Winter Hike at Magness Memorial Tree Farm - 12/21/2018
Posted: December 26th, 2018, 6:31 pm
I was lucky enough to start my holiday weekend early, with a hike out to Magness Tree Farm. I got extra lucky with a nice, not-quite rainy type of day, and a bit warmer temperatures.
There’s a lovely drive down Ladd Hill Road to the tree farm, which you come upon rather abruptly, but there’s a good turn around spot not much farther down the road.
Currently leashed dogs are welcome to the trails, but there was a sign warning pet parents to keep their dogs under control and picked up after, else they will have to ban our four legged companions.
I decided to follow the route described above. Trail condition was great, but to be expected in a more urban environment. The wood chip trails weren’t muddy at all, which was a surprise after all the rain we’ve had recently.
However, I was quite disappointed to see an invasion of english holly bushes in a “demonstration forest”.
I was even more disappointed to come across a clear cut, just outside of the property line.
Soon, I came to the stand of Arbutus trees. I’m currently obsessed with these broad-leafed evergreen beauties.
Seems that the tree farm enlisted some help to clear the underbrush of filbert trees, but forgot to come back for the rest of the slash piles, which were covered with tarps. I imagine there is more work to be done, as many trees were marked with different colors of plastic flagging tape.
Upon reaching the paved trail, I decided to alter my route and took a right back towards the parking lot and the junction with the Heater Grove Trail. The picnic lawn area was beautifully eerie, with the light mist and not another soul around.
I headed down the muddy Heater Grove Trail, but was met with a makeshift fence and “No Tresspassing” sign. The landowner has decided to close the trail to the grove.
As my pup was shivering, I decided not to cut my hike even shorter, just finishing up the second half of the paved loop trail and heading home.
*Sorry about the rotated pictures. I will have to try to fix them next time courtesy of help from BurnsideBob's reply to the 'Elk Medows by way of Polollie Creek TH' trip report
There’s a lovely drive down Ladd Hill Road to the tree farm, which you come upon rather abruptly, but there’s a good turn around spot not much farther down the road.
Currently leashed dogs are welcome to the trails, but there was a sign warning pet parents to keep their dogs under control and picked up after, else they will have to ban our four legged companions.
I decided to follow the route described above. Trail condition was great, but to be expected in a more urban environment. The wood chip trails weren’t muddy at all, which was a surprise after all the rain we’ve had recently.
However, I was quite disappointed to see an invasion of english holly bushes in a “demonstration forest”.
I was even more disappointed to come across a clear cut, just outside of the property line.
Soon, I came to the stand of Arbutus trees. I’m currently obsessed with these broad-leafed evergreen beauties.
Seems that the tree farm enlisted some help to clear the underbrush of filbert trees, but forgot to come back for the rest of the slash piles, which were covered with tarps. I imagine there is more work to be done, as many trees were marked with different colors of plastic flagging tape.
Upon reaching the paved trail, I decided to alter my route and took a right back towards the parking lot and the junction with the Heater Grove Trail. The picnic lawn area was beautifully eerie, with the light mist and not another soul around.
I headed down the muddy Heater Grove Trail, but was met with a makeshift fence and “No Tresspassing” sign. The landowner has decided to close the trail to the grove.
As my pup was shivering, I decided not to cut my hike even shorter, just finishing up the second half of the paved loop trail and heading home.
*Sorry about the rotated pictures. I will have to try to fix them next time courtesy of help from BurnsideBob's reply to the 'Elk Medows by way of Polollie Creek TH' trip report