Roots, Rocks, And Water

This afternoon we decided to hike Cocoa's Path, a 1/4 mile trail to Great Brook.  Then we decided to follow the trail along the brook for another half mile to the lower cascades.  Then we kept on the trail for another mile and a half to the upper cascades....  Then we gave up and dragged our feet downhill.

The lower part of the trail is through a hemlock woods.  Hemlocks love cool shade and shallow soil, so there were roots all along the lower trail.  Going up we stepped over the roots.  By the time we got back down we just tripped over them.  Then as we climbed we entered a beech woods.  Fewer roots, more rocks.

And always, running water.

The lower cascades

The trailhead.  There are no poop fairies

Partridgeberry.  

I wish I knew mushrooms

Following after Janet

Hemlock roots. They were harder to avoid after the first 4 miles

Apparently Eeyore lives here

Golden-crowned kinglets are hard to photograph

Can you see the kinglet?

Goldthread.  With thin, yellow roots that taste good

The upper cascades

I still wish I knew mushrooms

The light at the end of the trail.