Garth Nature Area in Columbia, MO (Blog Hike #857)

Trails: Bear Creek Trail, Blue Ridge Trail Connector, et. al.

Hike Location: Garth Nature Area
Geographic Location: north side of Columbia, MO (38.98086, -92.33872)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2021
Overview: A short, flat gravel loop around ponds and other wetland areas.
Area Information: https://www.como.gov/parksandrec/park/garth-nature-area/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=879678
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In Columbia, take I-70 to Providence Road (exit 126).  Exit and go north on Providence Rd.  Drive Providence Rd. north 0.9 miles to Blue Ridge Road and turn left on Blue Ridge Rd.  Drive Blue Ridge Rd. west 0.2 miles to the traffic circle at Garth Ave.  Take the third exit from the traffic circle and drive Garth Ave. south 0.1 miles to the signed Garth Nature Area on the right.  Park in the large parking lot for the Nature Area.

The hike: Established only in 2007, tiny Garth Nature Area protects 52 acres on the heavily residential north side of Columbia.  Before it became a park, the site was the location of Columbia's sewage treatment facility.  One of the former wastewater lagoons was transformed into one of this park's wetlands, and part of this hike uses the old access road for the wastewater lagoons.

            As its name implies, the park remains lightly developed today, with 1.6 miles of trails, a picnic area, and an off-leash dog park being its only amenities.  Garth Nature Area is also a trailhead for the Bear Creek Trail, a 4.8 mile bike trail that connects to other City of Columbia parks including Cosmo Park and Albert-Oakland Park.  The hike described here goes out on the Bear Creek Trail, but it loops back past the wetlands using the Nature Area's other trails, thus sampling all Garth Nature Area has to offer.

Bear Creek Trail leaving the trailhead

            From the restroom building at the right (north) end of the parking area, turn left to start heading west on the wide gravel Bear Creek Trail.  Plastic posts mark distances on the Bear Creek Trail in quarter-mile increments.  Some side trails exit left into the collection of wetlands as the main trail treads close to the natural area's boundary on the right.  On the warm morning in early July that I came here, I did some good wildlife viewing that included a family of Canada geese, some turtles, some frogs, and a woodpecker.

Canada geese

            At 0.25 miles, the Bear Creek Trail exits left.  To take the longest loop through the Nature Area, angle right to begin the Blue Ridge Trail Connector, which is another wide gravel trail that leads to a trailhead on Blue Ridge Road.  Elevation changes are sufficiently small to be imperceptible throughout this hike.  The area's largest wetland lies to the left here, but the dense understory of honeysuckle permits no clear wetland views.

Bear Creek

            Near 0.5 miles, the Blue Ridge Trail Connector exits right to head out of Garth Nature Area.  Turn left to begin hiking another wide gravel trail that follows first the north and then the west boundaries of the Nature Area.  Bear Creek, a wide but fairly shallow prairie stream, makes an appearance on the right.  Some large oak trees live along Bear Creek and its tributaries.  Near 0.8 miles, you can take a short detour to the right on the Bear Creek Trail to reach a bridge over scenic Bear Creek.

Pond view near dog park

            As the Bear Creek Trail enters from the right and exits to the left, continue straight to head into the southern part of the Nature Area.  Some of the ponds in this part of the Nature Area are covered with green algae.  As the off-leash dog park comes into view on the right, look to the left for a short dirt spur trail that leads to the best wetland view on this hike.  A bench here invites you to sit, contemplate, and observe birds and wildlife.  The main trail soon returns to the south end of the parking area to close the loop and complete the hike.