Hiking with Doc

20210808 – Secor Metropark

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Date: 08/08/2021 – Distance: 7.5 mi – Elapsed Time: 4.5 hr – Ascent: 92 ft – Descent: 243 ft – Difficulty: Medium (Distance)

Secor Metropark is one of the Toledo Metroparks in the Oak Openings Region. It has one of the largest populations of Flowering Dogwoods in the state and has a history as an arboretum and as such has many great specimen trees. There are lots of trails through a variety of landscapes including woods, prairies, wetlands, and sand. I parked at the centrally located Nature Center and hiked all of the trails with the exception of the bike trail which seemed pretty popular.

Sign at the entrance.
Nature Center.
Parking lot.
Trail map.
The Nature Center showcases many of the native plants here.
And there’s lots of places to sit and contemplate.
Mountain Mint.
Lions Mane?
Blazing Star.
Joe-Pye Weed. The deeper purple is Iron Weed.
Gray Headed Coneflower.
Rose Hips.
Trails are well marked. I’m looking for the Wildflower Trail.
There it is.
This rock isn’t from this region.
Woodpecker holes.
The Wildflower Trail is mostly wooded and has a good spring wildflower display.
Large Pines.
Great spot.
Bald Cypress?
Bellflower.
There are a few boardwalks.
The woods are nice.
Large-Leaved Aster.
Now I’m looking for the Wetwoods Trail.
The gravel trail is the Bike Trail.
Marsh Moundwort.
Cottonwood leaves are one of the first to fall.
Nice tunnel.
I was hoping to see the Red Baneberry, but no luck.
Spicebush grows plentyful here.
Joined the Bike Trail for a bit.
Open floor in the woods.
Buckthorn.
Sassafras.
I’m not sure about these seed pods.
Agrimony.
Royal Fern.
Cinnamon Fern.
Now I’m on the Upland Woods Trail.
Some old growth forest here, which means it’s never been harvested.
Interesting growth.
Pond.
If the mosquitoes weren’t so bad, I may have sat.
About the swamp forest.
Dogwood. I bet this place is great in spring.
Catulpa Tree.
Back on the Bike Trail by the Nature Center.
Nature Center gardens.
Iron Weed.
Prairie grasses.
About the cemetery.
Wolfinger Cemetery.
Elderberry?
Bike Trail.
Another picnic area.
I was looking for the Bluebird Habitat Trail.
I believe it’s a young Ash tree.
Maple forest.
Coming out into a prairie.
Relief from mosquitoes here.
Nice woods.
Walnut.
Keeping the prairies is hard work.
There are a couple new-to-me flowers here.
Autumn Olive fruit.
Rough Blazing Star is a new one for me.
Round-Headed Bush Clover is also new to me.
It’s beautiful.
It’s a nursery.
Blue Cardinal Flower is also new.
Spicebush fruit.
More prairie.
Bumblebee on Thistle.
Mating Swallowtails.
Hairy Vetch.
False Solomon’s Seal.
False Solomon’s Seal fruit.
Beautiful Walnut tree.
Walnuts also lose their leaves early.
It’s a big one.
Forest Edge Trail.
More spicebush.
This Cherry tree was cool.
I went inside and the braches were amazing.
Looking for the final trail, the Prairie Trail.
Found it.
Prairie Dock.
Mountain Mint.
Lots of Prairie Dock.
Prairie grasses.
Blazing Star.
Hickory.
Crabapple.
Back at the Nature Center.
Cool wildlife observation yard.
Cardinal Flower.
Arrowwood Viburnum.
Ninebark.
There is a recycling center at the Nature Center.

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