Friday, June 8, 2012

Hikes Gone By: Nelson-Kennedy Ledges & The West Woods


Four years ago (!) while visiting family in Ohio, we got them off the couches and into the woods. I did some exploring growing up in northeastern Ohio, but I wasn't the hiker I am now, so it was exciting to find some new places to investigate. Our first outing was to Nelson Kennedy Ledges State Park. It was pretty cool!

There were many accessible nooks and crannies.

And, of course, plenty of ledges!

 There were many caves.

And here we are spelunking in one. I think Pop is watching for bats while I check for trolls.

The boardwalks were nice and allowed access to pretty sights like this waterfall. 

Our second outing was to The West Woods a county park. It was also a really fun place!

It had interesting features, too, like these rocks that could've been the inspiration for Jabba the Hut.

There were places to relax and enjoy the views.

And there were some kids who ignored the signs and explored beyond the boundaries. Bad kids! Who does this one belong to, anyhow?

There were tree "cages." Here we've caught a rare and elusive adult male Leonard and his female offspring.

And a quaint little "covered" bridge. I love hiking bridges. They're just so darn charming.

And, naturally, we spotted a lot of critters!