5 of 40: lake vista recreation trail







This weekend we were able to hike our fifth trail of the year, the Lake Vista Recreation Trail at Blue Springs Lake. This is the best online map I could find. It is also called the Blue Springs Multipurpose Trail. 

This was a new-to-us trail, and one we didn't really enjoy! It is a part-paved, part-gravel trail. Many of the gravel portions have deep rivets from erosion making it difficult to walk. The unseasonably warm weather had many people on this trail, both bikers and walkers (and I have an idea it is well-used anyway due to the trail head's easy access location near two main roads). We had to be very aware of the bikers, and as Jesse said later it wasn't enjoyable hiking having to be so wary of potential bikers coming around a bend. The trail is lined with trees, but it's not a canopy so for most of the trail we didn't have shade. We obviously prefer enclosed, narrow, woodland trails to this type.

The trail is a five mile loop, but to complete it you have to walk on the edge of two busy streets, which isn't our style, so we walked in and out the same path making for a 4.6 mile hike. Although this wasn't our favorite path, I am grateful for such warm weather in February and the ability to be active with my family. For some reason on the drive home my mind reminisced to the days when we had to organize our schedule around the children's nap/quiet time needs, whereas now we are so mobile that naps aren't needed and quiet time can be found on a car drive. Each season of life with children has its own gifts to be received in its own unique way; there are challenges as well, but I try to consciously choose receiving those as gifts too!


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