Raven's Roads
Living an interesting life: the travels and musings
of motorcycling author Linda R. Moore

Apr 17, 2008

Woodson Bridge’s nature trail

Woodson Bridge's Nature Trail

07 April 2008

Woodson Bridge State Recreation Area is a striking oasis just a few miles away from the interstate. Because it’s run as an environmental park, it’s a rich wonderland of woodland, river and meadow habitats with a lovely clear-cut nature trail.

I pretty much filled my hard drive up on this trip, and picked out several pictures to share in a photo essay. This is a wonderful time of year to be there–spring in full force, wildflowers everywhere, and no hint of the coming summer heat.

I stumbled upon the trail when I checked out the restrooms–the ones near the group camping.

Dead vines twist their ways up living trees and the sunlight lights up a thick green undergrowth. It is almost swamp-like.

Look at all this amazing fresh green!

Tall grasses grow underneath the canopy.

There are many dead trees and stumps which are surrounded by other forms of vegetation. Everything relies on everything else here. The air is not silent; it is full of the sounds of birds, bugs, and Creatures of the Forest. I see squirrels and lizards.

Alongside the park is the land of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. They are a Cistertian-Trappist order and are surrounded by an extensive orchard. There is something very peaceful and gentle about the energy of this land.

In the 1930s, William Randolph Hearst imported part of an 800 year old Spanish monastery. It was supposed to go up in Golden Gate Park, but never did. Now, the order is rebuilding it here, on land that used to be owned by wine magnate Leland Stanford.

After a little while, the path crosses an internal road and comes out to a lovely little picnic area.

It’s right beside the Sacramento River. The camp host was telling us that there were floods here that almost took out the small RV/trailer park across the river. Everyone pretty much had to move up to higher ground and it took weeks for everything to dry out.

The river doesn’t look so angry just now.

On the second half of the walk, the path opens up into a gorgeous meadow. Without the shading trees, it is already pretty hot!

The path splits off; I could continue on the main nature trail, or head up to the “county beach.” Because I am staying another day, I opt to complete the loop and head back on the gorgeous green trail.