2021 Summary and Reflection Post

I have 3 more hikes to post from earlier this month, but the impending turning of the calendar says that it is time for my annual summary and reflection post.  2021 has been a challenging but rewarding year.  We hiked 52 new trails this year for a total of 127.2 miles.  The hikes came across 21 different states including 2 new states: Oregon and Washington.  With the addition of those two states, 49 states (and Canada) are now represented in this trail journal.  I had planned a trip to Hawaii for December to complete the 50 states, but the ongoing pandemic combined with my back injury from October told me that this would not be a good time to visit Hawaii.  We completed the transition from Mathprofhiker to Parking Full Time this year, and we added disc golf reviews to the fleet of blogs that comprise Parking Full Time.  The YouTube channel saw roughly a tripling in views this year, and we did our first foray into Bible study and prayer times with the Colossians Bible study on YouTube this past summer.  Overall, it has been a rewarding year on the trail with God's creation.

Looking forward to 2022, normally in this post I give a list of hiking trips I hope to do in the new year, but I am not going to do that this year.  2022 is going to be a transition year for me: it will mark my final year of math professing (hence the aforementioned rebranding of this project) and the first year of whatever comes next.  So I probably will not be doing my usual schedule of hiking trips this year.  My first priority is to let my back heal, which is happening but slowly.  I still hope to get out on the trail, and we will probably cross 900 hikes in this trail journal in the first half of the year.  IF I take a long summer hiking trip, it will be to the sand dunes around Lake Michigan.  Continued growth of the disc golf review blog and the YouTube channel is also desired.  Finally, we might add a stadium review blog for sports fans in 2022; we'll see.

Lord bless and see everyone on the trail in 2022,

Big Dave the Parker

Martin Creek Lake State Park: Island Trails (Blog Hike #883)

Trails: Island Trails
Hike Location: Martin Creek Lake State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Tatum, TX (32.27315, -94.56653)
Length: 1.2 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021

Overview: A short loop around an island in Martin Creek Lake.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/martin-creek-lake
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=895779
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Tatum, take SR 43 south 3.8 miles to CR 2183 and turn left on CR 2183.  Drive CR 2183 0.8 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and park at the rear of the large day use parking area for the boat ramp and picnic area.

The hike: For my general comments on Martin Creek Lake State Park, see the previous hike, which explores the two trails on the north side of the park.  This hike features the appropriately named Island Trails: they form a loop around a small island in Martin Creek Lake.  As you would expect, the lake views are numerous and excellent, and many people think the Island Trails are this park's best hiking option.

Bridge leading to island

            Start by walking across the iron bridge with wooden deck that leads to the island.  As you walk across this bridge, an ugly power plant towers to the south, but the park's boat ramps and swimming area sit to the north.  When you reach the island, continue straight to walk among the island's 12 primitive campsites and begin a clockwise journey around the Island Trails' loop.

Park boat ramps and swimming area

            After passing through the primitive campground, the main trail curves right and climbs slightly.  In general you want to choose the left fork at each trail intersection to hike the longest possible loop around the island, but occasionally this strategy will lead you down side trails that end at the lake's edge.  If you accidentally or intentionally take a side trail, enjoy the lake view and then retrace your steps back to the main trail.

Hiking through pine forest

Hiking through the prairie

            The island features an interesting mix of loblolly pine forest and grassy, sunny prairies.  Interpretive signs identify common plants on the island.  After looping around the south side of the island for another fantastic view of the ugly power plant, a final right curve brings you back to the primitive campground to close the loop.  Walk back across the bridge to the mainland to complete the hike.

Martin Creek Lake State Park: Harmony Hill and Old Henderson Loops (Blog Hike #882)

Trails: Harmony Hill Loop Trail and Old Henderson Loop
Hike Location: Martin Creek Lake State Park
Geographic Location: southwest of Tatum, TX (32.27577, -94.57151)
Length: 2.6 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A nearly flat double loop partly on the Old Henderson Road.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/martin-creek-lake
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=895776
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Tatum, take SR 43 south 3.8 miles to CR 2183 and turn left on CR 2183.  Drive CR 2183 0.8 miles to the signed park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park, pay the entrance fee, and drive the main park road into the Bee Tree Camping Area.  Park in the small parking lot beside the Twin Oaks Amphitheater and campground bath house.

The hike: Established in 1976, Martin Creek Lake State Park consists of 286 acres donated to the State of Texas by the Texas Utilities Generating Company.  The park sits on its namesake lake, a 5000 acre lake that was built to provide cooling water for a large coal-fired power plant on its south shore.  The creek is named for Daniel Martin, who settled here in 1833.  Martin and his neighbors built a small fort/town called Harmony Hill along the Old Henderson/Shreveport Road.  Although the town was nearly deserted by 1900, parts of the road are used on this hike.

