face and refreshed my heart, soul, and mind. 

There are a few things that are a given in this world and one is that the sun will rise every morning and set every evening.  Those daily sunrises and sunsets seem to have quickly turned into weeks, which have turned into months,  and eventually turned into years. A wise young man from Chicago once said, I have always had a mental list of places that I would love to experience first hand.  The reality is that list is gradually transitioning from a simple "places to see" list, to a personal "bucket" list.  My heart yearns for hikes in Point Reyes along the California coastline, experiencing the John Muir Trail and the Yosemite, returning to Hawaii to take on more adventurous trails, and ultimately returning to the Grand Canyon. 

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."  

Life continues to move forward and those desires have made way for my priorities: a growing family, a home, and a career.  And the simply reality is that, whether it be hiking or biking, it has been years since I have hit the trails.  But recently, I came across the following quote by John Muir,

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike."

It was as if Muir was speaking directly to me.  I yearn for the outdoors because I need nature's healing touch and cheer to revitalize my heart, soul, and mind as it did when I was younger.  I also realized that I do not need to fly or drive across the country to find this rejuvenation.  Nature is all around me and I need to re-introduce myself to this old friend.  Do not be mistaken, I still want to cross all of those places off of my "bucket" list, but in the meantime, I am going to start over.  I am going to rediscover the healing powers of nature.  I am going to call my brothers.  I am going to introduce my children to nature.  I am going to hike the woods and trails in my backyard like I did as a kid ..... and smile.