"If you know wilderness in the way that you know love, you would be unwilling to let it go.... This is the story of our past and it will be the story of our future." ~Terry Tempest Williams
Hike: Piney Run Reservoir
Distance: Approx. 5 miles
Time: Approx. 2.5 hours
Visiting Piney Run Reservoir reminded me of playing in the woods behind my dad’s house as a kid. I wouldn’t go as far as saying I was a tomboy when I was younger, but I loved being down in the woods, trekking in and out of the creek, catching crayfish and minnows, crossing over logs, and just wandering. In the woods, the world seemed endless as a kid. You looked in any direction and all you could see was forest. The woods were a place where everything felt like an adventure. Even when I got into my teen years it was the place I went to clear my head at times. Returning to the woods through hiking has reminded me how refreshing it can be and how the daily stresses of life can fall away when you’re immersed in nature.
Piney Run Reservoir is a 
beautiful park. I’ve never seen so many lily pads on a body of water! We started the hike from the Nature Center (Unfortunately it was closed at the time of the hike. I’m a nerd for nature centers. I think I still have a “nature” box under my bed at my childhood home complete with rock collection, feathers, turtle shell, etc.). There were places in the park where you could smell the fragrance of the pine trees. The trail was mostly shady, but there were places where the sun filtered through the trees in really cool ways. The trail could be a bit narrow in places and had a few minor changes in elevation throughout the hike, but nothing major. It was a good hike for newbies because it wasn’t strenuous at all. There were places where the trail followed along the edge of the reservoir and offered gorgeous views of the water. The park also has a place where visitors can rent boats for fishing or kayaking (I really want to try both sometime in the future! I don’t think I’ve been fishing since I was in middle school.).
My mom accompanied me
on this hike and it seems she’s been bitten by the hiking bug as well. She wants to find newbie-friendly hikes to do once or twice a week with me now and has even picked up a few trail necessities at our local thrift shop (small backpack, water bottle sling, etc). It’s nice to be able to get outdoors and do something fun together. We’re doing another hike with The Mid-Atlantic Hiking Group next weekend and may even attempt to find some local trails to explore on our own. I’m looking forward to continue trying out new trails in the upcoming weeks!
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