Hiking the Chinquapin

The sky was deep blue, filled with white fluffy clouds. The temperatures were trying to reach sixty degrees. Two bald eagles were soaring over the Big Sugar Creek Valley near Cyclone. It was a near perfect January day: perfect for a Winter Ecology Hike.

    The hike was led by conservation education specialist Jeff Cantrell of the Missouri Department of Conservation. No one likes to be outdoors with Mother Nature more than Cantrell, unless it was the thirty hikers who drove from as far as Jasper to take this          "walk in the woods."
 
   The "walk" was a 3.1 mile hike, with about half of it uphill and the second half along a ridge top and down hill to the parking lot at Big Sugar Creek State Park.
 
   Some of the  hikers were following a conservation list of natural items they would likely to see. Some were bird watchers, whose eyes shined when Cantrell said he had seen fifty different species of birds on a recent hike in Big Sugar Creek Park.
 
   Some, such as Steve and Cindy Head, were dedicated hikers. They have hiked and camped in many places in the United States.
 
   The Heads came to Big Sugar Creek Park late last summer, but were scared to walk the trails because of the tall grasses. Steve smiled and said, "Cindy is afraid of snakes, too."

    Then when the Heads read about this organized walk, they were eager to go. This couple walk for exercise and to learn more about nature so they can pass the knowledge on to their grandchildren.

    After the walk, they reminisced about other hikes they had taken. One was along Old Route 66 near Winslow, Arizona. Another trail was in Ohio, and another near Niagara Falls, New York.

    Locally they hike at Wildcat Park, the St. John's Trail, and the Frisco Trail at Joplin. They also enjoy hiking at Devil's Den Park in Arkansas.

    At Big Sugar Creek State Park, the trail uphill follows a small stream which starts at a spring near the top of the ridge. Most of the time the water simply trickles along in the flat rock bottomed stream bed. Sometimes it disappears into the rocks. In some places, pools of water collect near an obstacle, making perfect places for water spiders.

    Some places along the small stream have tiny waterfalls about six to nine inches high. Of course, these added the sound of falling water to the enjoyment of the hikers.

    Along the trail, the thirty hikers viewed an old thong tree, which Cantrell guessed to be about 200 years old. The group found a variety of grasses, plants, lichen, fungi,  and ferns.

    Cantrell picked and showed a leaf from a Christmas fern, a plant that abounds near the top of the valley. He showed how the leaf is shaped like an elf's shoe. He said the hikers should be able to connect Santa's elves and Christmas to properly identify the Christmas fern from now on.

    Along the way, the group was shown turkey scratchings in the leaves along the trail. Several species of birds were flying about or clinging to the trunks of trees. On a rest break, the group were honored with a visit from an armadillo, who was pushing around in the leaves with his nose. in search of an afternoon snack.

    Several people were pleased to see a live armadillo, having only seen them dead along the highways.

    In all, the large group had an enjoyable afternoon. Some remained for several minutes after the walk to relish the afternoon's hike and sights. They were happy with the experiences they had on a Winter Ecology Hike in the rugged confines of Big Sugar Creek State Park.