            The park offers some excellent amenities including two developed campgrounds totaling 81 sites, swimming, fishing, and boating on Martin Creek Lake, and 3 trails totaling nearly 4 miles.  This hike explores the two trails north of the park's main road: the Harmony Hill Loop Trail and the Old Henderson Loop.  The next hike explores the park's other trail offering: the Island Trails that loop around a small island in Martin Creek Lake.

Trailhead: Harmony Hill and Old Henderson Loops

            The trailhead for the Harmony Hill and Old Henderson Loops sits across the campground road from the amphitheater; a sign and bench mark this trailhead.  After walking only a couple hundred feet into the woods, you reach a complicated trail intersection that also involves some power line corridors.  This intersection forms the Harmony Hill Loop, which goes straight and right.  Turn right to begin hiking the Harmony Hill Loop counterclockwise.

Hiking in the power line corridor

            The Harmony Hill Loop starts by following a power line corridor for a few hundred feet.  The power line corridors, utility roads, and fire breaks in this area look like trails, and they are the only real route-finding challenges on this hike.  Carsonite posts with arrows mark trail intersections.  This initial segment of the Harmony Hill Loop is the only section of this hike that actually uses a power line corridor.

            After crossing a second power line corridor, the trail leaves the power lines and heads into the woods.  All of the park's trails are also open to mountain bikes, but the next segment of trail is the only one that features the annoying winding route that is common on mountain bike trails.  The main park road comes in sight on the right as the trail curves left and heads through several loblolly pine plantings.

Hiking the Harmony Hill Loop

            At 0.7 miles, you cross a gravel utility road and reenter the piney woods on the other side.  The park office soon comes into view on the right, and you need to ignore a couple of signed fire roads that also look like trails.  This area used to be part of the old Harmony Hill community, but the area appears as a natural area today.  Interpretive signs describe common plants in the forest.

Hiking through a loblolly pine planting

            After re-crossing the utility road and passing through a final loblolly pine planting, you close the Harmony Hill Loop.  If you are getting tired or running out of daylight, you can turn left and return to the trailhead in only a few hundred feet.  To also hike the Old Henderson Loop, turn right, and then bear right at the next intersection to begin walking counterclockwise around the Old Henderson Loop.

Hiking the Old Henderson Road

            Another fire road comes in from the right, but soon the trail curves left to begin following the Old Henderson Road.  1.7 miles into the hike, you cross a wooden footbridge built on stone supports.  An interpretive sign here tells you about the Old Henderson Road and its history.

Martin Creek Lake

            Just shy of 2 miles, the trail curves sharply left to leave the Old Henderson Road and begin paralleling the lake, which lies to your right.  At 2.2 miles, you reach this hike's only good lake view.  The massive power plant across the water detracts from the view, but I still did some nice bird watching here.  Past the viewpoint, the trail loops inland to cross the creek a second time before closing its loop.  Turn right to walk out the entrance trail and complete the hike.  

Caddo Lake State Park (Blog Hike #881)

Trails: Caddo Forest, Pine Ridge, and Pine Ridge Spur Trails
Hike Location: Caddo Lake State Park
Geographic Location: northeast of Marshall, TX (32.69384, -94.17656)
Length: 1.4 miles
Difficulty: 4/10 (Moderate)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A loop hike exploring the hollows and ridges above Big Cypress Bayou.
Park Information: https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/caddo-lake
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=895775
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From Marshall, take SR 43 north 15.7 miles to FM 2198 and turn right on FM 2198.  Drive FM 2198 east 0.4 miles to the signed park entrance on the left.  Turn left to enter the park, pay the park entrance fee, and drive the main park road to the canoe launch parking lot at its end, where this hike begins.

The hike: Straddling the Texas/Louisiana state line east of Dallas, Caddo Lake on Big Cypress Bayou is the second largest non-oxbow natural lake in the South.  Most geologists believe the lake was formed at least 200 years ago as a consequence of the "Great Raft," a 100-mile long log jam on the Red River.  Water backed up from the Red River, the outlet of Cypress Bayou, and flooded an existing low-lying basin.  The lake is named for the Caddo people, who lived here for 12,000 years until they were forcibly removed in the 1800's.

            Caddo Lake's level fell over 10 feet when the Great Raft was cleared by Henry Shreve in the 1830's, but new logjams continued to form until the Army Corps of Engineers cleared and dredged the river in 1871.  Dams constructed in 1914 and 1971 changed the shape of the lake again, and in 1911 the first over-water oil drilling platform was built on Caddo Lake.  The well reached down 2185 feet and produced 450 barrels of oil per day.

