MY FIRST DAY HIKE OF 2014 AT BOONE'S CAVE PARK

Not to break from a three year tradition, a first day hike, I ventured out early in search for a new location with new trails. Always heading North, West, or South, it is time to turn East to explore. Only sixty miles from Charlotte, down I-85N passing Salisbury to Exit 84 and connecting onto NC-150 E to a new destination. Boone's Cave Park is 100 acres and offers hiking trails through a secluded rolling forest of mixed hardwoods reminiscent of the North Carolina Mountains. Forty-six acres of the park are designated as a Natural Heritage Site and are host to a over 100 native wildflowers. A number of them normally found only in the Appalachian Mountains. The park cradles the Yadkin River. Steps provide access to the Yadkin River for fishing and canoeing. Be sure to take binoculars to catch a glimpse of the spring and fall migrant birds. These include Cedar Waxwing, Northern Parula, and Yellow Rumped Warbler, Pileated Woodpecker. On this cool winters day, I only heard the mocking of an old black crow bellowing out calls. The Cottonwood Trail is an out-n-back trail to a North Carolina’s prized Eastern Cottonwood tree (Populus deltoides), 154-feet tall with a trunk measuring 5 feet across, located along the shore of the Yadkin River. I was only able to view the massive tree from afar as the trail was awash within 20 yards of the base. The sun struggles to pierce the few fraying holes in the blanket of clouds gripping the sky. Boone's Cave is nestled at the foot of the mountain along the banks of the Yadkin River accessible by one of several hiking trails. Exploring the cave stimulated my thoughts of a past when Daniel Boone, an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman, stowing away in this cave while on an expedition. Further down the trail is Baptism Rock and an old stone foundation and chimney still remains from a log cabin built in the 1940 by the National Youth Administration. This cabin served as a home for the park’s caretaker during that time. And in the summer of 2006 a replica 18th Century Log Cabin was constructed to demonstrate how Daniel Boone would have lived. Boone Cave Park offers an intricate trail system specially designed for great day hikes. Whether it's the Cottonwood Trail, Wildflower Trail, Wilderness Trail, Runner's Loop, Overlook Loop, Cabin Trail, or the Back Country Trail, pick a trail and go hiking.

Hike: 4 Miles

Cottonwood Trail

Raccoon Tracks

Bailey and I

Boone's Cave

Yadkin River

Yadkin River

Small Waterfall off the Back Country Trail

Primitive Camping Sites on Runner's Loop Trail

Campsite

Boone Monument