Pike Lake

I absolutely love Pike Lake. It is definitely one of my favorite state parks, and not just because it's quite close to my house. I love the fact that it is on a lake, there are many various trails to explore, and I've always been partial to a tower. I love exploring there and am excited to continue my explorations with my daughter.

The Ice Age Trail that cuts through the park is just over 3 miles, but there is a lot to see.  On this overcast day, we strapped on the hiking carrier and saw lots of furry friends, from an abundance of squirrels and chipmunks to a few deer and even a ferrel cat. The chorus of birds was also quite enjoyable.

We trekked through the forests and prairies and saw plenty of ferns on our way to the tower, which is just off the IAT.  We caught up with a little boy and his grandmother.  On the somewhat exhausting trip up and around the hill to reach the tower on top of the glacial kame called Powder Hill, he confided that he wasn't very experienced with hiking, but he knew that if my little girl could make it up the hill, so could he. :)

I was very excited to get this little boy a bit more excited about hiking. As my last post discussed, I am helping coordinate a Summer Saunters program through my district for next summer and I can pretty much guarantee a trip to Pike Lake will be on the agenda.