Nineteen TrailBlazers under the command of Alpha Male Ed and Alpha Female Judith headed up to the Ponca area under gray skies to hike Big Bluff. In Boxley Valley we were treated to green meadows and a fine herd of elk. At the Elk Education Center (who knew that elk needed to go to school!) we learned that it had rained two inches overnight. It was cool with a stiff breeze at the trailhead. 

Once we hit the trail the breeze disappeared, but we had something new to contend with – lots of puddles of all sizes, rivulets on the trail, wet leaves, slippery rocks, and squishy mud, so we had to spend plenty of quality time watching our footing. This is the most water we have ever seen on this trail. As we finally approached the bluffs our first-timers were ready for their “aha” moment when they first experience the majestic bluff high above the Buffalo River. As we walked along the bluff little streams of water were dripping down from above. Cameras were clicking right and left as we scrambled around looking for a lunch seat with a view, something that was not hard to find! Xue overcame her fear of heights and gingerly walked along hugging the bluff since the trail is narrow in places. Some people opted to crawl through the window in the bluff while others climbed down to a lower ledge to bypass it in order to continue exploring the bluff and drinking in the view. 

Of course, the return trip is all up hill, and we know that the return trip is longer even if this defies logic! Ed’s high-tech GPS indicated that this trail is about 6 miles round trip, not the 5.5 we believed it to be. Yours Truly’s low-tech knees believe it is even longer than that, but Big Bluff is well worth the effort! Missed you, Billigene - hope you are enjoying this at the library!