Category Archives: Wildlife Preserve/Reserve

Digging for crystals at the Salt Plains ~Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge

asaltDSC_9771

You can dig for selenite crystals at the Salt Plains during the summer!

More info on crystal digging on their site, here.

Although we have visited the area several times, this was our first time digging.

asaltDSC_9778

One of these days I will get to watch a sunrise or sunset here.

It is on my “bucket list”.

I am not organized enough to write it down, I just keep telling myself someday.

asaltDSC_9785

I was not sure before we got there if the kids would actually enjoy doing this but they were crazy about it!

I should have guessed.

They think looking for rocks in our yard is exciting.

asaltDSC_9787

They kept yelling “we’re rich!!!!”

asaltDSC_9798 asaltDSC_9804 asaltDSC_9815 asaltDSC_9818 asaltDSC_9840 asaltDSC_9857

You will get muddy so be prepared.

And it was crazy windy!!!!

asaltDSC_9861

Shortly after I took this pic Little Bit smeared the mud all over her legs…

asaltDSC_9868

Treasure!

asaltDSC_9873

She was super proud of how muddy she was, until it started drying…

asaltDSC_9877 asaltDSC_9894 asaltDSC_9910

You will need a shovel and plenty of sunscreen!

asaltDSC_9950 asaltDSC_9953

There are several overlooks around the refuge.

asaltDSC_9956 asaltDSC_9961 asaltDSC_9973 asaltDSC_9990

We went on the wildlife drive in the refuge and I was surprised when we did see quite a few egrets.

Usually we like to go on these at dawn and dusk since that is when more animals are out and about.

asaltDSC_9992 asaltDSC_0015_01 asaltDSC_0032

They have some easy hikes that you can go on in the refuge also.

asaltDSC_0037 asaltDSC_0040_01 asaltDSC_0045_01 asaltDSC_0058_01 asaltDSC_0060 asaltDSC_0066_01

We played at the beach in the Salt Plains State Park also.

It has a really nice sandy beach but the waves were pretty intense and the water was very dirty looking.

Not sure if it was windier than normal or not.

I did not take my camera swimming with us so not pics from that except on my instagram account.

I did take my gopro so maybe I can put a video together.

asaltDSC_0079

I saw this pretty lake on our way to the salt plains and wanted to be sure to stop and take pics on the way home.

asaltDSC_0104_01

Nick stayed in the vehicle with the kids and I walked down to a boat ramp to take pics.

asaltDSC_0113

It was so peaceful after so many hours in the vehicle with 5 kids.

asaltDSC_0117 asaltDSC_0124 asaltDSC_0128

If you have kids that like to treasure hunt than you should check out crystal digging at the Salt Plains!

It was so much fun and a lot easier than I thought!

Heron Pond Nature Preserve~Cache River State Natural Area, Illinois

 

asuperDSC_7834

Heron Pond Nature Preserve is really close to Shawnee National Forest.

asuperDSC_7845

This is the Heron Pond Trail.

asuperDSC_7851

It felt a little bit longer than the map said to get to the boardwalk.

But it was the toddlers nap time so that might have contributed to that feeling…

asuperDSC_7871

Nick ended up having to stay at the van with Little Bit and I took the older kids to the boardwalk.

asuperDSC_7873 asuperDSC_7876

Found it!

I was just about to turn around when we saw it!

asuperDSC_7891 asuperDSC_7892

I am so glad we kept going because it was beautiful!

asuperDSC_7893

I was really wishing for a wide angle lens!

The trees were huge!

asuperDSC_7894 asuperDSC_7895 asuperDSC_7897

You could see a bunch of little trails in the duckweed.

We read later that they were snakes, turtles and such.

asuperDSC_7898 asuperDSC_7904 asuperDSC_7906 asuperDSC_7907

It looks like you can just walk right on top of it.

asuperDSC_7912 asuperDSC_7914 asuperDSC_7916

I took a picture of this honeysuckle because the previous day’s drive through Shawnee National Forest was filled with the amazing smell of it.

And we were stopped to change a flat tire…

asuperDSC_7918

We did a small portion of the lookout point trail.

This is a great trail for when mosquitoes are bad.

It is right next to a cliff so it is really open and breezy but shaded.

I am always on the lookout for trails like this in Oklahoma for summer time hikes!

asuperDSC_7926 asuperDSC_7936 asuperDSC_7937 asuperDSC_7942

My oldest took some pics.

asuperDSC_7945 asuperDSC_7947

Siblings get the cutest smiles for pics.

asuperDSC_7949

This second boardwalk was super easy to get to.

It is right off Illinois Route 37.

asuperDSC_7954

Such cool trees.

asuperDSC_7958

There are a lot of trails here although we only did a few.

You could spend a long time exploring.

Shaw Nature Reserve, MO

aspringsDSC_6631 aspringsDSC_6634

While very beautiful and really close to Interstate 40, most of the trails are not accessible except by foot on weekends.

The main road that goes through the Reserve is closed Friday-Sunday to vehicles.

I can’t find any information about this on their website but we were told that was the case and they had the road closed when we were there on a Friday.

aspringsDSC_6636

I thought this rain garden idea was interesting.

aspringsDSC_6638

The garden at Bascom House was beautiful.

I would like to go again when all the trails are accessible or we are able to hike to the other trails.

aspringsDSC_6640 aspringsDSC_6641 aspringsDSC_6645

aspringsDSC_6646_01 aspringsDSC_6649 aspringsDSC_6658 aspringsDSC_6659 aspringsDSC_6661

Beautiful stop right outside St. Louis.

Find more information at their website, here.