Hike to oyster fossil field in California desert

The West Mesa Trail passes the full length of the Willis Palms.

Some 3.1 million years ago, the smoothound shark lived in the waters
covering the Coachella Valley.

West Mesa Trail topo map. Click for larger version

This article originally was written for and appeared on the Uken Report.

Day hikers can head to an oasis brimming with wildlife and fossils on the West Mesa Trail near Palm Desert.

The 2.2-mile lollipop trail sits at the base of Little San Bernardino Mountains in the Coachella Valley Preserve. It’s sometimes referred to as the Willis Palms and West Mesa Trail on maps and in other literature.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 10 take Ramon Road east at Thousand Palms. As approaching the foothills, turn left/north onto Thousand Palms Canyon Road. A parking lot is on the road’s left side in about 0.66 miles. The trail heads northwest from the lot along the base of the mountains.

Desert flowers
The trail’s opening section consists of loose sand, as the route heads through a wash. Be sure to wear quality hiking boots; a trekking pole also can help with stability.

In about a quarter mile, leave the trail’s stem for the loop. Go right/northeast around the base of the foothill in front of you. The trail gradually gains elevation.

At about 0.8 miles from the trailhead, you’ve reached the loop’s north side. The trail then heads up and crosses the foothill. Your reward for the exertion are great views of the Coachella Valley spreading before you (Thousand Palms and Palm Desert are directly ahead) with the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains rising above it.

At roughly a mile in, you’ll begin the descent down the foothill. If hiking a day or two after a rainfall in late winter or early spring, wildflower blooms usually can be spotted along the way. Chia, the desert gold poppy, desert sand verbena, dune evening primrose, and sand blazing star all grow in the area. Butterflies and the carpenter bee often flit about the blossoms.

Desert wildlife
Though appearing like wasteland, a number of creatures actually thrive near the wash and on the foothill. The lizard is ubiquitous with the zebra tailed, dune and leopard species, as well as chuckwallas, all common. Footprints of roadrunners, black-tailed jackrabbits, and coyotes usually grace part of the trail. If you’re really lucky, you may sight the paw prints of the rarely seen bobcat, desert kit fox, or raccoon.

Once at the foothill’s base, the trail turns southeast and quickly arrives at Willis Palms. The oasis of California fan palms stretches 1200 feet from northwest to southeast. It is one of several oasis that line the San Andreas Fault, which causes water from the valley’s aquifer to seep upward through cracks in the earth.

Willis Palms is a testament to nature’s resilience. A fire burned much of the grove in November 2010, but within weeks the flora already was growing back. Bats and birds lost their homes when the fire destroyed the palms’ skirts, but all have since returned.

Today, Willis Palms is a good spot for birdwatching. Cactus wrens, hummingbirds, mourning doves, and Gambel’s quail have been spotted there. Look up, and you may see an American kestrel, raven, red-tailed hawk, or even a great horned owl eyeing the ground for a meal.

Oyster fossil field
Sign of life from a long ago age also can be found at the oasis. Erosion has exposed an oyster fossil field formed when this part of the world was at the bottom of an ancient sea about 3.1 million to 3.2 million years ago. At that time, the Gulf of California extended into the Coachella Valley with the warm shallow waters running about 30 to 98 feet. Fossils for at least four kinds of sharks and rays as well as three kinds of fish also have been found around the oasis.

To locate the oyster fossil fields, look for large white patches as the ground rises off the desert floor beneath the fan palms. Oyster shells stick out of the fairly soft rock. Only take pictures, though – collection of the ancient marine fossils is illegal.

Around 1.9 miles in, you’ll reach the stem trail. Continue straight/southeast to the parking lot.

The West Mesa is not the best-marked trail and there are crossing routes, so be sure to carry a map and compass. Almost all of the trail is exposed to the sun and wind, so always don sunscreen, sunglasses and a sunhat. To avoid the desert heat, the trail is best done October through March; the preserve is open 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. during those months.

7 great beaches await at Indiana Dunes NP

West Beach on Lake Michigan at Indiana Dunes National Park. NPS photo.

Dunbar Beach at Indiana Dunes National Park. NPS photo.

Ah, the beach – sunbathing and swimming, flying kites and building sand castles, enjoying a summer sunset or taking in the dramatic approach of a storm. All of that and more is possible for those visiting Indiana Dunes National Park.

