Forest 44 Conservation Area

It had been a while.  A while since I went hiking at Forest 44 Conservation Area. A while since I went walking through the woods.  A while since I had the opportunity to go outside by myself and try to clear my mind.  I knew it had to be today, so I set out mid-morning to explore this familiar conservation area just minutes from my home in St. Louis County.

Forest 44 Conservation Area is a 998 acre park not far from I-44 and Hwy 141.  The area is mainly wooded, with some old fields and a small spring fed stream (Williams Creek) cutting through the east end.  A large portion of the area is popular with the equestrian crowd, and there are several miles of multi-use trails used primarily by horseback riders.  There are two short trails for hikers only, Dogwood Ridge and Losing Stream.  Losing Stream trail is handicap accessible and is a short .4 mile paved trail that leads to a few small overlooks above Williams Creek.  Dogwood Ridge is a loop, and you can opt for the 1.1 mile short loop or the 2.2 mile long loop.

I set out from the parking lot towards the Dogwood Ridge loop just as several horses were coming back towards the lot from the equestrian trails.  I was tired, mentally and physically, having returned the night before from Dayton, OH where we dropped Katie off for her Freshman year in college.  Often I come to this trail for a quick trail run, or to wade the creek, or maybe to scout for deer season.  Today I had no mission, and really just wanted to wander around outside a bit.

Not even 100 yards from the lot on the edge of an overgrown field, I noticed a single swamp milkweed blooming that seemed to be a hub of activity.  There was a monarch butterfly, a sphinx moth, and 4-5 swallowtails mobbing the one plant.  I took a few photos, then scoured the plant for caterpillars without success.  However, I did find a single monarch caterpillar on a common milkweed leaf nearby.  I meandered along, pausing for a few photos of the late summer wildflowers and trying to locate the Barred Owls I could hear hooting nearby.  No luck on the owls but I did manage to see a Wild Turkey with young and several Indigo Buntings.

Once I left the field and climbed the hill on the loop into the woods, I stepped up my pace and moved along at a good clip.  A smile crossed my face as I came to a familiar bend or landmark on the path.  I found comfort in the rattle of a pileated woodpecker, the pinging of a pair of downy woodpeckers, and the shrill call of the Carolina Wrens.  I was annoyed by the unfamiliar call of some unknown bird that I could not locate along the path, disappointed that I was unable to ID the mystery bird.  Hickory nuts were all over the forest floor, rough leafed dogwood berries and elderberry filled the understory, and a few deer ran away on my approach.  The Missouri woods were different than the last time I was here, yet still seemed very much the same.

Finally I came to the spring fed creek at the bottom of the hill.  Very near the spot where the trail crosses the creek, the creek vanishes underground.  This is the case most of the year, except in early spring or after weeks of rain when the creek is full.  I always find this fascinating, and love trying to imagine what it looks like underground and where the water goes.

The plan was to walk the dry creekbed back.  However, I was drawn by the cold creek and soon found myself wading through the water even though I was wearing my good running shoes.  I don’t have to explain it to most of you, as the magnetic attraction offered by a spring fed creek is well known to anyone who spends some time outdoors.  It was futile to resist.  I found a nice log to sit on and enjoyed the sights and sounds while immersed in the creek.

Eventually I had to leave Forest 44 Conservation Area and get back to preparing for the week.  It’s been a rough go the past few weeks. All of the kids went back to school, Billy had soccer tryouts, and Debbie went back to work.  Shipping Katie off to college is also a big change in my life and in our house.  While thrilled for her, I selfishly am dreading that she will be missing from our daily routine.

Not knowing what else to do, I turned to the outdoors to reset my mind and to seek out my next goal. I have been kind of listless since completing the Grand Canyon hike, not sure what is next for me.  I am ready to start working on that now, and hopefully can narrow down the options for my next challenge soon.  Life is good, and an easy hike on a familiar trail reminds me that life is even better when spent outdoors.  Thanks for reading.

For more information on Forest 44 Conservation Area, check out:

https://nature.mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/places/forest-44-ca