If I were asked where my roots are planted I would instantly say in Mohican State Park. This is the park I grew up in. The one where I discovered my passion for nature, hiking, and camping. I picked this trail for the park because it's one of my favorite trails to hike. Why? because it's not as well known as the other hikes so I can freely hike by myself without worrying, and because of my little feathered friends.
These once old growth forest hills was home to the Delaware tribe at one time until the settlers came. Settlers came in the 1800s creating the little towns around the area like Loudonville, Newville, Helltown, and Perrysville. Mohican State Park was created in 1949 as Clear Fork State Park, but was later changed to Mohican State Park because of the confusion of name with the Clear Fork Reservoir. Thousands of people come through the park a year to camp and canoe deeming the park and the little town next to it the camp and canoe capital of the world. Discovery Forest is the area in the park where ODNR has been raising chestnut trees in the hope of repopulating them after the blight.
I discovered (no pun intended) this trail when doing our ornithology unit in high school. We may have just come to this place to bird, but I knew I found a new hiking spot. This was where I had my first sighting of a hooded warbler. They are actually one of the reasons I make my way over to Discovery Forest.
When I got my DSLR camera I went on the hunt to get a picture of a hooded warbler. I heard the little bird and kept trying to follow the call, but was having no luck. After hiking the trail three times I started heading back to my car discouraged. There it was sitting on the picnic table next to the car like it was mocking. I may have not gotten the best picture of that little guy that day, but I'm glad I didn't walk away empty handed.
Discovery Forest has been a place of peace for me. The pines make me feel like I'm back in Montana in the mountains, or down in the Great Smoky mountains of Tennessee. They make me feel like I'm home. If you come in the morning on a misty day the pines have a leery beauty and elegance to them that only the mist can show case. Morning is also a time to enjoy quiet in the park instead of hearing the occasional car or person.
This particular day on this particular hike I did bring my camera. I didn't, however, bring my new lens that I've been using for birding because I didn't think I would need it quite yet for this area. I was so wrong. I wasn't even half way on the trail when I came across a couple of ruby crowned kinglets. One of them got so close that he perched beside me. I may have been a little upset that I wasn't able to capture the moment, but I glad just to be able to enjoy the moment. Isn't that what we are forgetting in today's society? Not worrying about capturing a moment for everyone to see, but just enjoying the moment? That's what I'm trying to remind myself on these hikes. Enjoy all the little moments I might have.
I did encounter a person eventually on the hike. I almost thought I saw a ghost at first. I didn't hear the man I saw him. He was off the path walking down the hill. Didn't look at me once. I looked over at some kinglets that followed me to this part of the forest for a half a second and then looked back. The man was gone. Since that freaked me out a little bit I started walking back again, but this time while looking behind me. I stopped at one point to see if I could hear him. Nothing. I kept walking. I was relieved to see the Honda Fit in the parking lot, and it didn't click until then that it was close to Morel mushroom hunting season. No ghost just an old man looking for mushrooms down the hill, and my mind being silly.
Well folks this is all for the time being on this hike. Hike #3 should be posted real soon. Until then happy trails!
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