America’s newest national park features seven major beaches (listed here from west to east):
• Miller Beach – The Paul H. Douglas Trail (formerly the Miller Woods Trail) runs 2.1 miles (one-way) through forests to Miller Beach in Gary, Ind. While the Lake Michigan beach doesn’t always offer the greatest views – industry sits on either side of it – is is the closest park beach to Chicago and if hiking to reach it you get to cross incredibly high dunes, a fun adventure on its own. The trail starts at the Douglas Center for Environmental Education. Be aware that temperatures on the beach can be significantly colder or hotter than in the trail’s wooded portion.
• West Beach – Not all of the park’s beaches sit on Lake Michigan. Loop 2 of the 1.2 miles-round trip West Beach Trail heads to a beach on Long Lake; it’s a great spot for birding as well with a viewing platform for watching. If you prefer a beach on the Great Lake, however, no worries; just take the West Beach Trail to the 0.7-mile Dune Succession Trail (which is Loop 1 of the West Beach Trail) and follow it to a Lake Michigan shoreline perfect for sunbathing, building sand castles, or flying a kite. Pick up either trail at the parking lot off of West Beach Road east of County Line Road. The Lake Michigan beach also can be accessed via the Portage Lakefront and Riverwalk. This 0.9-mile loop allows hikers to explore the eastern end of West Beach. A fishing pier and 900-foot breakwater leading to a lighthouse adjoin the beach. Both surfing and suntanning are popular on the beach. Start the hike by parking in the second lot off of Riverwalk Drive east of Midwest Steele road.
• Porter Beach – A quarter mile of Lake Michigan beachfront can be hiked near the park’s center. Park in the lot at the end of Waverly Road north of U.S. Hwy. 20. The lot allows you to walk the beach at neighboring Indiana Dunes State Park to Porter Beach’s east. That stretch, if walking northeast, offers industry-free views on the horizon. The west end of Porter Beach also can be accessed via the Cowles Bog Trail, the third or westernmost loop of which runs 0.2 miles along Lake Michigan; you first have to pass vast fen and major dunes, but the reward is an incredible amount of privacy on the beach.
• Kemil Beach – Immediately east of Indiana Dunes State Park, Kemil Beach offers far more than sands and waves. You can take a little time away from the beach umbrella and hike a dune or go birdwatching on the Dune Ridge Trail. A parking lot is off of East State Park Road north of U.S. Hwy. 12.
• Dunbar Beach – Immediately east of Kemil Beach, visiting Dunbar is like going back to the future. In addition to swimming and suntanning, you can walk past five historic homes of tomorrow featured in the 1933 Century of Progress World's Fair. Park in the lot off of Lakeshore Drive east of East State Park Road.
• Lake View – While not much different from the adjacent Dunbar Beach, Lake View does offer covered picnic shelters that overlook Lake Michigan. Use the parking lot on Lakeshore Drive west of Broadway; do not park in the Town of Beverly Shores’ private beach parking lot just east of the lot, though, as it’s not part of the national park and can result in a ticket.
• Central Beach – This is one of the better beaches, as it’s far from industry, unlike those on the park’s west side. During spring and summer, bank swallows nest in the dunes. You can access the beach a couple of ways. One is to park at the end of Central Avenue north of U.S. Hwy. 12. For the more adventurous, instead take the Beach Trail, which leads to 0.4 miles of Lake Michigan beachfront at the base of Mount Baldy Dune; the 1.12-miles round trip begins at the parking lot off of Rice Street north of U.S. Hwy. 12 just west of Michigan City, Ind.

Great trails explore scenic Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument – Part I

The Organ Mountains rise to 9000 feet east of Las Cruces, New Mexico.

Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument is a great destination for hikers in the Las Cruces, New Mexico, area. Located west of and visible from White Sands National Park, the 496,330-acre national monument offers a plethora of prehistoric, historic, geological and biological treasures to explore.

Among the most popular of the national monuments’ sections is the Organ Mountains, which stretches for several miles east of Las Cruces. This steep mountain range rises off the desert floor to 9000 feet above sea level, delivering a number of pointed peaks, narrow canyons, and ponderosa pine woodlands to discover.

There are three general areas in the Organ Mountains where trailheads are found: Dripping Springs; Baylor Canyon Road; Aguirre Springs.

Dripping Springs
Located on the Organ Mountain’s west face, the Dripping Springs area is roughly at the range’s center and directly west of Las Cruces. To reach the following trails, from Interstate 25 and University Avenue in Las Cruces, take the latter east. University becomes Dripping Springs Road.
• Achenbach Canyon Trail – Great views of the Organ Mountains await on this 5.5-mile route southwest of Las Cruces. It sports an elevation gain of 1,272 feet to a walking trail known as Soledad Canyon Road. From Dripping Springs Road, turn right/south onto the street Soledad Canyon Road then right/south onto Ladera Canyon Road. The trailhead is on the left/east in about about 0.6 miles. Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail.
• Bar Canyon Trail – Hikers can explore the ruins of an 1800s ranch in the Organ Mountains’ western foothills on this 1.3 mile trail. Located in the Soledad Canyon Day Use Area, mule deer usually can be spotted grazing in the canyon as well. From Dripping Springs Road take Soledad Canyon Road, right/south. Parking and the trailhead is at the road’s end.
• Dripping Springs Trail – Day hikers can see a rare waterfalls in the desert on this moderately challenging 2.7-mile trail. Because of the lush environs, this trail also is great for birdwatching. Park at the A.B. Cox Visitor Center; the trail heads southeast from it. A fee is charged for parking and no dogs are allowed.
• Fillmore Canyon Trail – A 40-foot waterfall awaits at the end of a canyon in this 2.1-mile out and back trail. Fillmore Falls is narrow but thanks to being spring-fed runs year-round. Park at the La Cueva Picnic area, from which the trail heads northeast.
• La Cueva Trail – A cave that has been inhabited for at least 5000 years sits at the end of this 1.1-mile out and back trail. The rock shelter also is known as the Hermit’s Cave. Park at the A.B. Cox Visitor Center; the trail heads northwest from it across the former Hayner Resort Airstrip. A fee is charged for parking and no dogs are allowed.
• Organ Needles Trail – Hikers can head across the desert valley then up to Needles Peak on this 5.8-mile out and back trail. It is a very difficult hike meant only for experienced hikers who are in good shape, as the trail sports a 3,562-foot elevation gain. Park at the La Cueva Picnic area, from which the trail heads northeast. Dogs are not allowed and hikers should carry additional water.
• Sierra Vista Trail – Hikers can walk along the base of the Organ Mountains on this 29-mile one-way trail connecting Las Cruces and El Paso. Creosote, ocotillo and cacti – a well as wildlife in the remote sections – abound along the trail. As the trail is entirely on the floor of the Chihuahuan Desert, it is best avoided during summer. Watch for the parking lot and trailhead on Dripping Springs Road’s right/south side.
• Tortugas Mountain Trail – Hikers can take a loop on the mountain sporting a large A in tribute to New Mexico State's Aggies on this 3.9-mile route. Though rocky at times, the trail offers great views of the Organ Mountains and the Mesilla Valley. At Sonoma Ranch Boulevard, go right/south. A parking lot and trailhead are at the road's end.

