On a slightly warmer day I resolved to walk the green trail, one of the longer loop trails at Ivy Creek Natural Area. It loops off the red trail in the southernmost corner of Ivy Creek. It starts by continuing to follow Martin’s Branch upstream after leaving the red trail behind. The remains of an old fence line can be seen along the stream. Very few people use this trail as evidenced by the thick, very lightly flattened leaves covering the trail. Thank goodness for trail markers!
Eventually turning away from Martin’s Branch the trail travels through extensive oak/hickory/poplar forest. Most of trees have very few low branches so the feeling is very open especially so in the winter. Nearby houses on private property are quite visible. However, after you turn north and cross over a tributary streambed (dry in the winter) much of the feel is that you are far out in the wilderness. This meditative feeling continues until you come across the power line cutting through fairly low overhead. Virginia pines start to become more and more common. Then suddenly the green trail is finished where it meets the red trail at the top of the hill of cut through for the gas pipeline. During the entire hour long walk I met only one other person on the green trail. Next up the orange trail.