            In 1931, the Texas Legislature dedicated state property along the lake as a public park, thus forming Caddo Lake State Park.  The park was developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) between 1933 and 1937, and today the 468-acre park features a 46-site developed campground, several historic cabins, fishing and paddling in Cypress Bayou, and 4 hiking trails totaling 1.8 miles.  This hike forms the longest possible loop through the trail system that avoids retracing your steps, and it explores the park's bottomland, ridgetops, and historic structures, thus sampling everything the park has to offer.

Caddo Forest Trailhead

            There are a couple of places from which you could start this hike, but I chose to start from the Caddo Forest Trailhead, which shares a parking lot with the park's canoe/boat launch.  From the south end of this parking lot, head into the forest on the signed Caddo Forest Trail and cross several small streams on nice wooden footbridges.  Bear right at the first 4 trail intersections, but at the 5th intersection turn left to begin the Pine Ridge Loop.  The second sign you will encounter for the Pine Ridge Loop marks this intersection.

Left turn onto Pine Ridge Loop

            True to its name, the Pine Ridge Loop begins climbing moderately up a ravine that leads to its namesake ridge.  This area features more relief than you might expect for east Texas.  The nice forest at Caddo Lake State Park is a mix of oaks and sweetgum with some loblolly pines on the ridgetops.

Climbing on Pine Ridge Loop

            At 0.6 miles, you reach the ridgetop and intersect the park road.  The Pine Ridge Loop turns left to stay on the east side of the road, but first walk across the road to browse the historic cabins that date to the 1930's.  These CCC-built structures served as barracks and a recreation hall to house and entertain the CCC's workers; they were later converted to park cabins.

CCC-built "cabins"

Hiking an old road

            Back on the Pine Ridge Loop, the wide trail heads northeast to descend gradually on what appears to be an old farm road.  Notice the rusty barbed wire fence on the right, a relic from this land's pre-park days.  Where the Pine Ridge Loop turns left, continue straight on the old road to begin hiking the Pine Ridge Spur.  Just shy of 1 mile, the trail curves sharply left to leave the old road; a trail sign marks this turn.  An old structure of some sort seems to stand just beyond this turn, but the trail leading to it was closed on my visit.

CCC Pavilion

Big Cypress Bayou

            The descent steepens and the Caddo Forest Trail enters from the left just before you reach the CCC Pavilion, a rentable stone shelter that was built by the CCC.  Past the pavilion, descending some concrete steps takes you back to the bottomland, and three more wooden footbridges bring you back to the trailhead to complete the hike.  Before you leave this small but beautiful park, walk across the parking lot to the boat launch on Big Cypress Bayou, which offers some picnic tables among the bayou's scenic bald cypress trees.

Red River National Wildlife Refuge: Headquarters Unit (Blog Hike #880)

Trails: Lake Bluff, River, and Levee Trails
Hike Location: Red River National Wildlife Refuge, Headquarters Unit
Geographic Location: south of Bossier City, LA (32.44746, -93.67226)
Length: 1.7 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A flat figure-eight route through lakeside and riverside lowland shrub habitats.
Refuge Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/red_river/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=895677
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In Bossier City, take I-20 to Traffic Street (exit 19B).  Exit and go south on Traffic St., which becomes Riverside Drive and eventually Arthur Ray Teague Parkway.  Drive a total of 6.4 miles from I-20 to the signed refuge entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the refuge, and park in the parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Created by the Red River National Wildlife Refuge Act that was passed by Congress in 2000, Red River National Wildlife Refuge is one of the newest national wildlife refuges.  Land acquisition for the refuge is ongoing, but currently the refuge consists of 4 units along its namesake river in northwest Louisiana.  At present the Headquarters Unit offers the refuge's best amenities and hiking options, and that is the unit featured on this hike.

            Located on the south side of the Shreveport/Bossier City metro area, the Headquarters Unit is centered around Lake Caroline, which is one of the Red River's many large and shallow oxbow lakes.  The fantastic Lake Trail circumnavigates Lake Caroline, but the area closest to the lake was flooded on my visit.  Thus, I made maximum use of the blufftop and levee areas by hiking the figure eight route described here.  This route still gives nice views of Lake Caroline and its wildlife viewing opportunities, but its slightly higher elevation keeps your feet drier.

Lake Caroline view at Visitor Center

            Start by walking through the Visitor Center breezeway, and then walk down the boardwalk that ends at a fantastic Lake Caroline view.  Lake Caroline's open water normally makes for good waterfowl viewing, but I detected very little activity here on my mid-afternoon visit in early December.  Turn right at the end of the boardwalk to find the signed start of the Lake Bluff Trail, the first leg of this hike.

Start of Lake Bluff Trail

            As its name suggests, the wide dirt Lake Bluff Trail runs atop the bluff that stands above the northwest side of Lake Caroline.  This bluff is one reason the waters of oxbow Lake Caroline stay separate from the Red River.  I could hear a large number of squirrels, chipmunks, and birds along this trail, but the thick brush prevented me from seeing many.

