| rev:text
| - I love hiking here!
There is a per vehicle charge of $6 & they only take cash, so be prepared.
The park hours are 6 am to 8 pm Sun through Thurs & 6 am to 10 pm Fri through Sat BUT all of the TRAILS CLOSE AT SUNDOWN. So keep that in mind when you are planning your visit, depending on the time of year that time will change.
Sometimes the toll attendant will offer you a hiking trail map, if they don't you can ask for one :) There are lots of trails & the map will tell you how long each is & the difficulty. The trails are all clearly marked, but the map REALLY helps. There are also signs on each of them to tell you if it's good for biking, hiking, horseback, etc.
My daughter & I have walked the 'waterfall' trail, which is nearly all paved, quite a few times. It says it's 1 mile, but in the heat it feels more like 3, especially on the parts where it's at a slight incline, lol. Certain times of the year the water fall is really just a little trickle of water, so don't expect Niagara falls. You still get some great views & get to read some interesting history plaques along the way.
The trails located on the East side, near the horse stables, have no boulders & are smooth compact dirt. Great for walking & running. Plus, this time of year there are wildflowers galore! Those are my favorite for afternoon jogs because as the sun is going down in the west you are given some merciful shade :)
The stables are open for horseback riding normally from late Sept through March (reservations required) & from time to time the park offers Moonlight hiking guided hikes. I plan on taking advantage of the horseback riding AND the moonlight hiking in October myself!
There are picnic tables through out the park, so you can easily make a day of it!
|