Footpaths is a hiking and nature blog, publishing articles on our experiences in the great outdoors. We like to interact with others that love nature and advocate for Mother Earth.https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.socialhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mm2b4xky4s2cOld farms frequently present interesting observations. Such was the case when we recently hiked the Upper Cove area at Cove Spring Park in Frankfort, KY. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/05/17/the-upper-cove-cove-spring-park-frankfort-kentucky/17 May 2026 11:30 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mm2b4xky4s2chttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mliost3qk22rIt was Earth Day and we were in the Florida Panhandle. A short hike in Shoreline Park took us through three interesting habitats, including a mixed coastal hammock, where we saw some native blueberries. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/05/10/shoreline-park-gulf-breeze-florida/10 May 2026 11:47 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mliost3qk22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mkx2tlbh322lFernald Preserve is an environmental success story. Once a Superfund waste site, it is now a 1050 acre nature preserve. The amphibians that we noted on our hike, including this Blanchard's Cricket Frog, are testimony to the health of this habitat. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/05/03/fernald-preserve-hamilton-ohio/03 May 2026 11:34 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkx2tlbh322lhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mkfgyghqos2uThe Pa-hay-okee Overlook Trail takes one into the Everglades' "sea-of-grass" as well as into a tree canopy, for close observation of nature. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/04/26/pa-hay-okee-overlook-trail-everglades-national-park/26 Apr 2026 11:24 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mkfgyghqos2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mk3mqplfv225Happy Earth Day to all that celebrate and enjoy what our natural world has to offer. Today I post an image from the Longleaf Pine Savanna of the Florida Panhandle, one of my favorite habitats to hike in. What hiking venues or habitats are special to you? Post a pic!22 Apr 2026 13:40 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mk3mqplfv225https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mjtycnaapk2dTwo weeks ago we found ourselves celebrating spring's rebirth at Ohio River Bluffs Preserve on a south facing hillside trail that was absolutely covered in wildflowers. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/04/19/the-ohio-river-bluffs-trail-ohio-river-bluffs-nature-preserve-manchester-ohio/19 Apr 2026 12:46 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjtycnaapk2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mjc6yable225We experienced a few road blocks on this spring ephemeral outing, but we eventually found a nice collection of flowers in Caesar Creek Gorge at Caesar Creek State Park. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/04/12/the-gorge-trail-caesar-creek-state-park-waynesville-ohio/12 Apr 2026 10:57 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mjc6yable225https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3miqmu7psss2rA couple of weeks ago Footpaths went in search of the rare Snow Trillium, one of the first spring ephemerals to bloom each year, and one of the trilliums that we had never seen. We were surprised to find many other ephemerals starting their annual display. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/04/05/in-search-of-snow-trillium-miller-nature-sanctuary-bainbridge-ohio/05 Apr 2026 11:18 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3miqmu7psss2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mi7mlk666c2jIn the Everglades we were intrigued by the presence of very short, but mature appearing cypress trees along the roadway. Turns out that they are a fascinating ecological story. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/03/29/the-dwarf-cypress-of-the-everglades/29 Mar 2026 16:58 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mi7mlk666c2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mhn5h7mfcc2rThe Anhinga Trail in the Everglades is the most utilized trail in the park due to the wildlife that concentrates there - yes, including a great number of alligators. Its a fun little jaunt. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/03/22/anhinga-trail-everglades-national-park-homestead-florida/22 Mar 2026 08:39 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhn5h7mfcc2rhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mhlkofw5e22qYesterday we found Snow Trillium at Miller Nature Sanctuary in Bainbridge, OH. This was a first siting for us. It is a little late in the season for this early bloomer. I would suggest a hike on the nearby Barrett's Ridge Trail, which is on a north facing slope and perhaps less further along .21 Mar 2026 17:30 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mhlkofw5e22qhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mh3un6bchs2mOn our first morning in the Everglades we took a backcountry boat tour of the mangrove lined waterways. It was a great introduction into the uniqueness of the Everglades habitat and the wildlife that calls it home. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/03/15/back-country-boat-tour-everglades-national-park-homestead-florida/15 Mar 2026 11:46 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mh3un6bchs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mgkdfsggq22rFootpaths had a late January stay in Everglades National Park. It is a great collection of habitats and an outstanding destination for birding. This week we present an overview of the park. More focused articles on our experiences will follow. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/03/08/everglades-national-park-homestead-florida/08 Mar 2026 12:22 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mgkdfsggq22rhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mfyrrsdpps2hI wasn't deserting the photographer. We were at the Brukner Nature Center in search of Skunk Cabbage, the first wildflower to bloom each year. With parts of the trail covered in ice, I was scouting ahead looking for safe passage to the Swamp Trail. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/03/01/brukner-nature-center-troy-ohio/01 Mar 2026 12:51 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfyrrsdpps2hhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mfhaifznjc2qFootpaths recently ventured to Dry Tortugas National Park where we took in the history and hiked to a Frigatebird rookery on Bush Key. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/02/22/dry-tortugas-national-park-florida/22 Feb 2026 13:27 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mfhaifznjc2qhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mevif6sdik24We were in the South of France and headed to Peyriac de Mer to see the Great Flamingos that had taken up residence in a former salt works. To our surprise, the flamingos were gray. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/02/15/the-flamingos-of-the-salt-works-peyriac-de-mer-france/15 Feb 2026 12:00 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mevif6sdik24https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mee3xckkec2gPerhaps there is no better way to immerse yourself into a place than to walk an ancient footpath that connects its villages. That was our experience when we hiked along the Canal du Midi in the Occitanie region of France. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/02/08/the-canal-du-midi-trail-le-somail-france/08 Feb 2026 14:02 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mee3xckkec2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mdsgfiszq224We were hiking in Northern Kentucky, trying to find some beauty on the winter landscape. Little did we expect an old friend to show up. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/02/01/the-ironwood-trail-kincaid-lake-state-park-falmouth-kentucky/01 Feb 2026 13:21 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdsgfiszq224https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mdaqxrcdxk2vWith much of the United States getting buried in snow and ice, we thought that it would be fun to post an article about a surprising hike in an old-growth forest that we experienced in the heat of last summer at Simpson Nature Preserve. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/01/25/simpson-nature-preserve-loveland-ohio/25 Jan 2026 12:43 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mdaqxrcdxk2vhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mcpbhdj3f22aTo end 2025 Footpaths headed to the Tailwaters Trail at East Fort Lake State Park in Ohio. We had a few logistical surprises but in the end got the streamside views that we were seeking. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/01/18/tailwaters-trail-east-fork-lake-state-park-bethel-ohio/18 Jan 2026 13:50 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mcpbhdj3f22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mc5m63mujs2nFootpaths recently traveled to the Florida Panhandle to hike in one of our favorite habitats, the Longleaf Pine wet savanna. It was a welcomed escape from a Midwest winter into an ecological wonderland. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/01/11/the-spur-trail-garcon-point-water-management-area-milton-florida/11 Jan 2026 13:13 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mc5m63mujs2nhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mblxpbzvc22aThis week Footpaths has done something a little different. We integrated some historic old photos of Devou Park in Covington, Kentucky into an article about the multi-use trail there, recapturing the same views almost 100 years later. https://footpathsblog.com/2026/01/04/the-multi-use-path-devou-park-covington-kentucky/04 Jan 2026 12:52 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mblxpbzvc22ahttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3mb2ha6wfmk26This past September Footpaths traveled to the South of France and hiked the Dune du Pilat, the largest sand dune in Europe, and one of the largest in the world. It was a fascinating mix of geography, botany, and people. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/12/28/dune-du-pilat-la-teste-de-buch-france/28 Dec 2025 13:42 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mb2ha6wfmk26https://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3maipzls5ms2lFootpaths made a recent visit to the Florida Panhandle and hiked on a strip of land between the Gulf of Mexico and a beautiful coastal dune lake - a rare, diverse ecosystem. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/12/21/dune-lake-trail-grayton-beach-state-park-santa-rosa-beach-florida/21 Dec 2025 12:31 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3maipzls5ms2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m7x6grhzgc2lWe had a fresh 5 inches of snow and a new telephoto lens when we headed to an old-growth forest, where snow does magical things. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/12/14/california-woods-nature-preserve-in-the-snow-cincinnati-ohio/14 Dec 2025 13:01 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7x6grhzgc2lhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m7fnfiwrxk2yWet weather and a scheduling crunch caused us to look close to home for an outing, and we were rewarded by some interesting observations of things commonly seen in community parks. #Embshoffwoods https://footpathsblog.com/2025/12/07/embshoff-woods-cincinnati-ohio/07 Dec 2025 13:41 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m7fnfiwrxk2yhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m6u7dd6m322jA surprise snow added beauty to our recent hike in Rocky Fork Gorge at the Arc of Appalachia's Highland Nature Sanctuary. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/11/30/barretts-rim-trail-highland-nature-sanctuary-bainbridge-ohio/30 Nov 2025 15:14 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6u7dd6m322jhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m6ce24exmc2bIts not often that you come upon a 27 foot sculpture of the Tin Man from the Wizard of Oz in a forest. But then again, you can expect the unexpected at Bernheim Forest. #whimsy https://footpathsblog.com/2025/11/23/iron-ore-loop-trail-bernheim-forest-clermont-kentucky/23 Nov 2025 12:51 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m6ce24exmc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m5qqxrpklk2jRecently Footpaths visited The Oxbow Nature Conservancy in Southwest Indiana to observe some of the migrating wildlife. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/11/16/migration-season-oxbow-nature-conservancy-lawrenceburg-indiana/16 Nov 2025 12:54 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m5qqxrpklk2jhttps://bsky.app/profile/footpaths.bsky.social/post/3m573luwr322zIt was a glorious fall day when we did a leaf color hike at East Fork Lake State Park in Ohio and we were treated to a bounty of yellow and some outstanding vistas. I so underappreciated this park as a hiking venue before this visit. https://footpathsblog.com/2025/11/09/lake-trail-east-fork-lake-state-park-amelia-ohio/09 Nov 2025 12:16 +0000at://did:plc:goekr4527osr5ep6nf7cj5bb/app.bsky.feed.post/3m573luwr322z