Highbridge Trail

3.2 miles completed today
27.57 miles completed total

Today we hiked the Highbridge Trail.  The trail starts out with about 50 steps.  I did surprisingly well with that.  The woods are really pretty there and I enjoyed the first part of the trail.  The trail winds around and eventually you come to the edge of the cliff where you are about 150 ft above the Cuyahoga River.  I was hoping that the trail would take us closer to the river.  We saw a nest that looked interesting.  Earlier we had learned that nests that were made of sticks were used by raptors or owls and nests that size that were made of leaves were used by squirrels.  Like usual I was having trouble with my camera so the picture is dark.

We continued on our way to see what else we could find.  Annie has been studying and collecting galls.  We learned that they come in all shapes and sizes so we took a picture of this one on a tree.

As we followed the trail it went up some more steps and we saw the bridge for which I assume the trail receives its name.

Once you get to the top of the steps you reach a gravel acess road.  It looks like it used to be used to reach the high tension lines there and now is used by the metroparks for the trail.  Annie found some interesting seed pods under the bridge.

I think it is lunaria but I could be wrong.  That's what it looked like to me but I didn't know it grew wild.  It may have escaped from someone's yard.  I knew this plant from my neighbor's yard or for all I know it may be a wild plant that my neighbor had in her yard.  I will definitely watch for this plant as we travel through the rest of the metroparks.

A little further up the gravel path we found scouring rush.  It is Equisetum though I don't know which kind. 
As you continue on the gravel path it looses altitude and gets closer and closer to the river.  You pass the falls

This is the waterfall that has a better vantage point from the gorge. Another metropark.

The rest of the 3.2 miles was walking to the road on the gravel road and then turning around and walking all the way back.  Annie and I were kind of disappointed with this trail.  I'm glad at least it was not the middle of summer.  We would have baked on the gravel road.  I guess this trail would be good for joggers or people who want to walk a trail that is gravel and level and clear and maybe are not as interested in being able to really get close to photograph nature but it just wasn't a good fit for Annie and I.  I couldn't get close enough to anything to photograph it.  There was a lot of trash from the houses up on the hill and I much prefer walking in the woods or at least a meadow.  Annie and I decided that at least the trail is done.  That kind of makes me feel guilty but I think this trail needs some work.  I did run into quite a few people who seemed to be enjoying it so maybe it was just me.