Think Spring in the Metroparks and on the Towpath

We can hardly wait. Winter's always a time for planning, but spring is the time for getting out and doing things. The 21,000 acres of preserved green space in the Cleveland Metroparks' Emerald Necklace is starting to green, slowly but surely. The undergrowth along the Ohio and Erie Canal Towpath is becoming springy and plants are sprouting through the soil looking for light before the canopy of trees darkens the sun's rays.

Do you know about the salamander run? Brecksville Nature Center’s park rangers are pros at getting you up close and personal with salamanders, but you have to be diligent. They only run on early spring nights when the rain is falling heavily and the vernal pools are full. That’s when the salamanders emerge and run from one pool to the next across a road closed to traffic, an amazing annual event. Call 440-526-1012 and a Metroparks representative can tell you when it’s likely to happen.

Hinckley Lake’s Boathouse at the southern end of the Metropark’s necklace, is open April 1 to November 1. The boathouse rents row boats, motor boats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats and the Hinckley Queen pantoon boat. Hinckley Lake is a great place to just sit and watch the ducks glide across the surface of the water and the dragonflies flit a hovering distance away.

Look for fishing clinics, derbies, and group programs in the Emerald Necklace published by the Metroparks. Fish at Bunns Lake in Bradley Woods is a peaceful, bucolic activity, a perfect picture moment for dads and sons. The Towpath Trail not far south of Steelyard Commons is often lined with fishing poles held by fishermen sitting in lawn chairs.

Fishing is permitted anywhere along the Chagrin or Cuyahoga Rivers, Hinckley Lake, Judge’s Lake and Ledge Lake at Hinckley, the Ohio & Erie Canal of the Ohio & Erie Canal Reservation, Oxbow Lagoon in Rocky River or the Rocky River [pictured], Ranger Lake and Wallace Lake in Mill Stream reservation, and Shadow Lake in South Chagrin reservation. It’s a sure sign of spring when fishermen stand thigh-high deep in the flowing Rocky River to wait patiently for the fish to bite.

The Wild Flower Trail across from Mastick Woods in the Rocky River Reservation is one of the first places spring appears. Spring wildflowers line the trails of the darkened forest that can be a pleasant and short afternoon walk. In the spring, ephemeral short-lived spring flowers decorate moist areas--the forested areas are home to spring beauty, yellow trout, Virginia bluebells, violets, jack-in-the-pulpit, and trillium. It can become a favorite outing for parents and grandparents with little ones in tow who can learn from the weekly changes along the short trail.

The leafless trees in warm weather almost don’t last long enough to get down to the Towpath north of the Station Road Bridge where signs warn of nesting eagles. If you want to see the nest of the eagles and great blue heron nests, get to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Towpath, fast. Once the leaves fill in on the west side of the Cuyahoga River, the huge nests that sit high in the trees will no longer be visible. The herons, with their graceful long necks, perch on their nests, and once in a while, a bird leaps out of the nest and into the air, wings spread wide, to soar over the River. It’s a wonderful experience to witness bald eagles flying with a graceful flapping of wings and looking for fish near the dam where fish are flung over the top and get trapped.

Both the Cuyahoga Valley National Park and the Cleveland Metroparks celebrate spring with special programming. Look for the North Coast Nature Festival, Farm & Garden day at Garfield Park Nature Center, weekly hikes and bird watching, music at Look About Lodge or Happy Days Visitor Center, arts and crafts shows, and special evening presentations on Friday and Saturday nights. Information is available through a click of your mouse and the typing of a few words.

Preserved natural spaces refresh and invigorate tired and bored bodies and minds. They provide a great place to relax and burrow our feet into soft grass. Pack a cooler with drink and food and make a day of getting to know what Mother Nature has to offer.

Get out there and get barefoot. It’s spring. Finally!

From Cool Cleveland contributor Claudia J. Taller ctallerwritesATwowway.com

Visit Claudia online at http://claudiatallermusings.blogspot.com

Photo by Thomas Mulready (:divend:)