Nature hike

Our hs group set up this field trip for a nature hike in Pueblo Park at the Mountain Park Enviormental Center. I love anything to do with the environment and we love hiking so this was a definite yes. The center has plenty of Ranger led hikes, summer camps and a Earth studies program.
We met for a picnic at the park before our 2 hour Ranger led hike. Ranger Dave came out and talked to the parents to give us all an idea of what we were going to do and we got on this cute bus that had the most terrific bumper stickers in it. We took a short ride to the trail head and Ranger Dave gathered all the kids and introduced himself. He talked of the history of the park and the Indians that once lived there. Ranger Dave played a wooden flute and it was very neat all the kids listened intently and not one, not even the little toddlers, made a peep. We learned of the vegetation such as the ponderosa pine and the ponderosa beetle that had destroyed a decent section of the park.

Ranger Dave share animal track molds, animal skulls and animal fur with us and the kids loved them all. You would think after having touched those types of things at countless Park center's they would eventually tire of this but apparently not. He had the kids do an quiet exercise where they all spread out, were quiet as a mouse and listened to nature. They put a small x in the center of the page to represent themselves and if they heard a grasshopper in front of them they wrote or drew a grasshopper in front of the x. The amazing thing was the kids actually did this and were quiet. I suppose Ranger Dave telling them that often when he does this exercise with a class an animal will appear because they are being quiet. The boys talked about this exercise quite a bit and we decided we wanted to try it again sometime when we could sit as long as we wanted. Ranger Dave was so nice and answered all of the kids and grown up questions. We saw a fire outlook post on top of one of the mountains, it didn't seem far and Ranger Dave said he would put together another hike with older kids(8+) to the post if we were interested. Um if we were interested??? ya think?? yes we were and so were a couple of the other parents. I put myself in charge of setting this up since Gina set up this one. As always I must share pictures. My husband says that I take so many pictures we can make a flip book "it's like being there". That's a whole nother post for now I know some of you will appreciate my over the top picture taking. Would it be better if I told you I didn't even share them all?

Horseshoe Lodge and ranger Dave.

The trail we took. I love signage and take pictures of them all the time. It helps when I am scrap booking as I can remember where that was and the names of things. Plus it makes a great title for any scrapbook page.

Ranger Dave talks a little about the park

Ranger Dave and his Flute. Conner wants one.


Austin checks out a bobcat footprint track mold
Colin is intrigued by this Deer skull
Conner found this coyote skull very interesting
The whole gang, aren't the kids cute??

Stopping along the trail in the shade.
Conner shows off the Bear track mold
Witches broom grows on White fur tree

Colin listens during the quiet exercise

Conner took his spot under this tree to listen to nature

The Deer we saw on the way out

We saw this on the way in and I really wanted a photo because i thought it was so neat. So I stopped on the way out. I think the other mom's thought I might be having car trouble or kid trouble but no I wanted to get the picture. Is it considered a totem pole? This one has the house numbers on it. Isn't it pretty. Great work whoever did it.

Since we were about 30 min away from Bishop's Castle we decided to go there as well. We did go a few yrs ago but the kids couldn't even remember it so it was time to go back. Halfway there the boys wanted to turn around. It is sort of the type of place you intend to go to not just see on the side of the road and decide to stop. You go on mountain roads that go back and forth with nothing but nature around you and perhaps the odd farm here and there. You do sort of start to feel like "are we there yet?". When we went last time I remember it taking forever too although it didn't really about 40 min. The other thing that seemed to have changed is the signs. There used to be all these signs leading up to the castle warning of all sorts of strange things. I remember warnings of nails in the road put there by the gov't because the gov't didn't want anyone to go to Bishop's Castle. HUh??? umm I think the gov't has a few other things to deal with beside one guy out in the middle of nowhere. But to each his own.

As crazy as I think the guy is I do think that what he has done is amazing. For one person alone to have built this amazing Castle is just mind numbing. There are turrets and iron work. A dragon head on the castle a bridge at the top of it and he is currently working on a moat to surround his castle. The imagination that went into this and being able to make it real just makes me wonder about the man himself. I think it would be quite interesting to talk to him and the kids sure wanted to. I'm sure I wouldn't be the first person to want to talk to him , nor the last. Anyway here are some pictures that just show you how magical this place it and what great vision Bishop has.

A bridge in progress.

A miniature model of Bishop Castle. He has pretty much completed this portion.

The trees are hiding much of the castle

One man built this by himself. Truly amazing.

The Dragon head. the boys said it was a snake.

Austin in all his silliness.

The inside of the second floor

Close up of the stained glass

A better view of the Castle

The moat in progress

One of the last remaining signs

Vanessa