Some places welcome you immediately. Others ask you to earn your comfort. Cooke Family Wildlife Conservation Park was one of those places for me. Looking at the map beforehand, I wasn’t especially excited to visit. Much of the preserve appeared to be open fields, while I usually find myself drawn toward mature forests where I…
Some places don’t reveal themselves right away. In all the times I had looked at the map for places to explore, River Walk Natural Area somehow got missed for the longest time. When I finally noticed it on the map, curiosity got the better of me, so I set out one early morning to see…
Hrouda Woods Nature Preserve Some places seem unfinished, as though they are still becoming themselves. Hrouda Woods feels that way to me. Unlike many nature preserves, there are no developed trails winding through the woods yet. Instead, you’re invited to wander carefully, paying attention to where you’re stepping and allowing curiosity to guide your exploration….
Freer Field wasn’t the kind of place I expected to remember. Nestled in the middle of Ashland, it appears at first to be little more than an open field bordered by a small stretch of woods. I almost expected to hear traffic constantly or feel like I was walking through the edge of town. Instead,…