Baylor Canyon Road
Several trails on the north side of the Organ Mountain’s west face can be accessed via Baylor Canyon road in the high desert. To reach the following trails, from Interstate 25 and U.S. Hwy. 70 in Las Cruces, take the latter east toward Organ. Turn right/south onto Baylor Canyon Road.
• Baylor Canyon Pass Trail – Hikers can head from desert foothills to tree-covered terrain at a mountain pass on this 6.3-mile out and back trail. There is a 1548-foot elevation gain. From Interstate 25 and U.S. Hwy. 70 in Las Cruces, take the latter east toward Organ. The parking lot and trailhead is on the left/east side of Baylor Canyon Road. A day use pass is required, but dogs are allowed.
• Mine House Spring Trail – Ruins of a former mountainside mine await hikers on this 3.6-mile out and back trail. At one time, the Hayner Ruby Mine drew fluorite from the rock beneath the Rabbit Ears. The trail boasts a 1,072-foot elevation gain, and dogs are allowed. Shoulder parking and the trailhead is in about five miles from Hwy. 70. The trail often is shown as Topp Hut Road on maps.
• Rabbit Ears Plateau Trail – Hikers can clamber to one of the points on the Rabbit Ears formation via this 6.1-mile out and back trail. Because of the 2,893 feet elevation gain in a desert environment, this trail is recommended only for experienced, fit hikers. Shoulder parking and the trailhead are on the left/east in about 4 miles from Hwy. 70.

Aguirre Springs
This area sits high in the mountains’ north side from its eastern face. To reach the following trails, from From U.S. Hwy. 70 east of Las Cruces, go right/south on Aguirre Springs Road.
• Indian Hollow Trail – Day hikers can enjoy fantastic views of spires and the desert basin below on this route in the Aquirre Springs area. The 5-mile out-and-back trail is not for the inexperienced hiker, as it gains 1893 feet elevation at a high altitude. Good hiking boots are required, as loose rocks abound on the trail. Drive 6.1 miles to a turnoff for the trailhead, which is northeast of the Aguirre Springs Group Area. Park at the road's end.
• Pine Tree Trail – Hikers can explore the base of the Needles foundation on this 4-mile lollipop trail. Be sure to bring water; there are no springs. The parking lot and trail is just past the Aguirre Springs Campground. A parking fee is required and dogs are allowed on the trail.
• Sugarloaf Peak Trail – Unless a rock climber, hiking to the top of the prominent Sugarloaf Peak granite dome isn’t possible. Day hikers can get close, however, by walking 6 miles round trip to a large semicircular depression, known as the "eye,” on the peak. The eye sits at 7500 feet elevation, about 515 feet below the monolith's summit. Drive 6.1 miles to a turnoff for the trailhead, which is northeast of the Aguirre Springs Group Area. Park at the road's end and start on the Indian Hollow Trail then take the spur to Sugarloaf Peak.

Read Part II

Explore only river to cross Coachella Valley

Rock walls rise high above the Whitewater River.

Canyon View Trail map

This article originally was written for and published by the Uken Report.

Day hikers can walk alongside the only river that runs the Coachella Valley’s entire length.

The 3.75-miles looping Canyon View Trail sits in the 2851-acre Whitewater Preserve, managed by the Wildlands Conservancy. A section of the route is part of the Pacific Crest Trail and sports a 650-foot elevation gain.

To reach the trailhead, from I-10 in the northern Coachella Valley take exit 114 and turn north onto Tipton Road. Near the exit ramps, go left/north onto Whitewater Canyon Road. The road ends in about 4.7 miles at the preserve’s ranger station. Park there and from the lot pick up the trail, which heads northwest into the canyon.

Well-marked with rocks lining the path, number of other footpaths crisscross the route, so be sure to bring a map.

In 0.15 miles, the trail comes to a wooden post with an arrow pointing right. Go that direction and onto the PCT.

The trail next enters the river’s floodplain. This is a great spot for birdwatching. Look for the endangered Southwest willow flycatcher, a small perching bird with brownish-olive upper body, whitish throat pale olive breast, and two light wing bars. During the 1990s, fewer than 1200 pairs remained, mainly because of urban development destroying its riparian habitat. The Bell’s vireo also can be spotted here, and during the annual migrations the summer tanager and vermilion flycatcher stop off at the preserve.

Whitewater River
About 0.5 miles from the parking lot, the trail crosses the Whitewater River via a wooden footbridge. Depending on the amount of snow and rain the San Bernardinos receive and the season, the bridge can be washed out (usually in spring) and sometimes you can hop across the rocks (usually autumn). Most of the year, the river is ankle- or calf-deep at best.

The main river that flows through the Coachella Valley, the Whitewater runs 54 miles. Its North Fork starts at more than 10,000 feet high on San Gorgonio Mountain, with the meltwater flowing out of the San Bernardino Mountains making for a cold stream and a lush canyon.

Upon reaching the desert and the preserve, much of the river water drips through the porous valley floor and eventually pools in the Coachella Valley aquifer. Farther downstream, near Coachella, the Coachella Canal replenishes the river with water diverted from the Colorado. Ultimately, the Whitewater River drains south of Mecca into the Salton Sea.

About 0.66 miles in, the PCT splits; go left/south. The Canyon View Trail enters a side canyon and then heads uphill via a series of switchbacks. If with a hiking partner, you’ll need to walk single file. The trail gains about 475 feet until reaching the ridge above the canyon.

At the top, watch for the wooden post for PCT and turn left off of it onto the Canyon View Loop Trail. The level route runs alongside Whitewater Canyon’s westside, offering nice views of San Jacinto Mountain and the Santa Rosa Mountains.

Switchback views
Eventually the trail dips slightly but then rises to a great panorama of the preserve. Deer, bear and bighorn sheep all have been seen at Whitewater.

At about 2.35 miles, the trail descends into Whitewater Canyon. Parts of this section can be rocky, so watch your step. The reward for the hard work are great views of the river flowing from the canyon’s north end alternating with windmills in San Gorgonio Pass and the San Jacinto summit to the south.

Once at the canyon bottom, walk northeast along the side of road. Cross the river via the road’s bridge and then look for a trail curving into the floodplain away from the asphalt.

In just under a half-mile from the road, the trail passes the ranger station and arrives at your parking lot.

