15 September 2018 Trail of the Turtles (Second Try)

We returned to avenge an unfound cache from almost eight years ago. The Trail of the Turtles has been sitting for years with us saying we needed to return for the find and somehow never returning. When we last looked, we still had Gwen and Eva with us. We decided this was the weekend. Besides being here for the weekend, we had the added incentive of not having the Phinneas and Lizzie with us. I would trust Gwen and Liz anywhere. I am more cautious with Phin and Liz. Today we had the bonus of another cache on the way to find.

The area near parking offered a large pool filled with toadpoles. Surprise, there were also toads nearby.

Besides being on hilly terrain, often through rocks, much of the trek was on barely there or non-existent trails.

It's always a pleasant surprise to see one of the local remaining American Chestnut trees. We will see the trees usually once or twice a season in the woods. Today, we had the rare treat of seeing not just a number of surviving American Chestnuts, but also the fruit from at least one tree.

This immature hawk was started as we began one of the downhills.

Yes, those are bear paw prints. We spotted the paw prints on our return back. They stayed with the trail for a long time. Thankfully they were not in our way or vice versa.