West Mountain

All posts tagged West Mountain

Earth Day Hike in Hot Springs National Park: 6 MTS, a Creek, a Pond and the Peaks

Posted by Lee Hiller on April 23, 2013
Posted in: Hot Springs National Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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You may have noticed I am a day late posting this blog, I had a plan for Earth Day.  I would go the Ricks/Fordyce Pond and hike one section of Sunset Trail in Hot Springs National Park come home and post my blog.  Once I reached the Trail spur to the Fordyce Peaks I decide to take a side trip out to the peaks.  When I returned to the Sunset Trail I traveled until I was on Sugarloaf Mountain.  At that point I got into to my head to hike on all 6 Mountains so I headed to Indian, West, Music, Hot Springs and North Mountains.  It is National Park week so touching all areas of the park was a logical course change.  After some serious mountain hiking miles I returned home a bit later than originally intended.   It was a glorious Earth Day…

Love to ALL!
Lee

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Last Days of Summer on West Mountain

Posted by Lee Hiller on September 9, 2012
Posted in: Hot Springs National Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . 2 Comments

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I try to dance lightly across the Earth leaving only a gentle trace of my existence. ~ Lee Hiller

Summer heat is still with us and I am looking forward to cooler temperatures and autumn Leaves.  Like many places in the United States winter was less than a month, spring arrived in January and summer in April.  The heat has made hiking brutal and sometimes dangerous for four months. Yes, I am yearning for a change of season.  The drought has devastated many Deciduous Trees in Arkansas and their Leaves already blanket the Forest floor.   My hike on West Mountain was an exploratory mission to see how many leaves are left for the autumn Leaf change.  Although some areas are barren as if it already winter I am happy to report there are more on the slopes than I had originally believed.

Love to ALL!
Lee

Spring 2012 An Autumn Leaf in Hot Springs National Park

Posted by Lee Hiller on June 13, 2012
Posted in: Hot Springs National Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

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Within the silence of the new morning we can hear the wisdom of the Universe. ~ Lee Hiller

Last Friday as I looked across from Hot Springs Mountain to West Mountain I noticed someone on the Oak Trail.  I was so happy as it has been closed for several months due to a slide.  So I asked Rick if he wanted to hike the trail with me.  It was already in the 80s at 8:30 when we headed up the canyon trail and connected with the Oak trail.  Unfortunately after hiking several hundred yards we discovered the orange plastic fence was still be in place.  The trail was still closed which had me wondering how the hiker I saw last Friday managed to gain access.

With the heat rising we headed down West Mountain, across the Historic District and up North Mountain.  The breeze on the Floral Trail was glorious and made the humidity seem bearable.  I was glad we drained our water bottles and refilled at the spring before the climb.   I sweat when I hike… no delicate girly perspiration.  My hairline flows like Niagara Falls it is the perfect sauna effect fueled by the humidity and the copious amounts of local spring water I am guzzling.   The perfect morning on the trails, a spa treatment and workout combo.

An hour  later we were on the Hot Springs Mountain Trail and I noticed an autumn Leaf.  Not an old weathered crunchy rust colored one, a fresh soft beautiful newly fallen autumn Leaf.  It is a glorious red with yellow veins glowing on the trail in the hazy humid late spring morning.  No winter, a spring that has felt more like summer and now an autumn Leaf.    Maybe we will get snow in September…

Love to You ALL!
Lee

Spring Leaves and Wildflowers Graced Our Journey On West Mountain

Posted by Lee Hiller on April 2, 2012
Posted in: Hot Springs National Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 3 Comments

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A late afternoon hike was cloaked in heavy air so thick you could see it and feel it in your lungs.  Usually we don’t experience this phenomenon until late May or early June.  I forgot how much my lungs despise heavy humidity as we were hiking up West Mountain trails.  No winter, an early spring and now the first signs of summer.  On days like this I keep trying to clean my sunglasses so I can see clearly, but in the end the air wins.

I had a wonderful hike with my husband to celebrate the first day of April.  Please enjoy a first taste of spring on West  Mountain, beautiful new green leaves and wildflowers graced our journey.   A frown cannot survive in the presence of a wildflower 🙂  Prepare to smile…

Love to ALL!
Lee

Some Of My Favorite Hiking Memories of 2011

Posted by Lee Hiller on December 30, 2011
Posted in: Hot Springs National Park. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , . 1 Comment

Continuing from Some Of My Favorite Moments from 2010… Where to begin, it would not be possible without YOU! Thank You to those who have kindly subscribed and clicked through to my blog this year. A blog is nothing without readers, those who hike with me via my words and photographs on Hike Our Planet this is dedicated to you!