Dense brush along Lake Bluff Trail

            Just shy of 0.4 miles, you reach an odd trail intersection that is the pinch of this hike's figure eight route.  The levee ahead and to the right will be our return route, but you want to turn left to begin walking on a gravel refuge road.  Ignore the first intersection with the River Trail on the right, but turn right at the second River Trail intersection to leave the gravel road and begin the single track dirt River Trail.  An information sign and bench mark this junction.

Start of River Trail

            The River Trail passes through a sunny brushy area before entering the young riverside forest.  I saw a large number of woodland birds here including mourning doves and starlings.  Interpretive signs identify common flora and fauna in the riverside forest.

Red River through the trees

            Ignore the Cottonmouth Trail that exits left (it leads to the trail that goes around Lake Caroline) and stay with the River Trail as it curves right and begins heading north.  Glimpses of the Red River can be had through the trees to the left, but no clear views emerge.  At 1.1 miles, you return to the levee.

Hiking atop the levee

            Several options for completing this hike present themselves here.  The River Trail turns right to head back to the gravel road, while across the levee the Orchard Trail begins and winds its way to the park entrance road.  For the driest and most direct route back to the Visitor Center, I chose to walk atop the levee itself, which offers nice views down into the woods on either side.  0.6 miles of walking atop the levee returns you to the parking lot to complete the hike.

Choccolocco Park in Oxford, AL (Blog Hike #879)

Trails: Red and Black Trails

Hike Location: Choccolocco Park
Geographic Location: south side of Oxford, AL (33.60123, -85.78804)
Length: 1.9 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A loop hike on asphalt trail around a lake and along Choccolocco Creek.
Park Information: https://choccoloccopark.com/
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=895615
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In eastern Alabama, take I-20 to Leon Smith Parkway (exit 188).  Exit and go south on Leon Smith Pkwy.  Drive Leon Smith Pkwy. south 0.8 miles to the Choccolocco Park entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the park and park at the trailhead parking area, which is located to the right of the traffic circle near the park's entrance.

The hike: Although planning for Choccolocco Park began only in 2007, people have been coming to Choccolocco for thousands of years.  Settlement of this valley began by 1250 B.C., and by 100 B.C. construction started on two earthen mounds located on this site.  The Creek people called this settlement Choccolocco, and they lived here until the 1830's when they were forcibly moved to Oklahoma as part of the Trail of Tears.  The name of the park and its adjacent creek come from the Creek word for this place.

            For the next 150 years this land would be farmed by the Carter, Christian, and Davis families.  Today two Creek mounds have been reconstructed on this site, and the well-amenitied park is owned and maintained by the City of Oxford.  The park features a small lake, baseball, softball, and soccer fields, an 18-hole disc golf course, 2 playgrounds, and 2.7 miles of trails.  This hike uses the park's asphalt trails, and it features a loop around the lake together with visits to the reconstructed mounds and an historic bridge over Choccolocco Creek, thus sampling all of the trail system's main attractions.

Main trailhead

            From the back of the trailhead pavilion and restroom building, head down the asphalt path that leads to the walking track, then turn right to begin heading counterclockwise around the lake.  Some interpretive signs tell you about Choccolocco's history, and an information board with a trail map introduces you to the various possible hiking routes.  Two lakeside shelters offer fantastic views across the lake.

Lakeside trail shelters

            At the first trail intersection, turn right on another asphalt trail to head away from the lake.  Upon reaching an old road that runs along Choccolocco Creek, turn left to begin hiking downstream.  At 0.3 miles, you pass a mound of rocks.  This mound was built by the Creek people atop nearby Signal Mountain, and it was moved here upon construction of the park.  You can look across the flat mowed-grass plaza to see a larger dirt Creek mound that has been reconstructed here.  Some swinging benches located beside the creek allow you to enjoy the setting.

Stone Creek mound

            Continue heading downstream to find another piece of history: an old steel bridge with wooden deck that used to carry vehicles over Choccolocco Creek.  Known locally as Hells Gate Bridge for its alleged paranormal activity, the bridge is barricaded with signs that warn against trespassing.  Nevertheless, good views of the bridge can be had from the trail.

Hells Gate Bridge

            The asphalt trail continues downstream before curving left to leave the creekside area.  1 mile into the hike, you get back to the lakeside walking track.  Turn right to continue the loop around the lake.  The walking track crosses the lake's outlet on a bridge before passing some interpretive signs about this area's farm and charcoal-making history.

View across park lake

Blue heron

            The rest of the hike stays close to the lake with the park's ball fields to the right.  The proximity to the lake makes for good bird viewing, and I saw 2 herons and some other birds on the rainy afternoon that I came here.  At 1.8 miles, you close the walking track around the lake.  Angle right and climb slightly to return to the trailhead and complete the hike.