It’s a lot of fun to find a new trail in a familiar area that you never knew about before — it creates a very pleasing sense of novelty and anticipation.I doubt many people are familiar with Owl Creek Trail, which runs through some very lovely scenery south of the park’s cabin area. It certainly doesn’t seem like the trail gets much use. I’m not sure there was even an official trail by that name until fairly recently.You reach the trail head by walking up the access road toward the campground — this is closed to traffic in winter and it’s actually a nice walk. I especially appreciate that it offers stable footing, compared to the generally ragged and choppy condition of the more popular trailsOnce you leave the access road you’re into a very picturesque area with some steep climbs, and a dramatic gorge carved by Owl Creek. Part of the trail is alarmingly close to the edge of the gorge for a while, but there is a work-around.The trail ends in Kings Cemetery, which lies along the edge of upper Stone Quarry Road. Very nice place. Seems like a good place to be buried.
Danby SF — Michigan Hollow Road SE on the FLT to Hill Road and beyond
The FLT crosses Smiley Hill Road here — just a few minutes from the trail head. The road, which runs uphill pretty steeply from Michigan Hollow Road to Hill Road, is actually very picturesque and interesting in its own rightThe FLT crosses Hill Road here, about 45 minutes into the walkCurtis Road, our official turnaround spotI decided to walk down Hill Road and Smiley Hill Road on the return leg, rather than go back down the FLT, which is quite steep in spots and was more slippery than I like. Hill Road had a thick coating of ice created by people driving on it, and it was a little tricky walking. It’s a much faster way back to the cars than returning through the woods. Tiger didn’t want to take the roads back but I more or less twisted her arm.
