We went to Cougar Mtn Regional Park today looking for early spring wildflowers and were not disappointed.  We pulled into the Redtown Th just before 9:00 and parking spaces were limited.  It appeared 2 larger hiking groups were assembling there.  It was 46 degrees with mostly overcast skies.  The 2 Porta Potties were clean and had supplies.  Our 7 mile route followed: Wildside, Marshall Hill, Crosstown, DeLeo Wall Viewpoint, DeLeo Wall, Indian, Quarry, Coal Creek Fall, Cave Hole, Nike-Horse, Sky Country and Military Road trails back to Redtown Trail head.  All the trails are saturated soil, mostly well drained with a few muddy areas.  Marshall Hill Road had 3 recent blow downs over the trail near the Little Creek Connector Trail. Coltsfoot, Trillium, Chocolate Lilies, Fawn Lilies and Yellow Violets are all blooming. Bleeding hearts will not be far behind.   It was sad to see the DeLeo Wall Chocolates lilies with the blooms nipped off.  It’s hard to say if it was munching wildlife or humans.  We also had numerous wildlife sightings: Juncos, Robins, Wrens, Crows, Finches, 2 Douglas Squirrels and a lone mouse scurrying back and forth on Military Road trail.  The rain started near the DeLeo wall viewpoint so everyone dawned rain gear and put on packs covers.  That dampened the mood of the day for a bit, but let up by the time we made our way up to Coal Creek Falls.  With sun shadows drifting down through the trees we sat down for a short lunch rest break.  Being close to the rushing water we chilled down so were back on the trail after about a 30 minute break. The Redtown parking area had thinned out to about 1/4 full when we drove off just before 2:00.  Another fantastic day out in nature with friends.   

I'd read another trip report that Cougar Mtn waterfalls are in peak flow right now, so I mapped a run to hit Coal Creek Falls, Doughty Falls, and Far Country Falls - they were beautiful! 6.5 miles, about 1,500 ft elevation gain.

Red Town Trailhead parking was about 1/2 full when I arrived at 8:15am, and was full when I finished around 10:30.

The trails were in good condition, no blowdown, light mud here and there, no snow. Weather/temps were great. Spotted some skunk cabbage blooms. And, did I mention the falls were amazing? 

We accessed Cougar Mtn Park via City of Newcastle trails on a dumbbell shaped route (see picture). At the north end of the route, we paused at the kiosk for some interesting Ford Slope Mine history and vintage photos of the hey day of coal mining. While returning to the TH on City of Newcastle trails, we passed a large area tagged for tree removal (some big trees 😭) and demolition of a ruined structure. A passing worker said the area is being developed for another subdivision of housing. