Clear Creek - Road Trip And Walk
Making A Splash At The Low Water Bridge
The last Sunday in February found me visiting my hiking partner at his home. It was several days after a good rain, and the creeks were still running nicely. He asked if I wanted to go for a drive along Clear Creek, and of course I said sure! The creek runs close to Everton and it was easily accessible. The sun was shining and the weather was in the 60's as we drove along the creek.
We drove along starting from Everton and were impressed that Clear Creek was still running nicely. We stopped on the first low water bridge to take a few pictures. Man it sure felt good to have blue skies above and warm weather along side us. From the road you get glimpses of the creek from various vantage points and when you cross. A few days later my friend called and asked if I wanted to walk along Clear Creek, which would be part of what we drove by. This was a rare opportunity and we quickly made plans.
Beautiful Stretch Of Clear Creek
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We parked and went through a gate into an open field then down to a pond with a barn next to it. There was a spring feeding the pond, and with the recent rains, the pond was full. You could tell where the spring was by all the green moss and such on the rocks around the spring. Once we had finished checking it out we crossed the road and walked down to Clear Creek. This was a beautiful stretch for walking. Reflections in the water were picture perfect. As we moved along we noted little features that you just don't see when doing a road tour. Fields on either side of the creek made for interesting walking. We didn't see any deer but thought we came across some elk prints. After this bit we moved into a field where the land owner had some cows and a bull.
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Spring Behind Barn Fills Pond
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The herd stood between us and the creek and as we moved towards them the bull raised his head and gave us a once over. A few cows started towards us but then returned to their grazing. The bull determined we were no threat to his rule and let us pass.
This next stretch of creek narrowed up and there was only field on one side while the other became woods and rocks. We came upon a nice little rock formation in a bend in the creek. This was a beautiful spot and we decided to stop and take a hydration break. Further on we saw a large pile of trees and debris washed together after the last big rains. Shortly thereafter we ran out of room to walk on our side of the creek and had to make our way onto the road, around the obstruction, and then back down onto the creek. As we worked our way around we looked back and saw a beaver dam.
Me At A Bend In The Creek
The last part of our walk had fields on both sides of the creek again, the sun hiding behind clouds then briefly appearing. Clear Creek ran fairly straight from this point on. It was a great way to end the day, with a good stretch of the legs. Once we reached the place where an electric wire fence crossed the creek and went into the field across we knew we had reached the end of this property owner's land. We stopped here and rested while we ate a snack and washed it down with some water. We walked to a nearby gate and then used the road to get back to the truck. It was a privilege to be able to walk this land and I want to thank the owner for allowing us to do so. This portion of Clear Creek is an excellent example of the responsible use of natural resources by a caring owner.