McCune Nature Preserve Hike Route Map

A rough approximation of my track hiking the McCune Nature Preserve, as depicted a la Google Earth...

McCune Nature Preserve Hike Route Map

A rough approximation of my track hiking the McCune Nature Preserve...

McCune Nature Preserve Entrance

McCune Nature Preserve, along Maxwell Road...

McCune Nature Preserve Trailhead

I'd generally be following the outside edge of each trail through the preserve...

My (approximate) Route...

The topographic version...

McCune Nature Preserve Trailhead

The view from the parking area is quite nice...

Minnehaha Trail

Heading out on to the trail...

Minnehaha-Hardwood Hike Trail Junction

I soon came to a split where I headed right...

Hardwood Hike Trail

The trees were finally leafing out...

Hardwood Hike Trail

Beautiful spring greens...

Hardwood Hike Trail

Trilliums turning pink are a sign that leaf seson has begun, as the foliage robs the flower of its sunlight...

Hardwood Hike Trail

The canopy is filling in...

Hardwood Hike Trail

This is a very young woods, judging by the size of the trees...

Hardwood Hike Trail

Trail junction...

Hardwood Hike Trail

An open field that hints this used to be farmland...

(A bit off the) Hardwood Hike Trail

This doesn't look right...turns out I had missed a turn while daydreaming...

Hardwood Hike Trail

A pretty little Downy Yellow Violet...

Hardwood Hike-Yellow Connector Trail Junction

Another trail split, again I was heading to the right...

Yellow Connector Trail

I just love the spring woods...

Minnehaha Trail

So happy together...

Minnehaha Trail

Near the south end of the preserve the trail drops down towards Minnehaha Creek...

Minnehaha Trail

...and into a large grove of Hemlocks...

Minnehaha Trail

These huge Hemlocks really take their share of the sunlight, it was noticably cooler down here...

Minnehaha Trail

Entering the cedar swamp I knew I was nearing the creek...

Minnehaha Trail

A fork in the road...

Minnehaha Trail

The bridge over Minnehaha Creek...

Minnehaha Trail

Minnehaha Creek from the bridge...

River Ridge Trail

There were a bunch of these little Pitcher Plants along the creekbank...

River Ridge Trail

Climbing out of the ravine...

River Ridge Trail

The Orange Trail makes a loop around the southern end of the preserve...

River Ridge Trail

More hardwood forest...

River Ridge Trail

Tiny Spring Beauties already closed up for the night...

River Ridge Trail

At the east end of the loop the trail passes by a Red Pine plantation...

River Ridge Trail

Along an old two-track as I close the southern loop...

River Ridge Trail

The remnants of an old giant with the next generation growing beyond...

River Ridge Trail

A peaceful place to take a break...

River Ridge Trail

Back down to the Minnehaha...

Minnehaha Trail

Back across the bridge...

Minnehaha Trail

...and back to the fork in the road, to the right we go...

Minnehaha Trail

Yet another Pitcher Plant...

Minnehaha Trail

Well-placed boardwalks kept my feet dry...

Minnehaha Trail

Aspens glowing in the evening sun...

Minnehaha Trail

I was quickly loosing daylight as I made my way back to the parking lot...

Minnehaha Trail

As the trail passed through some open fields Wild Strawberry blossoms appeared everywhere...

Minnehaha Trail

The parking lot is somewhere up near the base of that hill...

Minnehaha Trail

Entering the woods again just before reaching the parking area...