One of things that Brian and I enjoy doing when on vacation is to find local, county, and state parks. We look for hiking trails because we love to get out there in nature and walk. We are also very lucky to live so close to so many here as well. And those who know me, also know that I love to take pictures to document those walks. Above are some fun trees that we've seen on our walks.
From left to right at top:
Loved the pine needle pathway on this trail at Ludington State Park in Michigan. What I found even cooler was the way the roots creep up above the ground. I highly recommend a visit to this park if you are ever in the area. Beautiful trails with lots of scenery. It also has a pretty lake, and an area where you can see turtle sunning on rocks. I love turtles so I was fascinated.
How cool are these roots? Look at how they are all tangled up in each other. This photo was taken down in one of the canyons at Matthiessen State Park in Illinois. If you love to take scenic walks, you have to stop by here! You go down into the canyons, hike beautiful trails, and see awesome waterfalls. So worth the drive if you aren't too far away.
From left to right at bottom:
I call this one the Bear Tree. When you are coming around the corner, you spot this tree and it looks like a bear. This tree can be found at the Indiana Dunes State Park. I've been hiking these trails for many, many years. I live a short distance away so it's a great place for us to get in our walking. It sits along the shores of Lake Michigan and my favorite trail is Trail 9. On that trail you get a little bit of everything. You get the trees and woods through parts of it, and the beautiful views of Lake Michigan on other parts. Trail 8 has spectacular views as well, but that trail is BRUTAL. It takes you up the three highest sand dunes. It's rough, but so worth the views.
I think Graffiti Tree would be a great name for this tree, don't you think? I wish I could remember where we saw this tree at, but I can't. I do know that it's one of our local parks that is within a super short drive from our home. It might even be in our own county. I'll have to revisit them to find out for sure. I personally wouldn't deface nature this way, but as you can see, it has become a favorite place for kids to leave their mark.
The photo in this tree doesn't quite give the effect that you see when you are standing under it and looking up. It has all these really cool waves in the bark. I just thought it was so pretty. There were quite a few like it in this are of Bendix Woods County Park. This park was probably about an hour drive from us, so we packed a picnic lunch, which we love to do, and headed on our way.