20210815 – Maumee Bay State Park – Campground Trails Hike
docscape
Date: 08/15/2021 – Distance: 4.7 mi – Elapsed Time: 1.5 hr – Ascent: 377 ft – Descent: 72 ft – Difficulty: Medium
This is the fourth and final post in a series on Maumee Bay State Park(Campground, Lodge, Nature Center). After camping the weekend and hiking several other areas nearby, I did one last hike in this park. I wanted to explore the trails on the west side of the park, which is where the campground is.
This pond is right in the campground behind my site.
Common Milkweed is what the Monarch Butterfly likes.
It’s a good sized lake.
What is this tree?
I think it’s a Dawn Redwood.
That is a willow.
Look at this pond.
This bunny was as surprised as I was.
This Blue Heron knew I was there, but stood his ground.
It looks like a Chestnut Oak.
The trails around this lake are nice.
I see these things everywhere. Please stop releasing these balloons.
This side trail goes to the campground entrance.
There was a cutover to another part of the trails.
I’m at the bottom of that red trail.
He’s a big one.
Another one bedding down.
I went out into this meadow before I realized the trail was taking me where I didn’t want to be.
I wanted this trail.
There were lots of deer in the meadow.
I found another mowed trail off the bike trail toward where I wanted to go.
Coming up on a small lake.
This is a youth fishing pond between the campground and the beach.
There is an odd hill. I believe it’s manmade and not Native American related.
The view from the top is pretty amazing though, as it’s entirely flat around here.
That is the beach concessions/amphitheater and the inland lake on the right.
There is a viewing scope here. Even though it takes quarters, it’s free.
I descended the mound and took another grass trail toward the main lake.
I hit the bike trail again and went left here.
Left at the intersection takes me to the lake shore.
Swamp Mallow.
Jerusalem Artichoke.
I made it to the lake shore.
The shore is quite scenic.
The bike trail follows it for a bit. Looking back.
I’m approaching an outer edge of the park.
I knew if I went down this road, I should be able to get back into the park around the campground.
Here we go. A service road.
It’s a maintenance area for the campground.
I took this cross trail right because I thought it would take me to my site. However, it did not, so I returned to this road.
I recognize that flag. It says, “bring cold beer.” And it’s right across from my site.
