Cypress Park Nature Trail

11 Thursday Apr 2019

Posted by Ronald Parks in Hiking, nature

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bridges, cypress, Hiking, nature, Parks, photography, Pocomoke City, State Parks

While watching the local news for Delmarva, a segment came on asking for volunteers to help with a small park near Pocomoke City, adjacent to the Pocomoke River. We decided to head down and check it out. It was a short 30+ minute drive to get there. Here is the map. The park is right off of Rte. 13.

There was no one there except for Kathy, Molly and myself. And as will be seen in later photographs, the park/trail is in need of some TLC from volunteers! The path is made up of woods and boardwalks.

Kathy and Molly checking out the boards. The overall length of the hike is about 1/2 mile. Nice day for a walk, but beware – Ticks are out in full force!

After a walk along the water, the trail heads into the woods. This is looking back towards the pond.

Then lo and behold what do we see?

A bridge. A foot bridge.

And there we go.

The feed to the pond is from the Pocomoke River. Up river a ways, at Snow Hill, Kathy and I kayaked. Deep dark waters.

This next section of the trail could really use some help.

The cypress off-spring (Cypress knee) are covered with all sorts of growth.

And take many shapes.

Freshly gnawed beaver tree, toppled over.

Kathy getting a close-up view…

…of beautiful tree markings. Do you think it is a dogwood? No. How can you tell? By its bark! woof-woof. Molly thought it was funny.

Across another little stream to the opposite side of the pond. This puts you right next to Rte. 13, headed towards a cemetery.

Stay to the left to remain on the trail.

Bird holes or a screaming tree? It is your imagination to do with as you please.

Kind of early for this to be blooming out here in the woods don’t you think? It’s an artificial flower, probably blown over here from the cemetery. Oh! duh!

Well, this one is real!

Heading back to the parking lot.

Looking over at the foot bridge, two of four geese on the pond. Not much wildlife around.The silence was actually nice.

i won’t even go there, about mustache rides!

Mushroom condo.

Not a long hike so from here we headed to Ocean City for some Thrasher Fries.

First Hike 2019

02 Wednesday Jan 2019

Posted by Ronald Parks in Hiking, nature

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Calvert Cliffs, Chesapeake Bay, Hiking, Lighthouse, nature, State Parks

A couple weeks ago, Kathy signed us up for a State Park First Hike at Calvert Cliffs. Although overcast, the weather was great for hiking.

Here is the State Roads Commission historical marker.

The one thing about organized hikes, there are usually a lot of people. One of the rangers giving the tour said there were about 200 hikers here and about 50 dogs.

Heading down the path (like lemmings headed towards a cliff) it was somewhat congested.

But then, because of the different rates that people hike and how much a dog pulls you along, it started to thin out.

Trail was muddy but it was a really nice hike. About 3.6 miles. Many small streams that fed a lagoon. Geese frolicking in the water.

Nice boardwalk along the water.

An unnatural naturalist looking for wildlife.

Signs of beaver activity.

Looks like lightning struck this beaver feeding tree.

Not sure if the lagoon was man made or beaver made.

A lone turtle trying to catch some sun.

The road to nowhere.

Actually, on the other side of the water is a natural gas company. We made it to the cliffs, beach, along with everyone else. Too many people for me.

But that didn’t stop Kathy from kicking off her hiking boots and going into the bay.

Out in the bay is this monster. A natural gas loading/unloading structure.

And off in the far distance there is a light house. Pretty bad shot, but got me curious.

A nice hike but disappointed that the cliffs were blocked off.

I guess I was thinking they were more like the White Cliffs of Dover or something like that. Kind of small.

When Kathy was finished playing in the water, we took a casual stroll back, enjoying the colors on a less crowded path. Then we came upon this guy. sitting alone, so we stopped to keep him company.

For a couple years we have been looking for natural letters from the alphabet. Kathy found a small r –

And then an o –

I told her she now needs to find an n! (she wanted to find a g also, because that is what I am – (W)rong!) Anyway, personal humor aside, we found this little bridge.