The lower valley routes dry out first, and then the valley benchlands clear of snow, ice, and mud.    The benchlands tend to have open grasslands or open forests so the trails become good for hiking near the start of spring, or in colder years, a couple of weeks later.    Dallas Barnhartvale Nature Park and the adjacent Blackwell Horse and Hiker Trails were excellent for hiking by early April.    On a mild day I started the hike in Dallas, at the trailhead parking area on Mountview.

The loop route climbed the Pussywillow Trail to a junction, then around the rim to a gate into the Blackwell Trails.    The outer loop winds across grassland slopes and open forest to an area near Blackwell Road.    From there we hike west on the Meadowlark Trail toward Eliza Road and down Ranger Bob and the Hoodoo Trail to complete the 5.6 km ramble.     

These trails are well-used by hikers, dog-walkers, and cyclists in Barnhartvale and Dallas, but hikers from all over can enjoy these trails in the Nature Park.

The route finishes on a trail that descends a gully past a larger hoodoo.  

All photos by the author.   Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.

the view downriver

through the silt cliffs

the view upriver

across the river to Harper Mountain

the hoodoo

A YouTube video features some of the moments on the trails:

More information on the trails can be found on Dallas Barnhartvale Trails page.    Click the Trails link on the menu bar for this page and others.