A special Thank You to my beloved husband Rick who puts up with my
time away hiking and photographing the beauty of Arkansas.

2011 was filled with wonderful moments along the trails in Arkansas. I created more videos and became more adept at capturing creatures with my new camera and lens.  I visited two new parks (for me) and hiked many new trails.  Snow fell, leaves sprouted, wildflowers bloomed, heat sizzled and autumn painted the trails.  In November 2011 I celebrated the 2nd anniversary of my Hike Our Planet blog.  Added  40+ new videos to my new YouTube blog Channel Lee Hiller Designs Photography. Videos included a series for Photographers For Japan to aid Mercy Corps with Japan earthquake/tsunami relief.  Lake Ouachita State Park’s Caddo bend Trail was hit by a tornado so sadly the trail won’t reopen until late 2012 (hopefully).

If you have your own favorite post or photograph from my 2011 blog posts please share it in the comments below.  You can click on any of the blog titles below to re-read any of my favorites.

January 2011 – OH DEER! Horseshoe Mountain in Lake Catherine State Park

LCSP Horseshoe Mountain Whitetail Deer

January 2010 – Lake Ouachita State Park – Caddo Bend Trail Pt 1

Lake Ouachita State Park Caddo Trail Observation Deck

February 2011 – Robins Return to Hot Springs with the Winter Snow

Entrance Male Cardinal in Snow

Arlington Lawn American Robin Snow

March 2011 – Moths, Butterflies, Wildflowers and Fordyce Peaks Hiking Along the Sunset Trail

HSNP Fordyce Ricks Pond Luna Moth

April 2011 – Spring Paints North Mountain with Wildflowers and Butterflies

HSNP Goat Rock Trail Wild Hyacinth Orange Yellow Butterfly

May 2011 – West Mountain Spring Pink Fire and a Dung Beetle Video

HSNP West Mountain Top Trail Pink Fire

June 2011 – Beautiful Blue Jay, Foraging Squirrels and a big Fly?

Hot Springs National Park Arlington Lawn Blue Jay

June 2011 – Pileated Woodpecker Brothers in Hot Springs National Park

July 2011 – Natures Beauty: Eastern Cottontail, Scarlet Tanagers and Wildflowers

HSNP Tufa Terrace Trail Male Eastern Cottontail

August 2011 – Hiking in Hot Springs National Park and The City Pt 1

HSNP Sugarloaf Mountain Sunset Trail Summer

September 2011 – The City Cradled By Hot Springs National Park

City Cradled By Hot Springs National Park

October 2011 – Zen Rocks, Wildflowers and Colorful Wings on Sugarloaf Mountain

HSNP Sugarloaf Mountain Balanced Rock Trail View

November 2011 – Autumn Leaves, Sundogs, Butterflies and Mockingbirds

HSNP Sky Over Hot Springs Mt. Rainbow Clouds Sundogs

December 2011 – Heavenly Mountain View of a Foggy Sunrise in the Valley

HSNP Sunrise Valley Fog View From Hot Springs Mountain

December 2011 – Beautiful Birds in the Autumn Fog

HSNP Hot Spring Mountain Road Tufted Titmouse

Hit The Trails in Hot Springs National Park All Year Round

2011 Winter Spring Summer Wildflowers in Arkansas Pt 1
2011 Winter Spring Summer Wildflowers in Arkansas Pt 2
2011 Winter Spring Summer Wildflowers in Arkansas Pt 3

2011 Butterflies: Red Spotted Purple Butterfly
2011 Birds of Hot Springs National Park: Brown Thrasher

2010 Field Notes: Turkey Vultures
2010 Field Notes: Wild About Mockingbirds
2010 Field Notes: Ice Ribbons and Frost Flowers
2010 Field Notes: Damselfly Dragonfly its in the Wings and Eyes
2010 Field Notes: Mixed-Species Foraging Flock Robins and Waxwings
2010 Field Notes: Woodpeckers Of Hot Springs National Park

2010 The Best Of: Trails and Paths
2010 The Best Of: Butterflies
2010 The Best Of: Birds
2010 The Best Of: Squirrels
2010 The Best Of: Chipmunks