"Wanna" see YOUR magnificent trails...

[Northern Dancer]

Proposed National Park Reserve in the South Okanagan-Similkameen

The South Okanagan offers a stunning landscape ranging from near-desert to rich forests of Ponderosa pine and Douglas fir that support an incredible range of rare animals and plants. This area has sustained Syilx/Okanagan communities for thousands of years.


A new national park reserve will not only help renew a nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous Peoples, but it will contribute to a network of protected and conserved areas. These protected areas help safeguard Canada’s biodiversity and provide unprecedented opportunities for Canadians to experience the outdoors and learn about our environment, and contribute to sustainable economic development.


Canada’s network of protected areas play an important role in helping to mitigate the impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring healthy, resilient ecosystems and contributing to the recovery of species at risk. The Government of Canada is committed to expanding its network of protected area and protecting Canada’s biodiversity by conserving at least 17 percent of our country’s land and freshwater by 2020, and by further expanding the nation’s world-class national park system.​

 

[Northern Dancer]

Calling all Babblers to submit pics of the trails that they have visited or would like to visit.


This 5-km Boardwalk Trail Takes You Through An Ancient Forest In Ontario.

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Ontario is home to a plethora of breathtaking trails that showcase the awesome beauty of its northern boreal forest. Some of the best footpaths to explore are those in Cyprus Lake, which takes you through a forest wonderland in the Bruce Peninsula.

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[killeroy154]

The Virginia Creeper trail, this used to be a train line into the Virginia mountains for goods, passengers, timber and such things. They removed the tracks and it is now a pleasant trail from the top of the mountains to Abingdon Va. There are 47 trestles and bridges to cross. We will be riding the 17 miles from White top mountain to Damascus on friday, so I should have some better pictures to post. These pics are photo shopped.

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[Northern Dancer]

The Virginia Creeper trail, this used to be a train line into the Virginia mountains for goods, passengers, timber and such things. They removed the tracks and it is now a pleasant trail from the top of the mountains to Abingdon Va. There are 47 trestles and bridges to cross. We will be riding the 17 miles from White top mountain to Damascus on friday, so I should have some better pictures to post. These pics are photo shopped.

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-----> Looked that one up online...beautiful indeed. That would be a trail that I'd love to visit.

...there would be just the right amount of trepidation to excite the senses.

 

[killeroy154]

I took tonight off from work, so we could get good night's sleep and leave early morning.
Bicycles loaded and ready to go. I'll have more, and real pictures tomorrow night.

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[killeroy154]

We got to the Virginia Creeper trail shuttle at 9 yesterday morning. They drove us to the top of White Top Mtn. and we unloaded our bicycles and started our 18 mile ride. This really isn't a physical endurance thing because it is mostly down hill all the way, but it is a relaxing enjoyable ride. The trail is an old abandoned rail line that was shut down in the early 70's.

The Greene Cove Post office and store. Once the rail line and US Postal moved the operations, the owner closed the store with all remaining merchandise inside. It was reopened a few years back, and is now a museum with everything still on the shelves the way it was.

I had to do a couple of selfies.

The town of Damascus purchased all the railroad bridges for the cost of the scrap metal. They then made them pedestrian safe, and keep the trail maintained. The town struggled financially after the rail shut down, so their investments into this trail turned out very well for them. It boosted all their local businesses, and created new bicycle shops, shuttle services and outdoor products, plus the Appalachian trail comes within a mile of the town. Yesterday was a slow day. I would guess 150 to 200 people? Rode the trail. Most bicycles I seen were rented.

There are 20 some bridges between the White Top mountain and Damascus.

Out of picture space.

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[killeroy154]

Sorry if pictures are rotated, this cell phone or program is a bit wanky. The trail starts near a small streams that becomes a river by the time you get back to town. There are all kinds of pretty areas to stop. The last picture is of an eagle sitting on a limb beside the river watching us, maybe 35 feet away from us. There are several camping spots along the way also

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[Northern Dancer]

...fabulous stuff @killeroy154! Ya get the ol' heart pounding and the breath panting with magnificent scenes like this. We are so fortunate that we can do these sorts of things and enjoy them to our heart's content. The picture of the eagle is fantastic. I'm itching to get out on our first real trip in July (though I don't think I'll be spotting any majestic eagles).

 

[killeroy154]

It's amazing what is in your own backyard. The eagle was very unexpected. We almost rode past with out seeing it. I like taking and sharing pictures. I hope to be going back to Grandfather Mountain in a couple of weeks.

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