Geologists tell us Mt. St. Helens started its eruptive life over 37,000 years ago. It went through quiet periods between four major eruptive periods. The most recent in 1980, the modern eruptive period, was witnessed by residents nearby and by viewers the world over. Details of the eruption can be found at this link, in case you missed it. We traveled south on Interstate 5 toward Portland, OR, and took route 504 toward the visitor center at Johnston Ridge Observatory. To give a sense of scale, it is 5 miles from the Observatory (green marker in the upper right quadrant) to the crater at lower right. Click the picture to see details.
Last Friday we had time, opportunity, and weather for a perfect morning in Matthiessen State Park. Matthiessen is located in north central Illinois, very close to I-80. On Thursday evening we’d been in Sycamore, IL for my presentation to a quilt guild. On Friday we needed to head southward to my sister’s home. Matthiessen was right on the way.
The skies were bright and dry with early fall crispness. Clouds of dust arose on both sides of the highways, stirred up by farmers harvesting corn and beans. As we approached the park, there was little evidence of it besides a stand of trees in the distance. Like so many midwestern parks, instead of rising above the surrounding landscape, Matthiessen’s best features are below, hidden from view until you are deep within.
At the north end of the park are the dells trails around and through a water-eroded sandstone canyon. Reaching the upper trail requires descending a broad, stable stairway about five or six flights long, which some would find difficult. Once that far, the upper trail is a well-maintained loop and relatively easy for most hikers.
There also are stairways into the canyon for those who are more adventurous. Depending on water levels, the lower trails can be off limits. For us, they were open, though deep mud prevented us from exploring all the crevices we wanted.
In the pictures below, you can get a sense for the lower trail within the canyon. On the concrete stairway stands an older woman who generously gave me a mom hug. I had explained to her that I’d visited Matthiessen as a child, and that my mom had led those trips. That day also was my mom’s birthday, which made a poignant reminder for me. That’s me in the bright pink shirt.
Below the staircase the canyon walls rose on both sides. A path allowed access both upstream and downstream of the stairs. Across from the stairs was a small stream, the seasonal remains of the eroding waterway.
Click to embiggen
In the bowl, water has worn away caverns on the undersides of the walls. Kids enjoy exploring the small caves.
View from above
Jim created a panorama of the canyon bowl. He is standing below the roof line of one of the caverns.
Click to embiggen
And here is his video in the bowl.
After we ascended the concrete stairway, Jim and I disagreed about the correct direction to take. Should we cross the bridge spanning the canyon, or go up farther to the trail from which we’d come? The quickest way to answer the question was to head up to the trail map at the top. We both climbed more stairs, up another five flights to check. And as it turns out, Jim was right! We wanted to cross the bridge below.
A little farther along, we descended into the canyon again. This area was less used and it had more natural impediments. At one point we picked our way along a foot-wide ledge, avoiding tumbling into the bottom 12 feet below. Here we continued upward, climbing up through a series of stone ledges. After another section of stream bed hiking, we exited the bottom and returned to the upper trail.
Matthiessen is a great park for families. With picnic areas above, a recreated French fort, easy to moderate trails, and fascinating geology, there’s something to please everyone. The park will always be on our list to return to.
Drive 45 minutes west of Enid, OK and you reach the Glass Mountains State Park. It is small, only 640 acres (1 mi2). Sometimes referred to as the Gloss Hills, their name comes from the sheen and sparkle of selenite crystals, or gypsum. The tops of the mesas are thick with them and appear light gray and green. There are also thin layers of selenite in the red dirt of the Permian soil in these “Shining Mountains”. Click this Google Maps image to do some exploring.
Light gray areas are tops of 150 ft high mesas.
At the lower left of the map is a turnout from highway 412 into a parking lot. From there, you can take the trail up the steep 150 foot climb to the top of the largest mesa.
Last Thursday we celebrated our anniversary hiking in Backbone State Park. These three short paragraphs provide a good description of the park:
Backbone State Park was dedicated in 1920. It was Iowa’s first state park and remains one of the most significant. Backbone is named for its narrow and steep ridge of bedrock carved by a loop of the Maquoketa River. Folklore named this high ridge of rock the “Devil’s Backbone”. Nearly a hundred years ago, State Geologist Samuel Calvin wrote these words about “The Backbone”:
“Its sides are in places precipitous, the rocky cliffs rising sheer for more than 80 feet. Erosion and secular decay have carved the rocks into picturesque columns, towers, castles, battlements and flying buttresses. ”
Backbone consists of 2,001 acres and is heavily wooded with a variety of tree species, predominantly oak and maple. This woodland serves as a valuable refuge for a variety of wildlife including deer, raccoon, fox, turkeys, ruffed grouse and many species of songbirds.
We arrived mid-morning, sun dappling through the trees and lighting the entry sign.
The main road curves through, crossing the spring-fed stream several times. The trout in the stream attract anglers of various sorts, including this bald eagle.
After a sharp curve to the east, we rose up to a higher elevation and the Backbone Trail. Last time we hiked here, our son was with us. He was young enough to worry about his enthusiasm and energy causing problems on the 80-foot cliffs. This trail map, obscured with the heavy tree cover, doesn’t show the elevation differences throughout the park.
A little over a mile loop sometimes 80′ sheer drops.
Rocks and roots in the path.
Hiking poles were helpful.
This is about 18″ square.
This narrow opening went down to the river.
Old trees found their niche.
Peaceful…no one was around.
Hey Jim, come look at this.
We took a break with a picnic lunch and then found the entrance to the East Lake Trail. The whole length is 2.4 miles, but we stopped and turned where the path was blocked by a downed tree. This trail was fun and actually more challenging than the Backbone, with roots and rocks on the path, as well as its up and down nature. It is sandwiched between limestone cliffs and the lake, giving a great variety of footing.
Steep rock faces along this trail.
Quiet and dark.
Big tree root along the rock edge.
Eventually, these trees fall over the edge.
Acorns, walnuts, and hickories decorated the ground. The trees are still mostly green, though there are variations with some golden and some red-tinged. The maples as usual are the most brilliant, but even they are not showy yet.
Fungus of different kinds catch our attention more and more, from the tiny lichens on rocks and trees to the brilliant shelf fungus and oyster mushrooms.
Some 6-8″ shelf fungus.
Nice changes in brown color.
Something had taken a bite out of this one. That is about 3/4″ thick. See the droplets and liquid.
Our View From Iowa 