Early Summer Hike on the North Trail

This Summer, Day 13

Today we took a hike at the most beautiful spot in Allegheny County, North Park.

It was a wonderful and warm day and the trail that we took, North Trail off of Reynolds Road, wound through a field of high grass and bird houses before it meandered into the woods.  We saw many deer laying in the shady spots, resting and watching us.  On the grassy trail, a long line of babies (ducks, geese, other?) ran and toddled ahead of us, trying to outrun before giving up and darting into the grasses.  We saw and heard a lot of beautiful birds.  

I am always amazed by North Park.  It is so beautiful and quiet and there are so many varied habitats to explore.  I am so happy to live so close by.

Latodami

The Latodami Nature Center is an old dairy farm.

old apple trees

This little apple tree is grafted from a tree planted  by John Chapman,  Johnny Appleseed.

mockingbird

Lake Marshall and North Park Lake

The morning was beautiful and the day promised a near-record seventy degrees, but the afternoon's forecast was strong winds and rain.  So we decided to take advantage of the morning with a trip to Marshall Island on Lake Marshall on Pearce Mill Road.  There was a slight breeze which blew the grasses and rippled the water.  Although I had promised ducks, we saw only a few on the horizon but stayed on the island for almost an hour anyway, testing out each bench and each corresponding view.  

To allay disappointment over the lack of waterfowl on Lake Marshall, we drove to North Park Lake as I knew there would be geese!  Of course, we had success.  We played at the playground at the lake and watched the fat geese waddle into the water and skim along.  So many people were here enjoying the last beautiful, warm day.

South Ridge Drive Trail

We got on the trail behind the Harmar Pavilion on South Ridge Drive and made a left on the trail.  It was another beautiful day in North Park, with a lot of leaves still left on the trees and the forest floor a multicolored blanket.  

On this trail, you quickly pass a couple of old pavilions no longer being used by the park.  I wonder if there was once a road to these or you had to hike your picnic food in?  

A little farther on is this old log shelter.  It has a nice porch area and a great fireplace with a mantle inside.

This view from the porch of the shelter is amazing.  What a beautiful spot to have an event.  Again, I wonder how old the shelter is and when/ why it fell into disuse?

The mantle.

We made it down to the playground on Old Babcock Blvd, then made the steep hike back up the trail.

Parish Hill Hike

On this most beautiful of fall days, we parked at the parking lot for the Roosevelt shelter and went onto the trail behind the Parish Hill building.  

                                                 We took our time, skirting around the western edge of the golf course.  There were only a few other people on the trail, and we only passed one other person on foot.  It was almost windless, and yet, several times during our walk, leaves just started falling all around us.  They weren't being blown down; it was just their time to tremble to the ground in the autumn sun.  We rested under a blazing yellow tree and laid back on inches of fresh leaves.  There won't be many more days like this this year.