Mill Creek Trail, French Creek State Park, PA

See more photos of my hike on Mill Creek trail.

An overcast and chilly day--I dressed expecting some sunshine, so had to keep moving briskly to keep warm! For the first time ever, saw the view from Miller's Rock.

Buzzards Trail, French Creek State Park, PA

See slideshow of my hike on Buzzards Trail.

Started from Crowe's Nest Preserve south of French Creek Park and hiked up to and around the Buzzards Trail loop. As usual, saw no one except a couple of mountain bikers.

Valley Forge, PA

See slideshow of my walk in Valley Forge National Park.

The hiking trails in Valley Forge Park are apparently a national secret. They are not marked on the official map of Valley Forge, they are completely unblazed, and just when you think you finally found one, it disappears after a half mile and leaves you in an unmarked, untrodden thicket. I started along the Valley Creek Trail, which is wide and easy to follow, but simply deadends on 23 with no signs indicating which to go. I found a rough-looking dirt road and followed that toward the Schuylkill and ended up at the railroad tracks and farther on, the defunct railroad station, and found myself on the wrong side of an extensive system of chainlink fences installed to keep people out of all the renovations underway. Except I was trapped inside. So I ended up back-tracking while trying to look inconspicuous in my blaze-orange pullover to avoid attracting the attention of all the tourists on the other side of the fence. After a lot of bushwhacking, I eventually another nice trail along the Schyulkill which I followed to the cemetery behind the Washington Memorial Cathedral. Came across lots of deer both in the woods and in the meadows and enjoyed a foot-stamping showdown with one herd (they'd stamp, I'd stamp). I let them win, and continued on my way.

Crow's Nest Preserve, PA

See slideshow of my walk at Crow's Nest Preserve.

Yesterday I walked in Stroud Preserve (but forgot my camera!). Today I hiked around Crow's Nest Preserve, another area preserved and maintained by the Natural Lands Trust. They're in the process of linking some of the Crow's Nest trails with those at French Creek State Park and Hopewell Furnace. Much sound of gunfire throughout the hike--not quite sure why fifty shots are necessary to bring down a deer. Maybe they were doing a drive.