In Search of Autumn Leaves
Every autumn, our family heads to destinations in search of fall leaves. To enjoy them as they pack mountainsides or fill valleys, dressing the trees in crimson, gold, and burnt orange. To crunch through the patchwork of colors on the trail as we hike. This year, our search took us to two free state parks: Kinzua Bridge State Park and Leonard Harrison State Park. Both in northcentral Pennsylvania in the United States.
Kinzua Bridge affords a captivating view from the skywalk, the portion of a train trestle that once spanned the Kinzua Creek Valley far below. The full train trestle, or viaduct as the website calls it, was ripped almost at the halfway point from a tornado in 2003. The twisted, mangled metal infrastructure that broke away during the storm is still visible on the far side of the valley. You can see it from the skywalk platform that extends out into the valley.
Leonard Harrison State Park is part of the Pine Creek gorge area, “The Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania.” An eastern Grand Canyon dressed in hardwoods and pines that change in every season. These two free parks are expansive and beautiful to visit, to hike down into the valley, and to explore the museums, watch the videos, and learn of their creation.
I’ve mentioned many times, here at Camping with Five Kids, how much I enjoy crunching through the leaves in fall. Despite the crunching sound of seven people hiking through the forest, I enjoy the peace found in nature. To watch the wild animals in their natural habitat.
Now, of course, it’s mostly my husband and myself crunching through the leaves. But sometimes either of our twin daughters accompanies us, or we bring our grandchildren to the forests and mountains to discover animals they’ve only seen in books or on the television.
Sharing the beauty of the land with others can infuse a person with happiness. A sense of wonder. It can fill our souls with calm. Our senses with joy. It is important to share a love for nature with your family or friends. To show them that peace found only in nature. This is the reason for our national and state parks. To save such beauty and resources and sacred places for future generations, yes. To protect animal habitats. But also, to escape a sometimes-turbulent reality, if only for a few hours or a few days.
So, how about you? Do you like to crunch through the leaves in fall? Do you take walks or hikes with others in your neighborhood or at a national or state park to unwind from a hectic day? Let us know in the comments section of Camping with Five Kids.
Happy Thanksgiving to our American friends! Why not go outside and enjoy a walk after a full Thanksgiving meal. You’ll be glad you did.