On Saturday we hiked the Morrison Run trail in the Allegheny National Forest. It was Julie, myself and another couple. (soon to be married good friends of ours!) We hiked this trail once before but 3 years ago. Its a 7.6 mile out and back. The trail is a gradual downhill following Morrison Run itself. The forest here is PRISTINE. Super high trees, the creek gurgling by next to the trail, and lots of boulders to climb around, sometimes they were in the creek itself. The rocks in this area are not anything like most of central and western New York with its mostly shale. These are all quartz conglomerate rocks and boulders. Some the size of houses. I was tempted to cancel our trip when I looked at the weather report in the morning but saw that the bands of showers were going to be intermittent. So we decided to give it a go and take our chances. It rained the entire way down, stopped for our entire 5 mile hike, with the exception of some misty drizzle here and there (not enough to put a coat on). Then 30 seconds after we were done and in the car and back on PA 59, it started to downpour! Since it was such a humid day, the mist along the creek was really beautiful.
The first fork in the trail. I almost chose the wrong turn!
Really cool rock formations...
The mist along the creek was beautiful...
Some baby beech trees just starting to leaf out...
"Ocian in view! O the joy!" (if I may quote Lewis & Clark)
We finally made it to the reservoir after a 3.8 mile walk. The water level was HIGH. The bushes on the bottom right of this photo are submerged.
As we were eating lunch, the water got a bit choppy and the wind picked up, so we decided to get out of these before the downpour we were expecting to happen... but didn't happen! :)
I wonder how long this tree has been clinging to this rock!
