Walk with me in the Forest

All photos except this one by @theblindsquirl but it was taken with my camera (so it's still mine).

This is how you dress for a walk in 16 degree F (-9 C) weather.

Hemlock Crossing is less than 5 miles from our home and features 239 acres of woods and wetlands along the Pigeon River.

There are lots and lots of hiking/cross country skiing trails.

The kayak launch is the first parking area you come to.

The water is coming back down after the recent warm spell melted most of the snow.

Looking upstream in the direction of the Pigeon Creek county park (maybe the next #walkwithme post?)

This direction leads to Lake Michigan a few miles away.

I fell on my ass just before taking that picture.

Who'd have thought it would be slippery?

It's a very peaceful setting.

The Nature Center is across the meadow.

Parking and summer restroom facilities, right now, there's a good old-fashioned pit toilet.

The trail head.

And through the trees you can see a hint of what awaits you just a hundred feet away.

Off in the distance, you can see the observation tower.

You can easily imagine that this is totally unspoiled wilderness.

Off in the other direction is the bridge that crosses Pigeon Creek.

Looking upstream.

If you don't pay attention, you can miss the important things.

Caution! Stairs!

Oddly enough I never saw a "Caution! Icy Cold Water! sign.

There really isn't a whole lot of color during the winter.

Except for the color that humans bring with them.

I don't mind governments spending money on things like this.

Big things sometimes come from small beginnings.

There's quite a variation in the terrain here, I believe it's the result of the glaciers that covered this area.

The lack of snow doesn't bother me, I'm not a cross country skier.

This wasn't technically from my walk, I took it out the car window on the way home.

It's what Blueberry bushes look like in the winter.

Thank you @lyndsaybowes for inspiring me to get up off my ass and go appreciate the wonderful area I live in.