Hiking In Fort Jackson State Forest - Part 2

The dogs and I had hiked our way to the edge of the St. Regis River in Fort Jackson State Forest. I did a bit of rock hopping along the edges, mindful of my former fall while doing the same thing, and also of my injured ankles. The dogs were far less cautious and ran along the trail having a grand time:

They stopped from time to time for a drink of cool water or to venture out onto the rocks for a closer look:

And then it was time to begin our way back toward the car:

Nothing was marked and, I soon learned, it was easy to take a wrong turn. But we managed to stay on the trail and I could remember various stops we'd made along the way. Or at least we managed to do so after one wrong turn was corrected:

We began entering the section of forest which was heavy with Beech trees and their golden, autumn foliage gleamed even more in the afternoon sun than it had on our way down to the river:

The forest seemed almost supernatural, with an inner glow which simultaneously soothed and excited:

The dogs were having a great time and were calmed down enough that they stayed close at hand and I didn't have to keep yelling for them to stop. All was right with the world just then:

I thought that this must be the most lovely forest I'd ever seen. But of course I keep thinking that everywhere I go - beauty heaped upon beauty. This is reason enough to preserve our natural places:

We climbed to the high point where we joined the main road once again:

And then the walking was flatter, smoother and easier. The golden colors, however, still abounded:

The dogs broke into an excited run when they saw the car. I always find it both amusing and pleasing that the dogs are as happy to jump back into the car as they were to jump out of it:

When I had all five happy dogs in the car and smiling at me, I joined them, backed cautiously out of the trees and onto the narrow, bumpy, leaf covered road. It had been a brief and happy hike with spectacular autumn colors: