Davis Bay Switchback Trail

Pretty as a picture waking trail

Great hike, in the park, this week.

Steps down  what appears to be a large rock shelf with the trail built through it

 The Davis Bay Switchback Trail. The trail we followed starts at Davis Bay and winds south to the Brimmer Point Road. We went backwards and started on the Brimmer Point Road, followed the trail north to Davis Bay then took the east trail back to the road across from the CCC bridge.

Fun to walk winding trail

After reaching this point, we hiked the half mile, on the road, back to our vehicle.

Always wildlife to watch - Looks like here she is watching us

The trail is nearly impossible to find from Brimmer Point Road until you have hiked it the other way (from Davis Bay) so I would recommend parking at Davis Bay and hiking the trail both ways, east and west before taking the loop starting on the road.

This switchback trail is truly remarkable, great views, some Civilian Conservation Corps steps and a terrific layout for hiking. 

A bit of snow didn;t slow us

Not sure how much longer this good weather will last but we are enjoying our time in the park.

Like most park trails - terrific views

It has always surprised me that the CCC built so many one way trails, I like this one because it can be looped much like the Red Cliff Trail on the east side. 

CCC Steps

Click here to see my book on the CCC and the building of Guernsey State ParkGreat Christmas gift for everyone who loves this specisl parkIt also makes a terrific coffee table or office waiting room book

A Bit of Snow and Lakeshore Drive

Three or four inches of snow last night, guess it was time. Most is melted this evening which means we will be out for a hike in the park Thursday or Friday. 

Meanwhile, work continues along Lakeshore Drive as workers seal cracks and asphalt patch several areas.

It’s still a great time to visit the park, for us, 50-degree hoodie sweatshirt weather is a perfect hiking day.

The new wall on Lakeshore Drive is terrific - The men of the CCC would approve

Fall also brings some of the year’s best sunrises and sunsets. I have only heard of the sunrises, but I am witness to some great sunsets. 

The Lost Trail

Even with as much time as my wife and I spend hiking in the park we are sometimes surprised. This trail is one of those surprises. It branches from the Evergreen Glade Trail that goes runs north and south from the Museum to Lower Spotted Tail Campground.

Trail Head at Lower Spotted Tail Campground

The trail breaks off, leading east and is, well built, rock-bordered, and easy to follow for about a half-mile, then it disappears.

Lab checking out the trail

We were able to recreate the missing trail by searching for tree stumps that looked to be random and long ago cut. By doing this, after surmising the only reason to cut random trees would have been in the process of trail building, we were able to follow the branch to the road that leads to the old CCC golf course. 

The photos below are what I call, "things to see along the trail."

Quite surprising and a wonderful hike in the November sunshine.

How about some Wyoming State Park Trivia today? Doesn't matter how you answered because here it is - enjoy! Answers are below the photo.

1. Which park was Wyoming's first state park?
2. Part of one park is also a National Historic Site, can you name the park? (this is not a yes or no question)
3. Which state park includes three reservoirs within its borders?
4. Fisherman come from all over America to fish the Miracle Mile, which state park features this world famous trout fishing area?
5. Sinks Canyon State Park sits on this two-word river. 

One of my favorite photos from this fall

-ANSWERS-

1. Hot Springs State Park

2. Guernsey State Park

3. Curt Gowdy State Park

4. Seminoe State Park
5. Popo Agie

Guernsey State Park - Doing it Right

This must be some kind of Bonus post or something. I normally post every five to seven days and here I am posting two days in a row. A great hike will do that for me. 

Nice view as we started our hike this morning

People who know me, more than likely, have heard me complain about the new high wall on Guernsey Dam. It was never that high until the Bureau of Reclamation worked on the dam two years ago. The new height of the wall makes a view of the lake nearly impossible as drivers cross the dam. More importantly, it has also made the road over the dam much more dangerous as drivers from the north cannot see smaller cars, motorcycles or bicycles on the dam.

The original - I wasn't around for this one

However, that is not what I want to blog about today. And, there is a distinct possibility that the Bureau of Reclamation knows quite a bit more about dam's and dam building than I do.

Safer, but much taller new wall during construction in 2013

Here is the way to build a wall, this one in being built by the State Park System. It looks great. Unlike the Bureau wall of modern concrete, this one is concrete and faced with stone.

