Along the Taylor River Valley near Almont are multiple hikes, IF you can find the trailheads. Each of the campgrounds has a hike and a parking area. The hike we choose was Doctor’s Meadow or Park. This is a popular mountain bike trail so be careful and pay attention to bikes on corners. We began the climb at the river’s edge and began to steeply ascend.
“He split the rocks in the wilderness and gave them water as abundant as the seas; He brought streams out of a rocky crag and made water flow down like rivers.” Psalms 78:15-16 NIV
The path had embedded concrete blocks staked into the sharp inclines to help the bikers. I could not help but be amazed at whoever carried up those blocks up this path. The path has multiple switchbacks, each one allowing a place to catch your breath and lower your heart rate as you climb.
After mountaineering for thirty minutes, there was a fascinating display of boulders. They made a cave like structure when they tumbled and rested on each other. From one side, the sun was setting and it was warm. From the other side of the rocks, they formed a perfect picture frame of mountain across the river.
We climbed 460 feet in thirty minutes. Be careful, as it is at high altitude and the whole path goes on for four more miles. You can see the river and the distant campgrounds and be pleased with your ability to climb. We turned around and descended.
How high have you hiked? What rock formations do you remember? When do you turn around on a difficult hike?