Idle Hour Park and Natural Area in Phenix City, AL (Blog Hike #827)

Trails: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Idle Hour Park and Natural Area
Geographic Location: north side of Phenix City, AL (32.49974, -85.00864)
Length: 1.8 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2020
Overview: A pair of asphalt loops, one flat around Moon Lake and one rolling through woods.
Park Information: https://phenixcityal.gov/portfolio-items/idle-hour-park/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map

Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: On the north side of Phenix City, take US 80 to Riverchase Drive, the last exit west of the Chattahoochee River.  Exit, drive south on Riverchase Dr. for 0.3 miles, then turn right on Airport Drive.  The parking lot for Idle Hour Park is 0.4 miles ahead on the left.

The hike: Owned and maintained by Phenix City, Idle Hour Park occupies a shallow valley tucked between commercial and residential areas on the north side of the city.  The park is centered around triangle-shaped Moon Lake, but it also features a community center, a soccer stadium, and a sports complex with numerous softball fields, baseball fields, and tennis courts.  Some picnic areas and a playground round out the park's amenities.

            Like many city parks, Idle Hour Park has no extensive hiking opportunities, but it does offer two asphalt walking loops totaling 1.8 miles.  The two loops offer very different journeys: the Moon Lake loop is a flat circumnavigation of its namesake lake, while the natural areas loop follows a rolling course through a woodland environment.  Combining these two loops forms the hike described here.

Steps at start of Moon Lake loop

            From the restroom building at the west end of the parking lot, walk down a set of concrete steps to reach a nice viewing area with benches beside Moon Lake.  Nice views emerge up, down, and across the lake, and I was joined here by numerous types of ducks, Canada geese, cormorants, and turkey vultures.  Moon Lake is an above average but easily accessible birding destination, so take a few minutes to see what you can see.

Canada geese

Moon Lake

More lakeside birds

            Begin a counterclockwise journey around Moon Lake by heading west on the wide, flat asphalt path with the lake on your left.  At the west end of the lake, the trail curves left as the community center comes into view to the west.  Soon you pass a couple of memorials and picnic areas as you head down the south side of the lake.

Entrance to natural area

            At 0.55 miles, you reach the signed entrance to the natural area.  Turn right to leave the lake area and enter the natural area.  The trail surface remains asphalt, but the asphalt in the natural area has been broken up by roots in numerous places.  Thus, while the loop around Moon Lake is smooth and flat enough for a wheelchair or stroller, the loop through the natural area is too steep and rough.

            Almost immediately the natural area trail splits to form its loop.  For no particular reason, I turned left and used the trail going right as my return route, thus hiking the natural area loop clockwise.  The trail descends gradually through pine forest that also features a few magnolia trees.  Signs measure your progress on the natural area trail in quarter mile increments.  Some planes from the Columbus, GA airport a few miles away fly low overhead, but overall the hiking is quite pleasant.

Hiking in the natural area

            Just past 1 mile into the hike, you reach the lowest point on this hike where the trail curves right to begin heading up a ravine.  Numerous benches provide opportunity to sit and rest if needed.  At 1.25 miles, you need to turn right to head back to Idle Hour Park where the School Trail exits left and leads to Sherwood Elementary School in 600 feet.

            Vehicle traffic on Idle Hour Road uphill to the left can be heard just before you close the natural area loop.  Turn left to get back to the Moon Lake area, then turn right to continue your journey around Moon Lake.  The trail crosses the dam that forms Moon Lake as another picnic shelter comes into view.  The parking lot that contains your car sits beside this shelter, thus signaling the end of the hike.

Rocky River Nature Park in Anderson, SC (Blog Hike #826)

Trails: Main, Bluff, River, and Cox Creek Trails
Hike Location: Rocky River Nature Park
Geographic Location: east side of Anderson, SC (34.51191,-82.62357)
Length: 1.2 miles
Difficulty: 2/10 (Easy)
Dates Hiked: (many)
Overview: A short lollipop loop through blufftop and wetland environments.
Park Information: https://www.rockyriverconservancy.org/
Hike Route Map:

On The Go Map
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: From the intersection of US 29 and Old Williamston Road on the east side of Anderson, drive Old Williamston Rd. north 0.5 miles to the signed parking area on the right.  Park in the small gravel lot.

The hike: Owned and maintained by the Rocky River Conservancy, a private not-for-profit organization, Rocky River Nature Park protects 132 acres of bluffs and wetlands on the east side of Anderson.  The park is less than 10 years old, and scars from the land's previous industrial use will be seen in numerous places throughout the park.  Nevertheless, the wetlands along the Rocky River comprise the largest wetlands located within city limits in upstate South Carolina, and future plans call for expanding the park to as many as 400 acres.

            The park has a rough-around-the-edges feel typical of a new park, but major efforts have been made to make the park more user-friendly.  In terms of amenities, the park features only a small shelter, an outdoor classroom/amphitheater, and about 2 miles of trails.  I came here on a cool morning the day after Thanksgiving and had a very pleasant hike.  I plan to come here more often in the future: I live less than 3 miles from this park.  The route described in this post explores both the blufftop and wetland habitats, and thus it forms a good sample of what the park has to offer.

Starting the Main Trail

            Before you leave the trailhead, take a picture of the trail map at the information kiosk.  The trails at Rocky River Nature Park are unmarked and only occasionally signed, so the trail map might come in handy while you hike.  Start on the wide two-track Main Trail, and stay left to climb a small rise when the trail splits.  This trail split actually forms the loop portion of this hike, so we will return on the trail going downhill to the right.

            At 0.2 miles, you reach a newly-constructed shelter and a bench.  Angle left at the shelter to leave the Main Trail and begin the Bluff Trail, which soon passes what remains of an old brick structure.  Pine trees dominate this area, the highest ground in the park.

Old brick structure

            At the next intersection, turn left to loop around a small ravine and descend to the wetlands.  Turn right upon reaching the wetlands to begin walking a narrow corridor between the wetland on your left and the steep bluff on your right.  Despite its urban location, Rocky River Nature Park is an above average destination for birding and wildlife observation.  My approach sent several turtles plopping into the water, and I also saw a heron, some hawks, and some deer in this area.

Gazing across the wetland

            At 0.5 miles, you reach a major trail intersection.  We will eventually continue straight to begin the Cox Creek Trail, but first turn left to hike across a causeway that leads deeper into the wetland.  The causeway ends at the west bank of the Rocky River.  Turning right at the river leads to a short boardwalk over the wetland, which is the highlight of the trail system.  The grassy wet meadow is dotted with trees, and nice views can be had in multiple directions.  Take a few minutes here to see what birds and wildlife you can observe.

Current end of boardwalk

View from boardwalk

            Future plans call for the boardwalk to be extended further across the wetland, but for now you have to retrace your steps to the major intersection and turn left to begin the Cox Creek Trail.  The Cox Creek Trail follows a sewer line before curving right to head up its namesake creek.  The area along Cox Creek is the wettest of this hike, and an alternate route would be to return on the Main Trail if the wetness is too great.  Staying with the Cox Creek Trail closes the loop in just under 1.2 miles, where a soft left returns you to the trailhead to complete the hike.