22 May 2021 Favorite Stops Visited Again

 We are creatures of habit and tend to follow the same paths to enjoy places that please us.  We always look to find and explore new places while holding dear a few special ones.  Today's journey was covering a few of the special ones starting with Swallow Falls.  We knew the beautiful weather would pack the state park side with a large crowd so we again took the lesser known path through the woods.

This trail starts well above the water and winds through the woods down to the water.

We've hiked this trail many times and not noticed the CCC remnants before.  This looks like it was used used as an incinerator for a camp.

We thought we might see painted trilliums and were happy when we did, but there were greater wildflower surprises ahead.

Once we crossed a side tributary and spotted the first lady slippers we began to see them everywhere.  They were a happy unexpected treat.

We sat for awhile and talked with another birding couple.  It was a blissful, brief moment of meeting and interacting with people in a pandemic world.

We left Swallow Falls and made our way another favorite the Cranesville Swamp.  This was a first spring visit for us so we were hoping for new sightings along the boardwalk.

We did spot a snake crossing the boardwalk.

The pitcher plants were up and showing life.

The main attraction here is the swamp area, but the woods offer a nice walk.  Today there were spring wildflowers in bloom including more painted trilliums.

Our day was over when we spotted this rainbow.  It stayed with us longer than any ranibow we have seen.

26 September 2020 Revisiting Favorites

 Our first stop was an old favorite location, the Cranesville Sub-arctic Swamp in West Virginia.  The swamp is an easy walk the always offers something new to see.

The fall colors were pleasant to see.  The swamp never reaches that point of vivid colors, but has a nice mix.

Today we were treated to nodding lady's tresses in bloom.  The were plentiful along the boardwalk and even along the wooded edge of the trail.

The gentians were past their prime but still had blossoms remaining.

We don't see pitcher plants often.  This was the first we had noticed in the swamp although it is a perfect location.

We spotted a few more orchids by the side of the trail on the walk back to parking.

The rocks are calling us.  We must go.  We had a fun walk through the rocks on Garret State Forest.

It can get tight in spots.

We always try to visit Swallow Falls when in the area.  This year visiting the main section of the park wasn't going to happen with COVID-19.  The trails are too narrow to be away from others.  Instead, we decided to make a return visit to a quiet trail in another section of the park.  The views here are still outstanding and worth the walk.

25 September 2020 Paw Paw Tunnel

 

We were leaving Shenendoah with a destination of the Paw Paw Tunnel in West Virginia.  We stopped for one last overlook near the park entrance.

We made a stop in Winchester to visit the National Cemetery.

We were both eagerly awaiting a return visit to Paw Paw Tunnel.  The long tunnel is an interesting journey with daylight decreasing to a small dot.  Unfortunately, COVID-19 has released absolute idiots on trails and parks everywhere.  Riding through a dark tunnel on bikes with no lights and with solid wall on one side and water on the other side is a really stupid act.  When Ali let out a terrified scream, I was ready to physically wound someone.  It was an unhappy walk thanks to a half dozen morons.

Rather than travel back through the tunnel we opted for the circuit hike over the top of the tunnel.

Besides the wildlife along the return, the trail offers great views of the Potomic.