As the entire trail is in the open desert, always don sunscreen and sunhat as well as bring plenty of water. (You don’t want to drink from the river) Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail. There’s no fee to enter the park, which is open from 8 am to 5 pm; you’ll want to start the hike at least a couple of hours before closing time to ensure you are not trapped in the preserve as the gates are locked when the park closes.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

Great tips on birdwatching for hikers

• How to find a bird's nest on a day hike
• Traits to look for when identifying birds on a day hike
• Meet the red-shouldered hawk
• Meet the Canada warbler
• Meet the Louisiana Waterthrush
• How to make birdwatching fun for children on a day hike

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Gaze at breathtaking stars on remote trail

Joshua Tree National Park boasts some of the darkest skies in Southern
California. Photo courtesy Joshua Tree NPS.

Porcupine Wash is a great place to get away from
artificial light and stargaze at Joshua Tree National Park.

Porcupine Wash Trail topo map. Click for larger version.

In most urban areas, artificial lighting and smog wash out the stars. Many people grow up only seeing a few of the brightest points in the night sky and never realizing the grandeur of the Milky Way that humankind has enjoyed for tens of thousands of years. But there still are places where one can see the night sky.

Among Southern California’s darkest skies are those at Joshua Tree National Park. For many who’ve never seen an unpolluted night sky before, the sight is absolutely startling and awe-inspiring.

Most campgrounds off the park’s main roads offer great views, but the best place always is in the backcountry. One relatively remote yet easy to access spot for stargazing is the Porcupine Wash-Ruby Lee Mill Site Trail, located in the Pinto Basin.

The 8.8-mile loop is surrounded by the Hexie and Pinto mountains, which block the glow of nearby urban areas, and at night the nearby road is rarely traveled.

To reach the trailhead, from the Oasis Visitor Center on Utah Trail just south of Calif. Hwy. 62, take the former south. Once in the park, Utah Trail becomes Park Boulevard. Turn left/southeast onto Pinto Basin Road. In a little more than 16 miles, look for the Porcupine Wash trailhead parking lot on the road’s eight/south side. Park in the lot.

You need not do the whole trail to enjoy the night sky. In fact, hiking the trail at night would be dangerous and require a flashlight that diminishes your ability to see the night sky.

Instead, arrive before sunset and simply hike a hundred or so yards in. Find a nice flat spot, sit back, and watch the stars suddenly appearing like pinpricks on the darkening sheet above.

Stars by the season
What you’ll see in the night sky changes with each season.

In spring, two bright stars – orange Arcturus and blue Regulus – both are visible. The Big Dipper’s handle points toward Arcturus, which appears near dusk in the eastern sky. To the south, Regulus is in the constellation Leo’s front paw.

Summer brings the spectacular band of the Milky Way, which is best seen on a moonless night. The Summer Triangle features the three bright blue stars, Vega, Altair and Deneb. Mid-August marks the Perseid Meteor Shower. If visiting in summer, do not hike the trail during the day – it is dangerously hot – but nights are comfortable.

Autumn offers the Great Square of Pegasus, which rises in the northeastern sky at dusk. The Andromeda Galaxy is a fuzzy patch near the square. Autumn days are great for hiking the trail but nights in the high desert can be cold.

Winter delivers the constellation Orion and the sky’s brightest star, Sirius, which is only 8.6 light years from Earth. The red star Aldebaran is the winking eye in the constellation Taurus. While late winter can have pleasant days, nights will be very cold.

Stargazing pointers
Some quick tips for stargazing:
• Go on moonless nights – Reflecting sunlight to Earth, the moon can reduce the number of stars you’ll see. Check the moon phases to find the perfect evening to stargaze.
• Only use red lights – The human eyes needs at least 20 minutes to adjust to low light, Bright non-red lights delay that process and can wash out the stars.
• Layer your clothing – The dry air at the higher elevations can make for chilly nights, even in summer. You’ll probably need a sweatshirt and jacket on July evenings, though during the day you would roast alive wearing that.
• Watch your step – Animals come out at night, and you don’t want to accidently step on a snake...or into a cactus or on an uneven rock. All will end your stargazing adventure.
• Bring a folding chair – One that you can lean back in will reduce neck strain. Sitting in one spot, even if you adjust the chair slightly to see different parts of the sky, will reduce the chances that you trample vegetation.
• Carry water – Many areas of the park, including Porcupine Wash, have no running water. Even if not hiking, the dry air will cause you to feel parched.

Hiking the trail
Should you decide to hike the trail during the day, spring is a great time to do so because of the many beautiful wildflowers. Birdwatching also is good there. There are plenty of jumbo rocks and boulders to explore and scramble over. You won’t find any Joshua trees here, though, as you’re in the Coloradan Desert, a subsection of the Sonoran Desert; Joshua trees only grow in the Mojave at higher elevations.

Go counterclockwise on the hike. You’ll begin by passing a borrow pit. The northern part of the loop is a jeep trail and heads to the Ruby Lee Mill Site.

At the base of the Hexie Mountains, the trail curves south to begin the far side of the loop. It then joins the intermittent Porcupine Creek and follows the wash back to the borrow pit and parking lot.

The washes can be sandy, so be sure to wear hiking boots with good traction and to bring a trekking pole. A map and compass as well as plenty of water are a good idea. The entire trail is open to the sun, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and sunhat.

Spot spring’s first flowers on trail segment

Marsh marigolds line the Plover River bottoms on the Green Circle Trail.

Green Circle Trail map. Click map for larger version.

Day hikers can check to see if spring truly has arrived via Wisconsin’s Plover River Trail.

The hike is a segment of the Green Circle Trail, which runs 27 miles around the city of Stevens Point. Offering multiple access points, the Green Circle Trail consists of several segments that carry their own names. The Plover River Trail runs 6.2-miles round trip and is the segment between Wis. Hwy. 66 and Maria Drive.

