Hike # 18: Ponderosa Park, Meadow Marsh and Lily Marsh Trail

Over the river and through the woods to....well, you get the idea.

Hike # 18 began in the Ponderosa StatePark in McCall, ID. After parking at the Visitors Center, starting out on foot, and then getting lost, I finally found the trail head (which seems to be a reoccurring problem when I go it alone -even with a map and my good friend Ninny...I do tend to get lost. I have always been directionally challenged, but divinely guided)! So this hike, on July 5th, started in a packed camp ground. However, it appears that most of the park campers and visitors aren't hikers, as I only saw 3 groups on my 5.41 mile hike. I have to say, "It was divine!"

I read about this hike in a book that my husband gave me for my 60th birthday, The Hiker’s Guide to McCall & Cascade by Scott Marchant. I also got his book about hiking "Greater Boise".  He has a great web site: http://hikingidaho.com, which I discovered after the hike.

As a novice hiker (ok senior "walker" ... whatever), I look for the easy hikes so that I can build up to my dream of hiking the Alps...or something close to it. The great thing about this hike was that it started in the forest, was stress-less for  me, was shaded in the 90 degree weather, and was for the most part was level. Meadow Marsh Trail connected to the Lily Marsh Trail, which ultimately led me to steeper grades, which led  me to surprising alpine meadows and more.

Although I was huffing and puffing for this stretch, I really soaked in the hike with it's delightful creek crossings,  Rembrandt-like display of wildflowers, cacophony of bird songs, and soul-healing alone time. It was much better than listening to the 4th of July fireworks... it was nature singing her song after our country's birthday,  in spite of what we do to her.

This was a symbolic hike for me. I pondered many things, made spiritual analogies, recognized life-puzzling analogizes, and thought about my own journey into the later decades of my life. Steps...tiny, steep steps. One-way steps... one-step at a time steps into the future.

Hike # 18 was symbolic, soul searching, philosophical, and interrupted by the practical irritations of life. For example, I had a full bladder and no where to go. My cell phone rang and I took a call from my mother calling to make sure I was safe. My groin muscle spasmmed causing me to limp and wondered if I would make it back to the car- it was damn frustrating for such an inspirational hike. I even got lost ... again. To make matters worse, I thought this was Hike # 19!

But in spite of it all, I loved this hike!