McCormick's Creek State Park

Today some of the children still have fevers. Coughing, sneezing, running noses, watering eyes, and sore throats linger. Even the baby is snorky, snotty, and miserable. So there will be no family outing today, which is too bad. It will be in the mid-fifties, and the sun is currently shining (although it's 32 degrees fahrenheit still.) 

The falls at McCormick's Creek State Park after a heavy rain

Of late, we have enjoyed the occasional picnic and hike at McCormick's Creek State Park on Sunday afternoons. It boasts a pretty little falls, a limestone-bottom creek, small caves, and wooded ravines and ridges. There are of course other amenities, but we just like to hike and take in the scenery.

I'm bringing up the rear with the baby in a front carrier.

One of our favorite trails follows the shelving limestone-bottom creek. After rains it is very treacherous due to all of the slippery moss and algae and higher water. Even in dry weather there are many loose stones and boulders to traverse. 

The water is very low and the stones are dry in this picture.

But the views are wonderful. The sides of the valley are often limestone bluffs in which there are small caves. 

The water is a little high in this picture.

Everything is wooded, shaded, and lovely. Geodes abound, as do fossils and ferns. 

There are even smaller waterfalls, like the one below. 

And the springs that empty into the creek are also lovely.

The downside is that when the trail leaves the creek, there is a giant wooden staircase that climbs out of the valley. This is really a good thing, as the loose sides of the gully would be difficult to traverse indeed. But this hike is not for those with poor eyesight, limited mobility, or lung/heart problems. 

This about half of the staircase.