To reach the trailhead, take Wis. Hwy. 66 northeast out of Stevens Point. Once past the airport, turn right/southeast into the old farmhouse, which is now used a warming house. Between the parking lot and the warming house, take the wide connector trail heading northeast. Once at the Green Circle Trail, turn right/southeast onto the crushed granite trail.

The trail initially heads through an open area. Here you’ll find nest boxes. Though designed for bluebirds, a number of other birds – chickadees, swallows, wrens – use the boxes, making this a great spot for birdwatching. During spring and summer, keep an eye out for various sparrows, including chipping, field, and vesper; during winter, juncos can be spotted. Circling this open area are red-tailed hawks.

Mixed forest
At 0.25 miles, the trail enters a mixed deciduous forest and reaches a loop coming from the north. Continue south. Jack pines dominate the forest. This is another superb spot for birdwatching with cardinals, towhees, and a variety of woodpeckers – downy, hairy, red-bellied, and even a pileated – flitting about.

The trail next skirts Stevens Point Municipal Airport’s east side. Horned larks nest here, and during winter sometimes snow buntings can be seen.

At about a mile, you’ll enter another open area. If you’ve been on this trail many years ago, you’ll probably wonder what happened to the trees. Hundreds of them had to be removed here due to oak wilt.

The trail then enters a red pine plantation and comes to the north side of the City of Stevens Point well field.

Wildflowers
Next the trail arrives at the meandering Plover River. Among the most scenic parts of the entire Green Circle Trail – which is saying a lot, given that almost the entire route is beautiful – here is where wildflowers, especially marsh marigolds, galore can be found.

Preferring marshes, fens and wet woodlands, marsh marigolds are a harbinger of spring, blooming here April through May. The round, bright yellow flower can be up to 1.5 inches wide. Each flower has five to nine petals that turn upward to form a shallow cup. The marigold plant grows 1-2 feet high and can be found all across Wisconsin, though you may be surprised by the incredible number of them on this segment of the trail.

Another early blooming plant you’ll find in the river bottoms – though it’s hardly sweet like the marsh marigold – is skunk cabbage. One of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in spring, it can actually melt the surrounding snow and ice.

Its flower is shaped like a shell and usually brown to purple, though it also can be a quite attractive yellow, that grows 3-6 inches tall. Unfortunately, it gives off a strong odor of carrion, which attracts insects who then unwittingly pollinate its flowers.

Skunk cabbage prefers wet areas, so look for it in depressions. It mainly is found in the state’s southern half.

Hardwood forest
The trail leaves the river bottom after about a half mile and passes through a mature hardwood forest. Watch for beaver stumps along the river. Birds that can be seen in the area during spring and summer include barred and great-horned owls, red-shouldered hawk, and even sandhill cranes.

Next the trail arrives at a connector to a Green Circle trailhead parking lot off of East Maria Drive. Vireos, warblers, and other songbirds hang out in this cutback area during April and May.

The connector marks a good spot to turn back. You can add a half-mile one-way (1-mile round trip) by continuing on the Circle Trail to Hofmeister Drive. Be aware that you’re closing on Interstate 39, however, so the noise level rises.

In winter, the Plover River segment becomes a cross-country ski trail.

Other segments
Other exceptional segments of the Green Circle Trail include:
• Moses Creek segment – Running 2.4 miles, the trail heads through stands of mature hardwoods and white pine and offers an excellent opportunity to see pine warblers, red-eyed vireos and scarlet tanagers. It offers crushed granite surface and the Green Circle Trail’s longest boardwalk, at 0.5 miles long, which passes through wetlands.
• Riverfront segment – The 1.2 miles paved section follows the Wisconsin River from Bukolt Park south through Pfiffner Pioneer Park to the Hwy. 66 bridge. With its location near downtown and the UW-Stevens Point college campus, it’s among the trail’s most popular segments.

Leashed dogs are allowed on all segments of the Green Circle Trail except for the one heading through the Schmeekle Reserve.

Saguaro NP's best birdwatching trails

The saguaro cactus is a favorite perch of the cactus wren.

Birds can be seen throughout Saguaro National Park, but some spots are better than others either for spotting rare species or for seeing a diverse number of them.

Some of the better birding trails in the park include:

Desert Ecology Trail
Day hikers can see some of the national park’s most famous birds on the Desert Ecology Trail. The short 0.3-mile lollipop trail sits in the park’s eastern Rincon Mountain district just off of popular Cactus Forest Drive. It’s a perfect walk for young children to experience and learn about desert ecology. The saguaro is a good place to focus your attention if looking for birds. The plant is like an apartment building for native wildlife, providing homes to a variety of birds, such as the Harris’s hawk, Gila woodpecker, and the tiny elf owl.

Javelina picnic area
The opening section of the Tanque Verde Ridge Trail, especially at the Javelina Picnic Area, mark an excellent spot to see canyon wrens and black-chinned sparrows. The area in the park’s Rincon Mountain (East) district is slightly more verdant than the surrounding desert and so provides more opportunities for homes and food. A walk around the picnic area and the first 300 feet of the trail for a 0.2-mile round trip journey should yield some sightings.

Visitor Center Trail
In the Tucson Mountain (West) district, ash-throated flycatchers, Say’s phoebes, curve-billed thrashers, and Gila woodpeckers can be seen near the visitor center buildings. In the winter season, neotropical migrant species including hummingbirds, swallows, orioles, and warblers also can be seen. To see them, try this 0.37-mile trail circling the Red Hills Visitor Center off of North Kinney Road.

6 Great Activities for Hiking Kids

• Intro: Hiking activities, games are age dependent
• Animal Homes
• Bird Trail
• Birdwatching
• Boot Twister
• Braiding
• Build Your Own Compass
• BONUS: "Live in the sunshine, swim in the sea, drink the wild air." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Wisconsin state flower flourishes on loop

The wood violet is Wisconsin's state flower.

Upper-Lower Trails Loop.
Click map for larger version.

