June 11, 2015 I & M Canal towards Ottawa

This blog post I am combining 2 hikes.  The first hike (first 5 photos), was on Wednesday June 10th with a group of students from the Chicago public school Peterson.  There were roughly 85 students with chaperones.  They were divided into 4 groups.  We left the visitor center about 10:45a.m. with lunches.  It had rained early in the morning so the waterfalls were fantastic.

Lunches for 85 students with chaperones

2 waterfalls in Wildcat Canyon

The power of Wildcat Canyon after the rain

Cool looking butterfly along the trail.

Snake in a tree along the river trail.  I think it is a water snake - non venomous.

 The second hike was on Thursday June 11th was with the Walker's Club.  When the I & M Canal walk is on the schedule, we generally hike from Utica to the West toward LaSalle.  Today we went to the East toward Ottawa. 

Today's hike began near the Aitken one room schoolhouse.  Part of the LaSalle County Historical Society

They have a nice herb garden that is partially maintained by the Illinois Valley Herb Guild

Walker's Club posing for a group photo on the bridge over the Canal.  37 hikers 4 dogs

Start of milkweed

There are many of the Summer wildflowers that I am unfamiliar with.  This is one of them.

Day-lilies growing along the Canal

A little bee on this wild rose

Mushrooms were plentiful after the rain

Soon the raspberries will be ripe.  Can't wait!!

 Butterfly, some type of Sulpher butterfly

Clover

On our way back to our cars

Little creek running under the Canal

A few cows along the canal way back

Trail marking telling us the distance

Spider wort

I will leave you with this: We live in a fast-paced society. Walking slows us down.