Dillon State Park

Dillon State Park

We go "camping" although some may not call it camping since we rent a cabin. The boys think it is camping so they get all excited when we go and are sad when we leave. On the way home we hear at least two or three times, "Mom when are we going camping?" I love when I hear it because I love that they enjoy it as much as we do.

So we enjoyed the majority of the trails this trip and were able to hike most of them. Dillon State Park has 6 different trails, which I listed below and I included our notes and thoughts with the trails as well:

Blackberry Ridge — 0.6 Mile — moderate

Bog Loop — 1 Mile — Easy  

Eagle Ridge Loop — 0.8 Mile — moderate

King Ridge Loop — 1 Mile — moderate

Licking Bend — 4.4 Mile — moderate

Ruffed Grouse Loop —  0.6 Mile — moderate

Storybook Trail Loop - 0.5 Mile - Easy, paved

Blackberry Ridge was super close to our cabin so it became our first hike of the weekend. It is shorter, only 0.6 Mile, but moderate. Here is the reason for it being listed as moderate: HILLS! It was constant up and down and at some points the trail got skinny and the entire trail was surrounded by thorn bushes. Be cautious and careful. We really enjoyed this hike and the beautiful views. Near the end of the trail it went through a marshier section where it must stay pretty wet or flood easily because we found and learned all about CYPRESS KNEES. These tree roots look super bizarre almost like weird growths from the ground.

The Ruffed Grouse Loop trail was our next trail that we explored. This is also a shorter 0.6 mile hike labeled moderate. We found all sorts of interesting things on this trail. It was also pretty hilly, although less steep than the Blackberry Ridge trail. We found... 

giant rocks that the trail walked us went around.

The picture ended up looking like a rainbow was following E. It was a cool effect and made the rock even cooler. We also found Fiddlehead Ferns. I had never heard of them before this trip and had to ask some of my hiking experts what they were exactly. Some of them are even edible!

E is usually our lead hiker and is good at pointing out or finding new things on our trails. He loved taking photographs this trip and every single thing he found we had to take a picture of... including his thumb or a few fingers. He found birds in the sky and yellow flowers on the ground. It was a really pretty trail.

This was our first FIRST Storybook Trail Loop which we should all be completely shocked about. I am a big reader and I hopefully are instilling this in our boys as well. One of the items we ALWAYS have in the car, camping, sports practice, or errand shopping is access to books to read. 

This short paved 0.5 mile hike was our first Storybook Trail and we LOVED it!

As I said earlier this was our first experience with a story trail, but one of the things that I really enjoyed with this was not only did it have a story but they also included a side panel which included facts or activities related to the book. The book was about Bees and for an example of an activity it told you to buzzz all the way to the next page just like a busy bee.

This hike proved to be TWO new adventures all packed into one because we also introduced the boys to GEOCACHING or as we like to call it treasure hunting! Right off the path on the adjoining mountain biking path was a geocache with a pencil, paper, little trinkets and all. E was mesmerized, he loved it.

He loved treasure hunting, so much in fact that we ended up going and finding another cache in between trails. The first one was very whimsical hidden in the hole of a dead tree. The second one was hidden quite plainly under the stairs of an amphitheater. 

E got to practice writing our name and signed it as we found the cache. Even the smallest cache's are usually some type of utensil with a paper to sign who has all found the treasure.

Our final trail of the weekend ended up being one of the longer ones, the Eagle Ridge Loop which is listed as 0.8 mile and moderate. We saw a lot of wild life on this trail, which the boys always enjoy, including deer, spiders, a butterfly which followed us for a short while and then landed close by so we were within centimeters of touching distance.

We never saw the daddy buck, but we saw three deer (we are guessing a small family). I told you a few of the animals and insects that we saw, but we ALSO yes, more stuff, saw a wonky tree. 

Finally, after a weekend of hiking playing on the playground and beach, checking out the story on the trail, geocaching, and camping, we were ready to pack up for another #guentheradventures

BUT WAIT....

I think, on our last day, I saw a beaver. SO COOL! I have never seen a beaver in real life. 

Do you see what I see?