This is going to look super when finished - very CCC like

It looks like the CCC built it, and I am sure that is what Todd Stephenson, Superintendent of Guernsey State Park, had in mind when re-doing this one. Much like the work done along Lakeshore Drive over the years, this fits the park, fits the Civilian Conservation Corps work in the park and fits it very well.

On another note, the park is fantastic for recreational walkers/hikers right now. Despite some health setbacks, I hope temporarily, I have still enjoyed quite a bit of time in the park this fall.  

We call this one the, Lost Trail, as it was started but never really finished by the CCC.
Not sure many know where this one is. I will be posting more on this one later.

Like to learn more about the building of the park? How the Civilian Conservation Corps teamed with the National Parks Service, the state of Wyoming, and the Bureau of Reclamation to build one of the most unique and beautiful parks in the American west. Hit this link!

Happy to say it is still selling well if you have already purchased, thanks. I still like the book better than the eBook, but it is available in both forms. Order one for yourself and another for a friend today. 

I read a blog this week that said if a nonfiction book sells more than 250 copies the first year, it is a success, and if it reaches 2,000 sales in the life of the book,  it will have done better than 99%+ of all nonfiction. So far so good. (-:)

Upper Spotted Tail Hikes

Nothing beats fall weather for hiking in the park. With afternoon temperatures in the low to mid-60s, this has been a fantastic week to be in the park. Several trailheads leave from the north end of Upper Spotted Tail Camp Ground and this week we tried all of them.

The view from the Trail Head at Upper Spotted Tail

Some wind through heavy timber, others through burned areas from the 2012 fire.  The hike up Knight Mountain is one of the best in the park and following the old road to Onyx Cave is always entertaining and educational.

Looking down to the Sitting Bull Shelter from part way up Knight Mountain Trail

There are branches off these trails, mostly lost from time and lack of use over the years but fun to follow, if only for a short way, when found.

Walking along Onyx Road Trail

I hear many people are lamenting the end of summer and some are looking forward to winter and Wyoming's great offering of winter sports. As for my wife and me, we will take fall and this year's terrific weather.

Time to head back home - driving past the boat ramp - Looks like fall

Lakeshore Drive Looking Good

Work is going well in the park. Lakeshore Drive was open today and I drove to Black Canyon Cove and back. Looks like two major areas of concern, the crumbling road on a very dangerous curve

Great looking fix on this crumbling curve

and a bad culvert.

Nicely rebuilt complete with rock work the men of the CCC would love this fix

I stayed until just before dark waiting for the sunset, it wasn’t spectacular but was pretty nice.

When the moon started peeking through the trees I knew it was time to head for home.

 My newest novel, Commitment, is now available as a book or eBook

Take a look here

http://www.amazon.com/Commitment-Holmes-Western-Mystery-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00ZJ6VKLS/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Commitment is a historical mystery/western, set in and around Fort Laramie and south to Laramie City and Cheyenne. Good old fashioned story, with a bit of mystery, romance, bad guys and one very special good guy – great fun.

And of course, my book on the Building of Guernsey State Park can be found almost anywhere on line and at many local sellers.

Get it here from Barnes and Noble

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-civilian-conservation-corps-the-building-of-guernsey-state-park-neil-a-waring/1122073800?ean=9780692394885

Or get it here from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Civilian-Conservation-Corps-Building-Guernsey/dp/0692394885/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Hey, talk about the perfect Christmas gift for everyone that loves the park.

A Walk On The Beach

At my age,  nothing beats a nice walk on a beautiful fall day. As you can see, not over crowded.

Saturday evening my wife and I walked a deserted Sandy Beach in the park. Wow, it was 71 degrees with a slight breeze, what a wonderful evening. We see so few people in the park this time of year, too bad, it is spectacular. Maybe it does not take much to impress me any longer but nothing beats a great walk in the park.

It is more than gratifying to see my book on the Civilian Conservation Corps and the building of Guernsey State Park continue to sell.

I have had comments from people as far away as California on the book that can be ordered from any of my blog sites, purchased locally or from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and just about every online bookseller there is. It is gaining popularity in bookstores, tourist/gift businesses and museums in the state as well, now in ten or so.

I read this week that the average, traditionally published, nonfiction book sells less than 250 copies a year and only about 2,000-3,000 for the life of the book. Looks like this one is ahead of the norm and the best thing is more and more people are learning about the park and the Civilian Conservation Corps.

We had a terrific meal and a wonderful luncheon with the Goshen County Historical Society Saturday and a great time talking about the book.