Giant City Nature Trail, Part One

Overhead, clouds dominated the skies, but we could see the sun trying to cut through the grayness. And it was cool, probably mid-forty degrees when we set out for our first hike in the state park. It was a matter of minutes; after a short drive from the Lodge, we arrived at the start of the namesake trail, Giant City Nature Trail.

We gathered the camera and some water and began the hike. Immediately the bluffs rose with their layers of reddish sandstone and the occassional shale. The trees were barren except for some pine. Leaves covered the forest floor. Moss and ferns hung to rock facings. It's a different world from the city.

As the trail split to make its loop around and through the bluff, we heard the trickle of water, a dripping from along the cliff sides. At first, it was difficult to believe. After all, it was above freezing, but looking more closely...




It's Ice!


Water had frozen into icicles in places along the cliff, That water was now melting and dripping to the base of the bluffs. That little patter-patter was a note we often heard.

Shortly afterward, we encountered a few large rocks which had probably broken and fell from the main bluff. Examining one these boulders, I noticed the intricate pattern that the formation and erosion had produced in the face of the rock. The texture was remarkable.




Rock Honeycomb


Outside of numerous squirrels scurrying through the last Fall's leaves, the forest was quiet. In a lot of ways, it felt like my girlfriend and I were intrepid explorers to a new land.

It was a new land to us. As we curved along a bend in the trail, we found a close scene which showed the impressive power of the forces at work on the rock. A chunk was missing from the bluff. In particular, it was a rectangular chunk, almost as if someone wanted to cleave a geometrical space into the cliff side.




Rectangular Inlet


From the photograph, you can see that wherever there is real estate, something will try to grow: trees, moss, and vines. Here's another view from along the right and further in:



From a Different Vantage Point


This is part one of the hike. More will soon follow, including the Streets of Giant City.