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.
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| Eagle Nature Trail |
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| Eagle Nature Trail |
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| Eagle Nature Trail Bridge |
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