Hike 25 - Wood Lake Nature Center

On a relatively nice November day, we decided to find a local hike to take advantage of the weather since it was only bound to get colder and snowier. After a quick search we decided on Wood Lake Nature Center. While I always enjoy the solitude of a hike up north, you can’t beat a trail 10 minutes from home when you aren’t able to drive hours away. This was a mear ten minutes from our house and I had no idea it was there.

This park is right next to the highway so the humm of the cars did take away from the feeling that you were out in the middle of nowhere, but it’s still impressive to have this much space set aside in the middle of a bustling city. This is one of the many reasons I love Minnesota.

After our hike, we explored inside the nature center which was a nice bonus while out hiking and a good place to warm up if needed. It’s always hard to rate these trails especially when comparing our ratings to other trails. I means I rated this one a 4 while also giving Porcupine Falls a 4 and that just seems wrong. However, the ratings are based on different, non consistent factors so I’m not going to worry about it too much, and instead, I’ll just keep finding trails to enjoy.

Hike #: 25

Trail:  Wood Lake Nature Center

Location: Richfield, MN

Trail surface: dirt

Date: 11/16/19

Jo: ★★★★

Jesse: ★★

Riley: ★★★★

Hike 24 - Porcupine Falls

It was day two in Wyoming and we’d already completed two hikes, but Jesse suggested we explore another area that second afternoon. We were on board as it involved a waterfall and a short hike. Jesse noted that the last time he was in the Big Horn mountains with the guys they had intended to end up here by starting on another trail. However, they discovered that the trail wasn’t going to get them where they wanted so hours later they turned around and headed back to the trucks. They eventually found the trail head, but only one guy was up for making the hike. He returned sharing how beautiful it was so Jesse wanted to make sure he saw it this time.

It did not disappoint.

I don’t normally include trails that are under a mile here because that seems ridiculous, but since this was hiked after two other hikes (one strenuous, one moderate) and this had a very steep pitch, it really felt like a much longer trail. My body at this point was feeling fairly shot so I tried to get my mind in the game, but heading down a trail first knowing that you had to climb back up on the return was messing with me. This trail was a lot of dirt and rocks, but also had spots where stairs were built into the hillside (with rocks or wood). We debated about if the stairs were actually helpful, or if they hurt our knees (me) and ankles (Jesse) more. While Riley flew up Steamboat Point, she generally wallowed behind like her mother on this one making many pit stops along the way.

While we could have spread these hikes out a bit more, this was really the culmination of all three for me. Sure the views of Steamboat Point were amazing, and the symbolization of peace, unity, courage, and harmony at the Medicine Wheel trail was powerful, but this waterfall was something else. Knowing the challenge we had to go through to get here meant something. Knowing that we had the place to ourselves meant something. Knowing that there are places this beautiful that exist meant something.

Hike #: 22

Trail: Porcupine Falls

Location: Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

Trail surface: gravel road

Date: 8/26/19

If this was the first hike of this trip, I may have rated it a little higher as the views and peacefulness of the trail was amazing. I think we would have enjoyed it a bit more if they lengthened the trail to make it a little less steep.

Jo: ★★★★

Jesse: ★★★★★

Riley: ★★★★

Hike 23 - Medicine Wheel Trail

Hike two of our Wyoming trip was on the Medicine Wheel trail. This was a bit of a relief after the incline of our Steamboat Point hike. Don’t get me wrong, I still took it slow, but I don’t remember thinking I was going to die. It was chilly, but beautiful.

We parked in the lot at the head of the trail, which was really just a dirt road. There was a small hut in which the rangers hung out, pit toilets, and a bunch of walking sticks for the hike. The hike was easy enough although I was still feeling the impact of our last hike up to Steamboat Point. While we were walking up the mountain, it did have a few ups and downs at slight inclines and declines which helped it not feel so strenuous.

The Medicine Wheel has been used by generations of Native Americans in ceremonies for health and healing and is suspected to be about 7000 years old.

Hike #: 22

Trail: Medicine Wheel Trail

Location: Bighorn National Forest, Wyoming

Trail surface: gravel road

Date: 8/26/19

As we came back to our truck, small snowflakes floated down upon us for a fleeting moment making this feel like a magical place. I know that may be the norm in the mountains in August, but it was a nice touch to wrapping up this hike.

Jo: ★★★★

Jesse: ★★★★★

Riley: ★★★★