Hike Distance: 9.2 miles      Yearly Hike Distance: 310.6 miles

Elevation Gain: 1681 feet      Yearly Elevation Gain: 41765 feet

It was late in the day but I wanted to get out for a hike on this gorgeous day.  I went to the Whipple Creek Park but also hiked to Fairgrounds Park via a connector trail.

Initially I headed directly out to Fairgrounds Park via a connector trail.  The connector trail isn’t very obvious as you first hike past Whipple Creek Farms, which is a horse stable.  Then you must cross hike north on NW 11th Avenue, for about 100 feet, and cross the road and through a fence.  This land is owned by Clark County.  There is a vague trail that heads across the field and into the forested area.  If you take this trail to its end, then it leads you to Fairgrounds Park.  This park has a paved loop trail and a very nice area for families and children.

After walking around Fairgrounds Park I headed back to Whipple Creek, the same way I came.  I was a bit surprised that it was a four mile hike to Fairgrounds Park and back to Whipple Creek!  I then proceeded to hike a loop around Whipple Creek, on my typical route.

I was almost done with the hike when I got a delightful surprise, blooming Trillium flowers.  The single white (older plants have a  lavender colored flower) flower at the end of the short stalk is breathtaking, and it signals the coming of spring! 🙂   I saw a total of four flowers on this hike.  What’s important about this is that it signals that the next weeks will bring a floral display of hundreds to thousands of these beautiful flowers to Whipple Creek Park!!!

It’s time to get out and take a walk, and realize that with all the bad things happening in the world today, there is beauty springing forth from the ground in spite of it. 🙂