It’s been almost 2 weeks since our last good hike, so the kids and I set off this morning for Wunderlich Park. We parked right by the stables and were on the trail before 9 this morning. We managed 2.6 miles and it took us a full 3 hours to do it. Slow and steady right?

Most of the trails allow equestrians, so the paths are wide and comfortable for hiking. We found the signs and directions especially good, even though we did manage a wrong turn!

We started up Bear Gulch Trail and wound our way uphill for 0.7 miles. HJ is getting to be quite a hiker, but the elevation change meant she needed a break on the way up. K had refused to walk a single step so I wasn’t too opposed to a break myself!

Even as spring is wrapping up, we still found plenty of wildflowers along the trail.

Our first clue that we’d taken a wrong turn was when we arrived at Salamander Flat without ever having seen Redwood Flat. Fortunately Salamander Flat had a bench to sit and study the map on and the coolest green algae pond the kids had ever seen. The pond was small but so densely covered it looked like you could walk on it. Once we left Salamander Flat it was all downhill on the Meadow Trail and Alambique Trail. The kids had a great time running along. We passed some nice views of Stanford but mostly concentrated on dodging the horse poop that was all over the paths. On the whole hike we passed 6 horses which thoroughly delighted the kids.

We passed this monument to the gigantic tree that once stood here. Depending on your angle it looked like a giant war mask, set beside the trail.

K insisted on being carried most of the hike, but he ran the last half mile downhill with gusto.

When the trail finished we took a few minutes to talk to the horses before eating our lunch at the picnic area.