The Red Square Trail

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April 18, 2010

Red Square Trail - 1.6 miles, 45 minutes
Full Hike- 3½ miles, 2 hours

I almost didn't make it.  A group of four deer ran across Tuttle Ave in front of me as I was driving to the trails today.  I saw them, I could stop.  But the guy behind me was paying more attention to his phone call than what was going on in front - so two things:  watch for deer around here, and put down the damn phone!!

The Red Square trail is a north-south trail at the eastern end of Sleeping Giant Park - up and down over the Giant's shins.  I parked on Mansion Ave at the north trail head, so had to walk back north after I finished the trail.  I took a leisurely route - back the Square trail to the Yellow, then Yellow/Green, then Green trail to the Chestnut Lane parking lot, and then north on the Horse trail along the park's boundary back to the Square trail parking area. 


The climbs are easier, the trails less rocky down here than the rest of the park (keep in mind, that's all relative).  The trail cuts between cliffs of the blue and white trails, runs along the edge of a low cliff near Hezekiah's Knob, looking down on the Green trail, and then follows a small stream down to Mt. Carmel Ave. 

Peepers were singing in the pond, and the only other wildlife I saw (except for the squirrels and chipmunks) was overhead - my guess a Pileated Woodpecker (just from the size/shape and white markings as it flew overhead) and a red tail hawk hunting in the woods.  Explain to me how a bird with 4 foot wingspan cuts in and out of the trees like that!

Waterfall near Mt Carmel Ave

Bracket Fungus
Mountain Laurel tangle

Red Square Trail

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