This time I found an actual gator and the locals showed up to visit it. You never know what you are going to find going out on a trail you have never been on, and this one was a bit shocking.

I was looking for a trail that would not be too long or too short. It’s a bit further out than I'd like to go but I'm looking for some new places to hit up. I was also kind of uncertain if I'd find an actual park at the end of this one or just the same lame crass area the city declared as a park. It’s always a bit of fun when you get to one end of a trail and there is a nice area set up to relax for a bit before heading back.

The parking for this one was a little confusing. Right next to this place is a golf course. What I thought was the entrance into the trail ended up being a path leading up to some golfing holes. I ended up having to cut through a grass field into an empty parking lot to then follow some signs that would take me out to the trail.

I’m not the biggest fan of having to walk sidewalks next to the street. Even more so with how busy this little section of the town was with how many people were going off to the golf course.

It was at least fun to walk around more in the area than I was expecting. There are some massively expensive homes in the area that end up going for over $500k a piece. It is no shock this was an area they decided needed some kind of trail. It was also interesting to see some homes that looked like they were in a slum state along the trail as well. A wealthy area does not always mean everything is nice looking.

I was kind of shocked by just how much trail this area had once I found a map. The path I would be following was just called Wirz on AllTrails. Taking you from the golf course down to what they have labeled as a park.

The trees along this trail were just amazing to stop and look at. I’m not sure what they are called where they have those long-hanging furs almost like spiderwebs on them. Always fun walking under some massive tree that I’m sure has quite a tale to tell.

I also found it rather amusing how much money they must have spent on signs. I’ve seen trails warn before about a “narrow” bridge. I have never seen them have to tell you about an upcoming curve ahead.

I can only guess if people go rather overboard on bikes out here or something. Perhaps the person who got all this set up knows someone who makes signs. There were endless signs everywhere any time the trail curved slightly or in a more dramatic event such as the one seen above.

There were a couple of these kinds of bridges. This was another area some big money was spent making them a lot nicer than they needed to be. They went over some waterways and later on the return I’d end up finding a bit of a surprise under one of these bridges.

Since this was over still by the golf course there were some golf balls to go and fetch. Later, it would be discovered it was not worth going after those golf balls. Sometimes you just must remind yourself you're in nature and it is best to not leave the trail. Even more so when it’s near water.

For how much they spent on signs and bridges for this trail. I was a bit shocked they had not maintained the trail a bit better. There was quite a lot of overgrown grass covering up cracked edges in quite a worn-down path.

Not that I minded any. I feel it just added to the overall experience of the trail. It was just interesting to see what they allowed to be overgrown and what they had mowed down.

Along the way, we came across quite a huge group of birds. They seemed to be quite used to humans. They did not attempt to escape as we got closer and closer. They were more interested in finding food than they were in people walking past them.

A lot of this trail also ran behind some people's homes. It was cool to spot a treehouse off in the distance that overlooked the trail as well.

There were also some cool things I won’t be sharing any photos of. While most of the neighbors had their backyard fences in. Some did not and they were really into the holiday spirit and even active at the time I went along the trail. Some spots seem to be some kind of tribute to people. Cool stuff but the things I feel are best to be seen in person only.

You could also hear from quite a distance a school that the trail takes you past. Along with even further signs informing you of how far you are from the golf course, a park, or yet another turn on the trail.

One of the parks ended up being this green space I'll call it. It was not that massive, but it did give me a place to sit down and just enjoy the day. It was also rather nice this place was not covered in bums either. That is one thing I noticed about this trail. It seemed only the locals used it if that.

In total, I only saw four other people on the actual trail my entire time. Sure, I'd see more people off in yards and other locations. Despite them having it set up for biking and being connected throughout this area to so many spots. It was rather tranquil.

After a way, I ended up finding myself in another spot they were calling a park. It had a bit of a butterfly garden and some trees scattered throughout the area. This again I’d just call a green area. I was hoping they would have restrooms here, but they did not.

I ended up following almost what Alltrails was showing at the end of the trail I was taking. I could tell it was just leading to a road, so I cut off a hundred or so steps that I felt were not needed and turned around for a walk back.

Usually, when I'm walking back on a trail, they do not look like this one being just a point-to-point. I’m not taking many photos at all. I’m just taking in the sights and enjoying what feels like a quicker pace to get back to where I started.

Sometimes, however, you do come across a surprise. This guy was hanging out near one of the bridges you must cross to get back. There was also a local there who told me this was quite a common occurrence, and they sometimes went daily to see him.

This is also why you should never leave a trail. This bridge was not that wide. It would not take much effort for that animal to get up onto the trail if it wanted to do so. It was, however, just enjoying the waters and did not seem to care too much that people were up on the bridge looking down below.

Final Thoughts

The rest of the walk back on this trail remained uneventful. I did stop to look up a few of the home prices for some of the larger homes along the trail. I always wonder when they build nice trails out of expensive neighbors if anyone from them ever use the trails.

I would not mind living close to a trail. I, however, would hate the idea of being right on one. I don’t know how many times I've been on a trail, and someone is blazing music, or they are walking dogs that bark at everything and everyone. At least this one was nothing like it. It was tranquil with some wildlife mixed in.

Information

Photos were taken and content was written by @Enjar about my personal experiences in the real world away from the computer at home.