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. 🙂