Davis Bay and Davis Bay Switchback Trail

A few days ago we hiked the Davis Bay and Davis Bay Switchback Trails. Once again built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s. These trails are compliments of CCC - Camp 10, that once thrived at the base of Mae West Hill.

We hiked this one a week ago in 40 or so degree weather - not bad

We parked near the Brimmer Pont foot bridge walked the trail to Davis Bay then circled back west went up the switchback trail and walked back down the road to our ride.

Half way point at Davis Bay

This trail gets some use but not nearly enough.

Good looking trail

Sweet

Passing through massive rock

Fantastic views throughout, plus we burned a few calories.

Heading up into the switchbacks

For a couple of senior citizens like us, it takes more than an hour, about an hour and a half for us.  But, we do sit from time to time for rest and to take in the views.

My wife taking the same pretend rest I did - we did take some real ones

Nice View

Spring Crocus along the trail

In other news, the park is going to have a new look as people come in with a welcome/visitor center.

Just moved in and set - This will be a nice addition

A Talk & Walk In The Park

A Walk in the Park

Saturday morning at 9 AM, I will be talking and hiking with a group in the park. The event was arraigned by Gale Heimbuck at Guernsey Adult Ed, and there is still time to sign up, just call Gale at the school.

We will start at the parks incredible CCC Museum, it opens officially on May 1, so I guess we will be kicking off the year a day early. I will give a presentation on my book, The CivilianConservation Corps and the Building of Guernsey State Park – With Folktales andStories of the Park, and entertain questions about the park.

Sit and Relax - Enjoy Nature near the Museum

After the forty minutes, to an hour, in the Museum we will be going on a short hike. The hike will catch the Red Cliff Loop Trail at the Museum, wander over to the old CCC golf course road, walk the Museum road to the Evergreen Glade Trail and follow it back to the Museum. If there is interest, we will also have a shorter trail for those who want less than the 35-40 minute planned hike.

Tried It Out Today

Never needing much of an excuse, actually none at all, we walked the trail today.

Take time as you hike, and discover a long ago CCC Treasure but,
Remember to leave all artifacts lie.
They are an important part of park history and protected by law.

It started out a gorgeous day with temperatures in the mid-60s and only the slightest of breezes. Halfway through the cloud cover showed up, and the breeze picked up, still a pleasant day to walk in the park.

Like all Trails in the Park - Great Views Abound

Time to Spend Time in the Park

The lake is full, overfull a little, wildflowers are coming, and everything is greening up. This is always my favorite time of year. Guernsey State Park is a beautiful place to walk or hike. If you have not used the extensive hiking trail system in this park, give it a try. What a spectacular way to lose the troubles of the world for a few minutes or a few hours.

Wildflower Season is off to a Great Start

A Few Things We Saw in the Park Yesterday – or What We Saw on the Trail

We spent a great four hours in the park yesterday. Although I am not sure I have ever spent any bad time in the park. Walking two, seldom used trails, we had an enjoyable, exhilarating and exhausting time. We chose two seldom used trails, one's that are only hiking trails, we like the combo bike/hike trails also, but yesterday we must have felt the need to work a little harder than usual. Might be one of those, “I’m still not too old to do this," kind of day.”

Spend enough time on the trails and you will see some great wildlife

The sun turns part of the lake a summery bronze. What a view!

The sun puts it golden touch on a pair of pines 

One of the great western blooms
 

Wildflower Season - still going on in the park.
 

The end of the trail

I never leave the park in the evening if it looks to be a great sunset and last night was a very nice sunset indeed.

No touchup needed

And nothing beats the sun setting over the North Bluff Castle.

I will post more at a later date on trail specifics but wanted to show a few of our views from the trail.

 

Another Dam Update

 
Maybe, just maybe this will be the last of my dam road updates. No, it is not open, not yet, but looks like the work crew is in clean up, and finish up stages.

 

I took these photos Sunday evening, possibly by the fifteenth we will be able to drive Lakeshore across the dam.

The lake is full, a few of the newer picnic spots are in the lake but most are fine.

Duck Picnic?

 I have said this before but it is really nice to see a lake full to capacity, or maybe a bit more.

With a full lake the springs are back- Waterfall along Red Cliff Trail

Guernsey State Park - Roundtop Mountain

Our most recent park adventure took us on a hike up Roundtop Mountain, the mountain behind the Museum, you know, the one with the kind of round top. 

Roundtop

The Civilian Conservation Corps built the Roundtop Mountain Trail as part of their east side trail system. The trail has long since been forgotten. Jan and I have hiked in the park since 1983, and the trail, to our knowledge, has never been marked during that time. That means it has been lost, at least, three decades. Likely the 1970s since the trail was marked or used, but probably longer than that.

The CCC maps show a circle around the mountain and a pigtail trail up to the top from the main circle. We spent several hours trying to find the old trail and did discover parts of it. 

CCC trail steps northeast of museum

On the south side of the mountain a rock slide appears to have covered a section of 100 feet or more. My guess is the trail was let go at this point of the slide and unmarked and unused since that time. 

The trail ( above the leaning cedar) southwest side of mountain

The road near the top

But two senior adventures like my wife and myself wouldn’t be deterred by a little landslide. Well, yes we were, but we still made it to the top. The old road that starts on the northeast side of the mountain makes a fine trail. It took only about twenty minutes to reach the top using the old road and the hike was invigorating.

Give it a try, this one is fun, not too difficult and the view is spectacular.

The view from the top - worth the hike

One warning – The first one hundred yards are deeply rutted, so step carefully, once you reach the south side of the mountain the trail is fine.

Guernsey State Park - A Walk In The Park

Yesterday we took the Knight Mountain Trail in the park. It starts in the Upper Spotted Tail campground, leads east for a quarter mile before turning north (left) down through a creek bottom.

Walking east from Upper Spotted Tail

 

Then the fun begins, the winding trail leads up a good grade on a surprisingly well marked trail.

Up the trail we go

 

 It goes up over the top of Knight Mountain then on down into Fish Canyon. (we didn't go that far) 

About 2/3 of the way up

 

We turned around before we took the final steps up to the very top. This point in the trail affords a spectacular view of the lake, Brimmer Point and everything to the west.

Nice view from here

 

Eagle's eye view of Sitting Bull

 

Brimmer Point across the way

The top part of the trail appeared to need some actual climbing, not just our normal hiking.  Maybe we will try to go on up, and over, later this spring.

Looking east (the other way)

 

Seven in the evening and heading down (that's the Laramie Range in the west)

This is one of the original Civilian Conservation Corps trails and one those young men must have had a blast building. 

This one isn't for everyone, as it is not, just a walk in the park, but last evening a coupe of old retired seniors made it okay.

Almost forgot my weekly Dam Road update.  Here it is . . . . .

Not Yet!