the summer state park tour continues

 The summer state park tour continued today. We headed north to Promise Land and the Varden Conservation District to walk. Or should I say hike.

It seemed chilly when we arrived. But I knew that we'd get warm quickly.

We signed in for the volkssport walks at the Promise Land's Park office and hit the trail. The York Rose Wanderer's chose a snowmobile trail so it was pretty much just dense forest.

http://gonehikin.blogspot.com/2012/06/promised-land-state-park-pa-little.html

Promise Land has interesting trail markers. There are blazes of course, while on the trail, but the intersections are not marked with names, but rather numbers. The top number is the trail. Then under that is 1-3 numbers with arrows telling you other close by trails. They also have pictograms for usage.

The markings were easy to follow. The trails, not so much. The first one was a snowmobile trail and it had ruts and knee high grass. I wished I would have brought bug spray. That trail then turned to really large stones. Not boulders, like boulder field, more like the size of a deck of cards. That lasted about 1.5 miles.

We turned at the end of the deer fencing, and went on a trail which was one person wide, if that. Trees were touching our head. Areas were steep. There were a few massive boulders. Many times we thought we were lost and then we'd see a blaze. Our only saving grace was that we kept turning left on the curves, more often than right. It felt like we were walking in a circle. And we were. (on that terrain, I am proud of that 29 minute mile)

The instructions said we'd cross several bridges including stone ones. We did cross areas of large flat stones, but there was no water under them. We also crossed one little boardwalk, that had a tiny creek, or more likely a spring, under it. It was the only water we saw.

We had been on that trail for at least a mile and we heard a car in the distance. We were finally coming to a road. I was never so happy to see a road in my life. After about a half-mile on the road we returned to the park office.

My guess is that trail was chosen because it was close to the park office. But there is a huge lake at Promised Land. That area would have been much more interesting. And a lot less isolated.But then we wouldn't have been greeted by Smokey!

We returned to the car for the 25 minute trip to Varden.

Wildlife —1 doe driving in. She ran across the road.
Bathrooms — I – 4.5, they must have just cleaned it. It still smelled like pine oil.

Varden was very different than Promise Land. All that greeted us was a parking lot, a sign board, and a toilet. No picnic tables so we had an early lunch via tailgating. After hiking at Priomised Land I was hungry. Then it was time to hit the trail.

We always grab a park map, but then I notice a "mailbox". It says "all hikers must sign in and out." Inside was a log book and pens. We signed in, and hit the trail.

The trails were natural, but really wide. They were marked the same way as at Promised Land. Instead of just forest, this trail actually brought us to a pond, filled with lily pads. The frogs were having choir practice. I think they were competing with the wood peckers drilling. I haven't even mentioned the birds. the forest was noisy today.

Thankfully no bears at either park.

I came out of the comfort station and someone from Minnesota pulled in. I was headed to the check-out box, and they just strolled into the forest. They didn't sign in. Clearly not everyone follows the rules.

We had considered doing the third walk in that area, but decided to get ice cream instead.

Wildlife — we actually only saw a few large tadpoles in a couple of puddles. They were long and skinny. Maybe three inches.
Bathrooms — L – 4.5 It is the cleanest outhouse I've ever been in. With handicapped rails. AND hand sanitizer. Plus a Koala baby station. Amazeballs. It was large enough for mom and the kids.