June 18, 2015 St. Louis Canyon, Aurora, Sac, Kickapoo Canyons

Theme photo of the hike (St Louis Canyon Waterfall)

Today's Walker's Club altered their schedule due to the high water and muddy trail conditions.  Some of the trails at Starved Rock are under water and impassable.  Just like on the road...if you come upon a section of trail that has been flooded by the river, turn around.  We opted to stay safe and walk to St. Louis.  We were rewarded with 3 great waterfalls and 1 trickle in Kickapoo Canyon.  We had 32 walkers and 2 dogs.  It had just finished raining and the humidity was very thick. 

Leaving the Lodge area and going over the walk bridge on the way to St. Louis Canyon

Looking back at Aurora Canyon

After the flower disappears on the May Apple, the apple appears.

Sac Canyon

Lace Capped Hydrangea

Wild Ginger, notice the small maroon colored flower at the base?

View of Unimin from the West Bluff trail

Tall Thimbleweed

Red Honeysuckle Vine

Brown eyed Susan

Spider wort was everywhere

Last bridge before St. Louis Canyon Waterfall

Excellent Waterfall in St. Louis Canyon

Purple Campanula Flower growing on a rock on the way back

There are many rock formations on the West trail.  This is a unique rock with a hole all the way through on the bottom.

Walkways are nice, however, when wet they are VERY slippery

Aurora Canyon has one of the smallest interiors.  We had to take turns going into the canyon

Aurora Canyon

Steps coming out of Aurora Canyon

More steps on the way out of Aurora

These tall trees are amazing.  Just imagine the stories they could tell....

I read in the local paper about poison ivy.  What it looks like.  We all have heard the saying: Leaves of three leave them be.  Well once you get out there on the trail, every thing is green and there are lots of leaves.  So I took a few photos of poison ivy looking plants.

Leave of 3 yes, but not poison ivy. This is the leaf stem for Jack in the Pulpit

This is poison ivy.  It also grows as a vine

This grows as a vine, but isn't poison ivy.  It is Virginia Creeper.

More Virginia Creeper

This is Poison Ivy growing as a vine.

Day lilies by the back door of the Lodge

Some walkers relaxing in the Lodge's Cafe with a cold beverage after the hike.

It was a hot humid hike.  We saw some great waterfalls, thanks to the recent rains.

I will leave you with this: Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom and a few flowers.

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.