After spending far to long away from Meramec State Park I decided a winter visit with my trusty hiking companion Buckwheat would be a great idea.
So we set out on the 2nd of January 2011 to do just that. Having seen Meramec State Park many times when the park is full of thick green vegetation a winter hike offered the opportunity to see much more of the terrain.
I decided to take on the longer loop of the trail this time and explore areas I had not seen before. You can visit my archived posts to contrast the photos between the seasons.
Below is a GPS track of the trail which contrary to the sign ended up being 8.6 miles long.
Due to the limited daylight during the winter there was not much time for exploring areas
off the trail, but that only makes me want to visit again. Be prepared for many elevation changes on this hike, especially toward the end. There are several campsites along the trail for those who might want to make this a two or more day adventure. One word of warning, the campsites are in low lying areas which may be subject to flash flooding. In fact many parts of this trail look like they could be very hazardous during heavy rains. You can visit the American Hiker Facebook Page to see many more pictures, several of which show just how much force the water has inflicted upon the earth here.
The greatest visual reward for this hike came as I rounded a bend in the trail and heard the sound of running water. Amidst the dead brown colors of winter was a small pool with the most vibrant green vegetation I have ever seen due to the stark contrast. The pool is fed by a stream coming from a nearby cave which the park signs say is temporarily closed. This photo can never do justice to the beauty Nature offered at this location.
As I expected the terrain was much easier to appreciate in the winter and this hike has given me a new found respect for winter hiking.
No comments:
Post a Comment