Monday, July 9, 2012

Trail of Two Forests- Tree Casts!

{We ventured out to Washington for this one.}

What is it like to be in two different forests at one time? 

Amazing!

You see, one forest was consumed by lava flows from a Mt. St. Helens eruption from about 1900 years ago (not to be confused with the eruption in the 1980's). 

All that remains of the ancient forest trees are casts; imprints which whisper, "I was once here."
The vibrant, youthful forest beckons, "Come and play."
When accepting this invitation, we felt exuberance!

© L G 2012
This cast was created by a burning trunk in the cooling lava.




© L G 2012

© LG 2012
To the right of the parking lot is a large area to explore.

© LG 2012
 Can you tell this was a tree?


© LG 2012
There are little caves to peek in at.

© LG 2012
Since we don't know if any mammals
or poisonous critters live in the caves, we just peeked in.

© LG 2012
Tree Rings?


© LG 2012
Tree Roots
On the left side of the parking lot, there is a scenic loop that 
allows for your family to study three-dimensional tree casts.
It's here where the
sunlight loves to play with family laughter.
Ebony and emerald greens delight the eyes.
It's a woodland wonderland!


© LG 2012
I absolutely love moss covered forest floors!

© LG 2012
So gorgeous and peaceful.

© LG 2012
 Being out in nature allows us to pause and reflect.
To feel.
To be reminded that there is so much more to life
than the day-to-day hubbub that goes on.


© LG 2012
Looping around the boardwalk brings you to
*The Crawl*
Daddies are fantastic helpers in this area!
It's so fun that the kids didn't want to leave and they wanted to go back the next day!
It's so fun that our little miss pink coat exclaimed,
"I will never forget this the rest of my life!"
Our family enjoys nature and togetherness like that.

© LG 2012
You can see the texture of a tree which was left behind here.


© LG 2012

New life!


Cost:
*$5 daily day-use fee (plus Washington's tax... so it's roundabout $5.40)
Important:  
*The boardwalk is wheelchair and stroller friendly, however *the crawl* is not.
*The crawl is a hard surface to crawl on... maybe bring knee pads if that is a concern for your family.
*It's a good idea to have a first aid kit with you.
*The crawl may be damp or wet inside. There is also dirt. Those ingredients make mud so maybe wear play clothes.
Restrooms: Average pit toilets available.
Extras:
Trail of Two Forests is actually just before the Ape Cave.
Offered: 
Year round. It snows up there at certain times of the year, so we advice checking the weather reports. Be safe!
Ages: All Ages





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