Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (2.0 miles; d=2.80)
Read MoreJoyce Kilmer Memorial Forest Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest as depicted a la Google Earth...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest Hike Route Map
The approximate track of my hike at Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
One of two memorial stones in the forest...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
The forest lies alongside the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness which, unfortunately, will have to wait for another day...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
Starting out, I immediately crossed Little Santeetlah Creek...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
This is the mountains...as such, the trail starts with a climb...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
This got my attention! I spent the entire hike wondering what could have done this to the trees around here...especially in a protected forest such as this. I found out after the hike but I'll wait for a later photo to explain it...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
After about five minutes of walking you begin to see some of the big trees ahead...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
It wasn't long before I reached the first of the giants...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
At this large memorial rock the the Memorial Loop itself begins, splitting to the right and left...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
A bit of background on Joyce Kilmer. Kilmer never actually visited this forest but it was selected in his honor by the U.S. Forest Service...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
Entering the memorial grove...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
The canopy is quite a ways above...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
This is one of those places in nature that makes you feel very small...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
The full scope of the trees that I'm standing between in the previous shot...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
Walking in awe of nature...
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
"I think that I shall never see a poem as lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is prest against the earth's sweet flowing breast."
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
"A tree that looks at God all day and lifts her leafy arms to pray. A tree that may in summer wear a nest of robin's in her hair."
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
"Upon whose bosom snow has lain who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me but only God can make a tree."
Joyce Kilmer Memorial Loop Trail
Wonder...
Dan Weemhoff (dwhike)
on November 21, 2014It's about a 2-mile loop that I would rate fairly easy as far as mountain trails go. The climb up from the parking lot is a bit of a workout but once you get to the big-trees grove the going is fairly level.
kw
on March 11, 2013Wow!!! Truely did not know a place like this existed out east anymore-- what HUGE trees --- love the poem--- and the trees --- not the blowing up of them! How long of a hike is it? Strenuous or not so much?