Finding the Beaver Pond

We knew there was a beaver pond at the state park just outside of town, but finding it took us two tries. Two excuses for going hiking...my idea of a good week.

Friday was chilly and the roads still had snow on them, but we needed to be out and it did feel so good.

The lake was drained, and I'm sure the mud was fairly frozen, but we just ventured to its edge.  I am always amazed how even in this sparse season there is still so much treasure to be found...

Sunday we headed back and still had trouble finding it, finally stopping to ask a dog walker on the country road who was very happy to share the secrets of spotting the trailhead with us. 

 The woods reminded us of Narnia...

 There were so many signs of animal life in and around the trees...lots of woodpecker holes.

 Deer tracks

Getting closer, moving through a low wide valley crossed with creeks - we loved finding a place we'd never been to before.

 The plant life looks so brown right now, but the details are still so varied and delicate.

 There are signs of new life...

 The pond was still and peaceful, covered in ice. We could just make out some tracks that circled around in the middle. Maybe there really is a beaver about?

 Some old gnawed trees...

 Signs of deer rubbing their antlers low on the trees...

 

Signs of life underneath the snow - the onion grass doesn't go away, it just gets buried! We talked a lot about what a good insulator snow is.

 Someone's home...

It will be nice to go back and visit this place again. As usual, we saw no one, though we could hear quite a bit from the nearby shooting range...disconcerting when we started out, we somehow got used to it.  I love hiking with these girls...