Day hikers can see carpets of wild violets – Wisconsin’s state flower – at Door County’s Logan Creek State Natural Area.

The 1.2-mile Upper-Lower Trails Loop runs through the 170-acre site. Though a state natural area, the Ridges Sanctuary owns and manages the property, which is open to the public.

The trail is several miles south of the Ridges Sanctuary’s main site near Baileys Harbor. To reach the trailhead, from Jacksonport, take Wis. Hwy. 57 south. Turn left/south onto Loritz Road. An entrance to a gravel parking lot is on the road’s right/east side. Park there and take the trail at the lot’s northeast corner.

Three stacked loops make up the trail. The Ridges Sanctuary’s map splits the loops into four trails. Heading east, you’re on the Middle Trail. At the first trail junction, go north and begin the Upper Trail loop.

The trail heads through an upland beech-sugar maple forest. Visit in spring – especially mid- to late May – and you’ll be blown away by the number of wildflowers here. It’s especially a great place to see violets, which cover the forest floor.

Wood violet
Among them is the wood violet, also known as a common blue violet, which is Wisconsin’s state flower. Ranging in color from deep violet to lavender, (though sometimes they can be white), the flower consists of five distinct petals with three veined lower petals, and measures about an inch wide.

The flowers usually grow on their own stalk and stay beneath the plant’s heart-shaped leaves. The latter is high in vitamins A and C, and should you ever be lost in the woods with no food, know that they can be eaten raw. If you ever see violet-flavored jelly and candy, it was made from the flowers.

Wisconsin’s school children in 1908 selected the wood violet to represent the state’s scenic beauty for Arbor Day, and years later the legislature officially declared it the state flower. Three other states, including neighboring Illinois, have the wood violet as its state flower as well.

The wood violet is found throughout Wisconsin.

Also at the state natural area is the bird’s-foot violet. Colored pale to deep purplish blue, it is about 1.5-inches across and has five petals with the lower ones wider than the top ones. The flower’s center is orange. Unlike the wood violet, the bird’s-foot’s flower stands above its leaves. Bird’s-foot is a host plant for the Fritillary butterfly and mainly found in the southern part of the state.

Non-purple violets
Not all violets are purple, as is the case with two of those found at Logan’s Creek.

The downy yellow violet bears a five petaled sun-yellow flower about three-quarters of an inch wide. Violet veins on the petals act as guidelines for pollinating insects. Its stalks and leaves are downy. The plant grows all across Wisconsin.

Violets also can be white. Such is the case with the Canada violet. Its five-petaled flower has a yellow center, and it measures anywhere from one-fourth to an inch wide. As the flower ages, it can take on a pink hue. The blossom is one of the few violets that emits a fragrance. It grows throughout the state.

The trail next enters a wetland forest dominated by white cedar and black ash along with hemlock. Because of the different forest types that appear in the state nature area, its range of wildflowers is impressive. In late May, you’ll find spring-beauty, Dutchman’s-breeches, toothwort, large-flowered trillium, and trout-lily in bloom. During early June, look for orchids; more than 25 species grow on the site.

The varied forests also make this an excellent location for birdwatching, so bring your binoculars. Black-throated green warbler, eastern wood-pewee, great crested flycatcher, hermit thrush, ovenbird, red-eyed vireo, and rose-breasted grosbeak all can be found here.

Clark Lake
Upon re-entering an upland beech-maple forest, a spur trail runs north toward Logan Creek; stay right/east and circle to the south, where you the trail comes upon another wetland forest.

In the wetlands, another of the stacked loops begins with a trail heading left/east. This is the Lake Trail and goes to Clark Lake, adding about 0.4 miles to the hike. More than 4500 feet of the lake’s shoreline sits in the state natural area.

If you skip the Lake Trail or when coming back on it to the Upper Trail, you have the option of going on the third stacked loop, the Lower Trail. Take it straight-right/south.

Initially the Lower Trail heads through a wetland forest but as curling west rejoins the beech-maple forest. This affords the opportunity to see more violets.

The Lower Trail takes you to the parking lot’s southeast corner.

Birdwatching trails abound on Lake Pepin

Tundra swans can be seen each autumn near Alma, Wis., and Kellogg, Minn.

The National Audubon Society has named the Lake Pepin region an important Birding Area, and for good reason. Magnificent birds – both large and small – can be seen here year around.

Each spring, from March through May, tundra swans and pelicans migrate through the Mississippi Riverway and stop over her. Warblers arrive in early May and congregate at Frontenac State Park and Lake City’s Hok-Si-La City Park.

During summer, the rare peregrine falcon often can be seen gliding on the thermals above Maiden Rock Bluff. Bald eagle sightings also are common over all of Lake Pepin.

The migration runs in reverse come autumn. Tundra swans in particular can be spotted at Rieck’s Lake Park in Alma and the Weaver Bottoms south of Kellogg.

While most birds leave the area for warm weather during winter, bald eagles stay year around. They’re easy to spot in winter, too, with the tree leaves gone. Great locations to see them include Red Wing’s Covill Park, various pull-offs on U.S. Hwy. 61, and Alma’s lock and dam.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Lake Pepin hikes abound in Lake City, Minn.

Lake Pepin from Frontenac State Park.

Several great beachfronts and other trails await day hikers in Lake City, Minn.

The city of a little more than 5000 sits on Lake Pepin, the widest portion of the Mississippi River. It’s known as “The birthplace of waterskiing,” so appropriately many of its hiking trails are close to the lake. Located a little more than an hour’s drive from Minneapolis-St. Paul, the quickest way to reach it is via U.S. Hwy 61.

