On a very muggy day fourteen TrailBlazers led by Kaptain Katie headed down to the Ouachitas to check out another section of the Vista Trail starting at FS45A to Crystal Springs.. Some of our members were already in the area to do an early morning Breast Cancer Awareness hike before the rest of us arrived. The trail had some gentle ups and downs, good footing, and much less poison ivy than last week. Along the way we saw many white quartz rocks, some of them in large rock cairns, a roadside spring, and several beautiful wildflowers, some defying identification. Of course an army moves on its stomach, so we found a neat lunch spot at a low water bridge on the creek. There was a little waterfall along the bank and a huge colony of butterflies eager to participate in a photo op. The trail ended near a beautiful campground on Lake Ouachita. 

Next we drove over to the handicapped accessible Watchable Wildlife Loop to check out the long wooden bridge over the marsh that gives access to the wetland area of Denby Bay. From the bridge we saw some fish, snakes, and a turtle sunning itself on a log. That was about all the wildlife we saw, but we TrailBlazers can be a little wild ourselves and Randy was along wearing one of his orange frog shirts, so that should count for something! We had a great day hiking and fortunately escaped bad weather. 

Next stop is Buffalo Lodge – see ya’ll next weekend!