Scrapbook AdventuresA Very Special Hike in the Yellow River State Forest
Text and photos by Kip Ladage
It's time to get comfortable; we're going on another adventure. On second thought, don't get too cozy -- this short journal entry originated from a very short hike. Although the hike and its description were both minimal in length, the hike was certainly long on meaning.
This adventure began as most of my other treks did -- I had a couple of days off from work and an overpowering urge to "get back to nature." Unlike other recent outings, the timing of this hike also worked well for my son Zach. We've been struggling over the past year for time when both of our schedules afforded us the opportunity to hike together. We had only two days to sneak away, but we were still excited and anxious to hit the road.
Our destination was the Yellow River State Forest in Allamakee County, near the Mississippi River in Northeast Iowa. I had hiked the Yellow River State Forest before, but this was Zach's first exposure on foot to the rugged ridges in this part of the state.
We reached the Ranger's Station by mid afternoon. Unseasonably warm temperatures and sunny skies beckoned us to the trail. As we performed our final pack checks, a college group from a school in Illinois arrived, obviously also intending to enjoy the Yellow River State Forest.
From the beginning, we knew this hike would be short and simple. Simple because little gear and food needed to be carried, and short because of time limitations. We carried only enough food for two meals and enough water for a day. (Due to unusually low rainfall, I wasn't sure if the streams along the trail would have sufficient water for filtering.)
We selected the John Schultz campsite as our destination for the day. According to the basic topo/trail maps available from the Iowa Department of Natural Resources, our trail would climb briefly before leveling near the clearing and designated campsite. We estimated our actual hike time would be an hour or less.
Just as I remembered from a previous trip, the Yellow River State Forest Back
Pack Trail begins wide near the Ranger's Station. Even though the path was wide enough to allow truck traffic, the trail side scenery was breathtaking.
Autumn's colors decorated the woodlands -- both the treetops and the forest floor. Each of our footsteps was punctuated with the loud crunch of brittle leaves. With each crunch, the aromatic fragrance of the season wafted through
the air. Even the few remaining annoying insects ignored us. Ahh...the essence of autumn....
Much to our surprise, we reached the John Schultz campsite about the same time we began to break a sweat. The designated campsite was constructed in a clearing, very near a grain field on the edge of the state forest property.
Hardly remote, the setting allowed us to sample the woodland scenery, Iowa's agricultural landscape, and an impressive view of the region's rolling terrain.
Closer to camp, the surroundings were filled with shades of every color as the timber vegetation and trees evolved to their final presentation for the year. Nothing in particular attracted our attention more than anything else, yet the overall beauty of the area was captivating.
Zach and I searched the John Schultz campsite for an ideal location for our tent. Unfortunately, locating level ground was not possible. Instead, we settled for a
gentle slope near the remains of a campfire.
Afternoon activities were limited to essential duties. We set up our tent, checked the trails near our site, and organized gear for the evening. After that, we each did our own thing. Zach stretched out in the tent for a short, mid afternoon snooze while I photographed our surroundings.
By late afternoon we were both ready for a meal. In an effort to limit weight and effort, we chose to dine on field cooked Kraft Easy-Mac. Minutes into our supper effort, I knew we were in trouble. Zach is not a big fan of Easy Mac on a good day, and he certainly wasn't enthused about it on this hike. Compounding that obstacle was the fact that the Easy Mac's packaging clearly states, "Microwave Only."
On recent hikes across Isle Royale, I learned that ½ cup of boiling water mixed with the Easy Mac ingredients created a somewhat palatable substance. I'm certain Zach did not agree with the palatable description.
He struggled to gag down the first of two packages I fixed for him. By the time
Zach started on the second dose, he abruptly announced he wasn't eating another bite of Easy Mac.
We discussed his options and compromised on Zach's idea. He pulled my trowel from my pack, hiked to the open field, and promptly buried a serving of my excellent cooking!!
Zach returned from his Easy Mac burial efforts with a sheepish smirk on his face. His body language clearly stated, "I guess I won that one Dad!" Since he was still hungry, I mixed a dessert of blueberry cheesecake. We both ate that cheesecake with no hesitation.
Our post supper activities were minimal -- clean up our meal, secure gear for the overnight, and enjoy each other's company.
The Iowa DNR permits campfires in the Yellow River State Forest. In fact, I've camped in the forest sites where fully stacked wood piles were provided. (We've always assumed the DNR provides the wood.)
Anyway, Zach and I enjoyed a small campfire before retiring early for the evening. As soon as the sun dropped deeply below the horizon, we climbed into the tent for the night.
Tent conversations focused on one theme after another for an hour or two, or until we nodded off to sleep.
Both Zach and I had a less than restful night of sleep. First, it was chillier than expected. We were able and willing to adapt to the cool temperatures. Second, we both repeatedly slid downward, off our sleeping pads, due to the slope of the site. Nonetheless, by morning we were both somewhat rested and ready to pack up and hike out. We knew we were nearly out of hiking time.
Again, the weather was ideal for hiking. Comfortable temperatures and a sky full of color graced the trail. It didn't take long (20-25 minutes of unremarkable hiking) to reach the trail head and the end of our hike.
Would we hike the Yellow River State Forest again? Of course, but I am not sure we would stay at the John Schultz Campsite. If at all possible, I would prefer to spend more time on the trail. By doing so, we would experience more of the forest, hike past the overlooks, and reach a more comfortable campsite. However, if a short hike to the John Schultz campsite was my only chance to hike again with my son, I'd hit the trail immediately!
For more information on backpacking in the Yellow River State Forest, click here.
Click here to link to Ladage Photography and Destinations.
