ART 400

October 27, 2018

From the posting title, you might think is about some College course.  Instead our last hike and 10th of this month, was along the East ART (Applegate Ridge Trail) on one of those sunny and windy Autumn days. It also put us over the 400 mile mark for the year -- a first ever for us.

We started at the main trailhead off Sterling Creek Road and since there are now mile markers along the trail, we hiked out to mile 3 and back for a beautiful 6 mile hike. Along the way we were treated to great views of the Applegate Valley while being surrounded by the Autumn colors of Oaks and high dry grasses, some as tall as us. The wind would come up every now and then providing us with a shower of leaves across the trail.  Great hike with great Autumn beauty.  Here are a few pictures for your viewing enjoyment.  Hope you are getting out to enjoy Autumn too.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol

Trail through the dry grasses of Autumn

Spooky tree along the trail

Views, views, views

Autumn Colors

October 21 ,2018

We have done many hikes in this our favorite season, Autumn.  Since many of these hikes are local we have not been taking pictures or posting about them on our site, but instead have just been enjoying the sights while on the trail.  Places like the Jacksonville Woodland Trails, Elk Creek, Cathedral Hills Park, Valley of the Rogue SP and Prescott Park are a few of great hiking areas that are close by where we can go to enjoy hiking and at this time of year, the Autumn beauty.  As you can see from our hiking miles counter, we are almost to 400 miles on the year.

We did hike a portion of the Rogue River Trail at Lost Creek Lake a few weeks ago and took a few pictures. You can see our write up on the same hike under our March postings of this year.  Hope you enjoy the pictures, but better yet, take some time to walk or hike in your neighborhood, local park, or out in the woods and enjoy the beauty of Autumn before it is gone.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol

A view of some changing color on a nearby hill.

View across an inlet from the trail to where we would be hiking in an hour or so.

The turtle we met on the hiking trail.

View of Lost Creek Lake and Rogue River Trail

Applegate Lake

September 23, 2018

Autumn.....just the sound of it is enough to make us want to hike,  It is our favorite season of the year and along with Spring, is one of the most beautiful times to get out and hike.  So we wasted no time and got out on the first full day of Autumn for a hike at Applegate Lake.

A view of the very low but still beautiful Applegate Lake from the Payette trail

We started at the French Gulch trailhead and hiked along the Payette trail which follows the shoreline of Applegate Lake.  However, this shoreline had no lake as Applegate Lake is very very very low.  So our first mile or so was along dry lake with a shoreline.  We did notice a few Autumn colors in the trees and spotted a large Osprey nest up on a tree, so not all was disappointment at the start.

Osprey nest along the Payette trail

Autumn sunshine and blue skies!

We continued on the flat Payette trail for about 4 miles which did provide us with some beautiful views of various portions of the lake.  We then turned off onto the Osprey trail which headed uphill to the Prospector's Loop trail. Our plan was to hike the loop trail, but after about a half mile, we came across a very large tree across the trail.  The picture does not do justice. Our choices were to hike either up or down the very steep ravine 20-30 yards to the end of the tree and then hike either up or down the ravine to get back on trail.  Not our idea of fun with all the poison oak and since Katie voted "no" to make it a 3 - 0 vote, we turned around and headed back to the Osprey trail.

Road block and turn around spot on the Prospector's Loop

We then hiked up the Osprey trail to the Dagelma trailhead parking lot and started down one of our favorite trails, the Calsh trail.  This short trail wanders down and around the ravine from the trailhead to the lake shore where it intersects the Payette trail.  With the sun out, blue skies, and a slight breeze, it was a wonderful hike along the Calsh trail.

A little color of Autumn along the Calsh trail

After rejoining the Payette trail we hiked back to the French Gulch trailhead and our car having finished a beautiful 7.2 mile Autumn hike.  Get out and enjoy Autumn yourself.

Trekking Together
Glenn & Carol