Well today was one of those days that I just wanted and needed to take a break and go out "shooting". Now before you get excited, I'm talking about shooting with a camera. It was the perfect day to go as it was cool and cloudy, and then ended up being sunny and mild. I decided to go to a place I had not been in YEARS, and found myself at Radnor Lake State Park. Radnor Lake State Park is located in Davidson County, south of Metro Nashville in the Oak Hill Community.
The park is open from 6 a.m. until dark....dark meaning, if you need a flashlight to see, well, it's time to be gone. :^) I've included just a bit of info on the park and you'll easily see why I chose this place:
*There are 6 miles of trails at Radnor Lake. They range from easy, moderate, and strenuous. There's no jogging, bike riding, or walking of dogs on the trails as they can upset the delicate balance of the ecosystem.
*It is one of the largest pockets of wilderness (1,200 acres!) in the U.S. in close range to a major city.
*Radnor Lake has an abundance of wildlife which includes, songbirds, herons, geese, wood ducks, green snakes, rattlesnakes, frogs, toads, fish, otters, turtles, beaver, wildflowers, blackberry bushes, wild roses, grand oak trees, flowering dogwood, and many others. Approximately 240 species of birds, 26 of those are waterfowl, have been identified at Radnor Lake.
*It is a Class II "Natural Area", which means it has restricted use and highly protected due to it's natural resources.
Needless to say, I chose the "easy" trail since I had not been hiking in awhile...okay, in years..lol, but still eventually found myself on the moderate trail. How that happened I haven't a clue, but I guess that's why they say if you're unfamiliar with an area to not go hiking alone....and I did.
Had an awesome time, saw lots of birds, geese, ducks, some deer, even saw a "almost" baby fawn, lots of trees, and some wildflowers. I was actually looking for owls, who are known to be around in abundance at the park, but no luck here...I was too busy watching my feet as it was wet and a bit cool, but starting to warm up, and I knew I had a good chance of running into a snake...or two. Thankfully, no snakes this visit.
Beautiful scenery as the leaves have started changing colors and should be in full Color within the coming two weeks. This is definitely worth your time if you just want to get away from the city and go to a place full of nature and feel like you're out in the middle of somewhere, and not in the middle of a city. Be prepared to walk, of course, and I would definitely take to the easy trails if you're not used to hiking, or walking weekly. I was there close to two hours, but that was only because I somehow managed to find myself on a "moderate" trail and thought I was lost, but totally my fault as I was too busy watching and following some deer and missed a sign..lol.
Next time I'm definitely going for the next step up....the 'Strenuous trails...Some are gravel, some are not, some are up and downhill and when you get to the peak, you're supposed to have some awesome views. I know this place has got to be absolutely breathtaking in the winter time as well, so I will definitely be coming back often as my schedule allows.
The park also has different programs and events that go on throughout the year, so you can google Radnor Lake State Park for a full Fall/Winter schedule. Happy Trails! ( I swore I wasn't going to say that, but I couldn't resist! :^)
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