Season 6. Hike #4 - Luckiamute Natural Site, South

 Season 6. Hike #4  - Luckiamute Natural Site, South

Starting Location: South entrance, by Springhill Road

Point of Interest : views

Length of hike: 2 mile loop

Level: easy- well kept trails, mostly flat

Bathrooms: Yes

Parking: Small gravel parking lot

EV Chargers:  No

We've been to the North section of this Natural Site, but today we tried out the South section. The ranger had mentioned that the map needed to be updated, since the South section now had a 2 mile loop trail. 





Just like the North section, dogs are allowed off leash during non nesting season. 

The original trail here was about 0.5 miles, and went to a pond. Now you can continue along the edge of a large field. There is some privately owned land between the North and South sections, so you are hiking along the edge of that for a bit.




The trail is flat, and was pretty dry. Lots of old trees with character.
This was an interesting view along the trail. I didn't see other old equipment, but this is a reminder that this Natural Site used to be a farm.
This is the pond at the end of the original trail. A sign says to look out for turtles, but I think we were too early in the season to see much wildlife.



We saw a small trail hacked out of the blackberry bushes, and went to explore. I was wondering if it might go around the other side of the pond, but instead, it went to another small pond. As we approached, it looked like dirt, very brown. It was covered, literally, with duckweed.

So, our dog seemed to think it was solid, and started to go across. He immediately fell in, and began to swim...away from shore. Normally, our dog is water avoidant. He does not want to get in or near the water. Suddenly, he was swimming away from us. He got to the small log across part of the pond, and tried to get up.

He ended up going over the log, and back into the pond, still swimming away from us. 

The good news is that he eventually did turn around and make it back to shore, non the worse for wear. It freaked us out though.

And he got a bath that evening.

Honestly, this is a nice, easy hike. Just don't head back to the brown pond with a dog.






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