Tag Archives: state parks

Lake Eufaula State Park ~Checotah, OK

LakeEufaulaA few weeks ago we were able to visit Lake Eufaula State Park.

We decided to take the Chinkapin Trail that is just across the road from the visitor center.

The trail runs pretty close to the shore of Lake Eufaula and was a nice hike.

chinkapintrailIt is an out and back and around 3 miles total.

We walked along the shore for a while though so we ended up getting more like 6 miles.

ninjasThese boys are getting too fast for me.

Especially when they are being Ninjas…

sign

throwMy boys love to hike along shore lines!

It is usually a very difficult hike since there are a lot of rocks and debris but they think it is a great adventure.

waterOnce my oldest pretended we were on the shores of Narnia the whole time.

log

climbing

climb

triumphTheir favorite thing is to make a hike more challenging.

I am worried about what my fitness level will need to be in a few years.

slide

walk

mapMy youngest found this rock and they were both convinced it would lead them to buried treasure.

My oldest was very sad that I would not lift the 2 ton rock he was sure the treasure was hidden under…

naturecenterThey have a nice small Nature Center at this park also.

objectsThe boys liked the table of things to touch.

look

workerThey also have a little Frogatorium!

greenfrogThey were a little low on frogs due to a sneaky snake that had found it’s way inside but the boys still really enjoyed it.

turtle

frogThis guy looks like one that camped out on my kitchen window last summer.

armidilloArmadillo!

play

merryThey do not have any long trails that are maintained and some of the park is a little worn down but it is still a nice place to stop.

They have a couple really easy, short trails so this would be a good place to take young children.

Hiking in Minnesota at Christmas time

It was a little chilly in Minnesota this Christmas but we still had some nice days to hike!

maplewood1stThis was our first hike.

Maplewood State Park Woodland Trail.

maplewoodcome maplewoodmaddie maplewoodme maplewoodusYou get pretty warm wading through thick snow!

I made Nick go first so he had the hard part of breaking the trail.

That is the nice person that I am…

hillupSince it was a short hike, we hiked up to the Halloway Hill Overlook also.

One of these days this hike will seem easy.

In that day I will know I have turned into a superhuman…

hillsumac nick hilloverlookThe view is always worth it!

I might not be thinking that while hiking up that hill but once at the top I am good!

tamaracOur boys, two of my nephews, and my mother in-law joined us for a trip to the Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge.

We went on the Old Indian Trail.

The visitor center was closed for renovations.

I am looking forward to checking it out the next time we head up!

tamaracboys tamaracboysstopIt was a bit of a rough hike for some of them but we made it!

It would just feel wrong if I did not hike while up in Minnesota!

Such a beautiful place!

Thanksgiving at Devil’s Den State Park ~Part 1

yellowrock2 top 1sthike woods thesemenWe went camping for Thanksgiving at Devil’s Den State Park in Arkansas.

It was wonderful and amazing.

The first hike we did was Thanksgiving morning on the Yellow Rock trail.

It goes up to a lookout and is about 3 miles.

stove thanksgivingWe cooked some slices of ham on the little stove Nick made for lunch!

So good!

sawmill ears nest 2ndhike hike2fall break sawmill2 water crossingAfter lunch we hiked on the Fossil Flats Mountain bike trail.

There are 3 different loops you can do. We took the Sawmill loop for part of it but crossed the river and took another trail back.

pieI made two sweet potato pies to bring with us!

So good!

I eat the other food just to get to the pie…

bridgeonly sunsetboys bridge watersunset2 sunsetwatching twobridges bridgesunset sunsetwaterThe boys and I went down to the river by the campground at sunset.

That water was so perfect.

I love the water in Arkansas so beautiful!

cards cardshands nightCards and reading to end the day.

I saw many other families out enjoying the day together.

It was definitely an amazing way to spend a day about thankfulness.

How did you spend Thanksgiving?

Are you a pie junky like me?

I bought two more pie crust’s but I am scared to do anything with them!

I have no self control once something is in my house.

I keep it out, that is the only self control I have…

Great.

Now I want pie.