Among the great trails in or near Lake City are:
• Bluff Side Loop Trail – Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Frontenac State Park northwest of town. The 2.6-mile loop offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors.
• Hok-Si-La beach walk – Birdwatching is a popular activity on the half-mile of beachfront at the Hok-Si-La Municipal Park and Campground at the city’s north end on Hwy. 61. The campground sits on a peninsula jutting into Lake Pepin at its midpoint.
• Lake City Concourse – A walk atop a breakwater for the marina runs about 700 feet one way. The masts tall of sailboats rise to one side of the walk while the lake and Wisconsin bluffs beyond stretch across the other. Park in the turnout off of Hwy. 61 near Elm Street.
• Lake City River Walk – This paved route runs 2.5 miles between Roschen Park and Central Point Road. As much of it runs alongside busy Hwy. 61, opt to instead parallel it by walking along the beach. Eagle viewing is excellent here from late February through March.
• Sand Point Trail – Day hikers at Frontenac State Park can take in a great view of Lake Pepin – and maybe glimpse a sea monster while doing so. Reports of Pepie – as the monster locally has come to be known – date to before pioneer times and have occurred as recently as a couple of years ago. The 1.4-mile round trip trail runs to the lake’s shore while heading through a swampy area perfect for creatures of the deep to hide.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Trail runs along top, base of Lake Pepin bluff

Yan Teopa Rock, a natural limestone arch in Minnesota, courtesy Wikipedia.

Map, Bluff Side Trail, courtesy Minnesota DNR.

Trail passes rare
Yan Teopa Rock
in Minnesota

Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Minnesota’s Frontenac State Park.

The 2.6-mile Bluff Side Loop Trail offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors.

To reach the trailhead, from Red Wing, take U.S. Hwys. 61/63 south. At Frontenac Station, turn left/north onto County Road 2. Once past the park entrance, go left/northwest on County Road 28. Follow the road to its end, where it loops back upon itself and forms a parking lot. Leave your vehicle there. Pick up the trail at the lot’s southeast corner.

Ancient limestone
On the trail, go north, following it alongside the parking lot. You’re atop Gerrard's Bluff (sometimes referred to as Point-No-Point) overlooking Lake Pepin. A couple of picnic spots along the way offer vistas of the lake below with the visible Wisconsin shoreline about two miles away.

After passing the parking lot, the trail splits. Go right/north. This heads to an overlook. The town across the way is Maiden Rock, Wis.

In 0.4 miles, the trail reaches a junction. Go right/north to stay near the cliff edge.

The bluff is made of limestone laid down about 500 million years ago as organic sediment settled at the bottom of a shallow sea. Even after eons of erosion, the bluff stretches three miles long.

After another 0.3 miles of walking, the trail reaches another junction. Continue straight/west so you remain close to the cliff edge.

Yan Teopa Rock
During the last ice age, Glacial River Warren drained Glacial Lake Agassiz, carving out what is now the Minnesota and the Mississippi river valleys. During peak flows, Gerrard's Bluff was an island in the Mississippi River.

In 0.2 miles, the trail reaches two more overlooks. These are good spots during autumn for birdwatching. An impressive 260 bird species have been seen in Frontenac State Park, as they are attracted to the locally diverse habitats of prairie, floodplain forest, hardwood forests and bluffland. Keep an eye out for both bald and golden eagles, hawks, various waterfowl including ruddy turnstones and sanderlings.

The trail passes a couple of access trails leading to the campground during the next 0.2 miles. Upon coming to the T-intersection, go right/south.

In short order, you’ll come to Yan Teopa Rock. From a wooden overlook, you can look down upon a the natural limestone arch, a rare sight in the Midwest. The formation’s name comes from what Dakota called it and aptly means “rock with opening.”

Lake Pepin shore
Next, switchbacks run for about 0.2 miles as the trail heads down the bluffside to the lakeshore. Along the way, watch how the trees change with the elevation. The top of the bluff is a mix of aspen, basswood, elm, maple and oak. Cottonwood, maple and willow dominate the bluff’s bottom.

Over the next mile, the trail runs along the lakeshore with Gerrard's Bluff above you. Warblers are abundant here.

A few access trails lead right up to the water and its stony shore. Lake Pepin, at 22 miles long at a slightly more than a couple of miles wide, is the largest broadening of the Mississippi River on its entire course. Sediment from the Chippewa River south of near Pepin, Wis., creates a dam the backs up the Mississippi to form the lake.

When the trail curves south, it begins climbing bluff again over 0.2 miles. Near the top, the trail splits; go right/north. Just below the bluff top is an overlook.

Once cresting the bluff top, you’ll arrive at another trail that is your start point at the parking lot.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Trail loops about moraine’s lakes, ponds

Chippewa Moraine, a terrain of knolls, mounds and kettle lakes, courtesy of
Wisconsin DNR.

Map of Circle Trail, courtesy Wisconsin DNR.

Wisconsin hike
visits landscape
shaped in ice age

Day hikers can wind their way through ancient lakes formed by melting glaciers on western Wisconsin’s Circle Trail.

The trail at the Chippewa Moraine State Recreation Area and Ice Age National Scientific Reserve forms a 4.5-mile loop. As the Recreation Area is part of the Ice Age National Scientific Reserve, Federal passes are honored.

To reach the trailhead, from U.S. Hwy. 53 in New Auburn, go east on County Road M. The rec area is in about 7 miles; watch for signs for the David R. Obey Ice Age Interpretive Center, which is on the left/north.

Melted glacers
The interpretive center is a good spot to start the hike. It offers displays explaining how the area was formed by glaciers as well as on cultural and natural history. Kids visiting the center can feed a bug to a fish, pet a turtle, dig for fossils, and even hold a snake.

From the interpretive center, head northwest on the Circle Trail. It’s a narrow path of packed dirt through forest with plenty of benches for resting along the way.

In short order, the path passes a pond. This part of the Circle Trail is a segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Payne Lake appears next on the left.

The many ponds and lakes the trail weaves past were created rather recently on geological timescales. About 14,000 years ago, glaciers covered this area to roughly a mile south of the interpretive center. As the glacier melted, sand, gravel and other rock were left amid massive chunks of ice; when new, temporary glaciers moved to cover the melt area, they pushed the debris together into hill-shaped piles and natural dams. The result was a 10-mile wide moraine and a series of irregularly shaped lakes and ponds amid plains and mounds.

Next, the trail heads between North Shattuck Lake (on the left/south) and North of North Shattuck Lake (on the right/north). These and the other waterbodies on the moraine consist of melted glacial water trapped amid the debris.

Bird migration
The Ice Age Trail separates as it heads west into the North of North Shattuck Lake State Natural Area. The state natural area and this section of the recreational area are popular among birds during the spring migration. Among those that can be spotted here are American redstarts, eastern wood-pewees, scarlet tanagers, woodpeckers (both hairy and red-headed), and yellow-throated vireos.

Horseshoe Lake next appears on the right/west. This puts you on the loop’s western side, where you’ll head between two ponds.

While spring and summer make for spectacular birdwatching across the moraine, early autumn also is a great time to visit as lily pads bloom on the ponds and bullfrogs come out and croak in full force. White-tailed deer fawns also are venturing out and can be more easily spotted grazing with their mothers.

Next, the trail crosses County Road M, placing you 1.4 miles from the trailhead. For those needing to walk a shorter distance, this marks a good place to turn back for a 2.8-mile round trip hike.

If continuing on, Jeanstow Lake next appears to the left/east. The trail then curves and begins the loop’s southern side.

Largest lake
After passing three ponds, the trail reaches the southeastern shores of South Shattuck Lake on the left/north. At 63 acres, South Shattuck is the largest of the lakes along the Circle Trail. It reaches a depth of 39 feet, and largemouth bass are common in it.

Once beyond South Shattuck Lake, the trail passes another pond on the left then crosses one. As the trail begins the western side of its loop, it rejoins the Ice Age Trail; at that junction, continue north.

The trail passes yet another pond on the right/east then crosses County Road M a second time. The junction is 3.92 miles from the trailhead. Upon doing so, the trail begins the loop’s north side.

The final legs consist of passing a pond on the right/northeast, then heading between two ponds. From there, the trail curves south with a new pond on right/west. After that, you’ll arrive back at the interpretive center and your parking lot.

Good news for dog owners: Fido and Queenie are allowed off leash on the trail but not in the yards at the interpretive center or in the picnic areas.

Learn more about Chippewa Valley day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of the Chippewa Valley guidebook.

St. Croix Valley’s best birdwatching trails

A number of day hiking trails in Minnesota and Wisconsin’s St. Croix River Valley offer great birdwatching opportunities.

As the river valley stretches directly north from the Mississippi River almost to Lake Superior, during spring and autumn several migratory birds stop off to feed and rest. Many even stay for the summer.

Here’s a sampling of the best river valley trails to spot birds.

Purple Trail (Kinnickinnic State Park)
An overlook of where the Kinnickinnic and St. Croix rivers merge is ice-free year around, making it prime feeding ground for American bald eagles during winter. Prairie restoration along a segment of the trail has created homes for partridge and ringneck pheasants.

North River Trail (Afton State Park)
Birds of prey, particularly red-tailed hawks and turkey vultures, find excellent feeding grounds atop the blufftop prairies and in the valley below where the St. Croix River reaches its widest span.

Hidden Ponds Nature (Black) Trail (Willow River State Park)
Three ponds amid woodlands is a favored nesting and feeding grounds for a variety of songbirds. The bright red scarlet tanager is among them.

Riverside Trail (William O’Brien State Park)
Traditional waterfowl, including geese and wood ducks, frequent Lake Alice and the St. Croix River along the trail. Bring some bread crumbs to feed them, which will delight any toddlers or preschoolers hiking with you.

Ridge View (Osceola and Chisago) Trails (St. Croix National Scenic Riverway)
Game birds including turkey and grouse, songbirds such as the scarlet tanager, and raptors like bald eagles, can be spotted in the diverse ecosystems the trail passes through.

Summit Rock Trail (Wisconsin Interstate State Park)
Atop the hill overlooking the river, sit and enjoy juvenile bald eagles gliding past you on the thermals. Often they fly within a few feet of you.

Redhorse Creek Northern Loop (Chengwatana State Forest)
A wide range of birds call this vast preserved area home. Among them are bald eagles, northern harriers, osprey, sandhill cranes, and warblers.

Hay Creek Trail (Crex Meadows Wildlife Area)
An internationally recognized bird area, just about any bird that frequents the Upper Midwest can be spotted at Crex Meadows. Most famous among them are giant sandhill cranes.

Read more about day hiking the scenic riverway in my guidebook Hittin’ the Trail: Day Hiking the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

Best trails for seeing Wind Cave’s wonders

The Fairground of Wind Cave.
Photo courtesy of  Wave Cave NPS.

While Wind Cave National Park is best known for its cave system, there are plenty of other above ground sites to see as well. In fact, among the best ways to enjoy national park’s top sights is via a day hike.

Just four short trails will allow you to take in each of the South Dakota park’s highlights – boxwork in the caves, a prairie dog farm, panoramic views of the Black Hills, and a variety of nesting birds.

Boxwork in caves
Scientists have no idea how the mysterious “boxwork” – thin sheets of calcite that form honeycomb-like patterns on the cave ceilings – form. Your best opportunity to see these natural patterns is the Natural Entrance Cave Tour, a ranger-led 0.5-mile walk.

Prairie dog farm
A large prairie dog farm sits among the rolling hills in the park’s northwest section. The 6.2-mile round trip Sanctuary Trail heads through the prairie dog farm and passes a fire tower, which is closed to the public.

Panoramic views of Black Hills
Among the best vistas for seeing the beautiful Black Hills to the west is the Rankin Ridge Nature Trail. Interpretive signs about the area’s ecology dot the 1-mile loop.

Birdwatching
Wind Cave Canyon’s limestone cliffs and standing dead trees offer excellent nesting grounds for a variety of birds – cliff swallows and great horned owls in the case of the former and woodpeckers in the latter. The 3.6-mile round trip Wind Cave Canyon Trail heads through the habitat.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks guidebook.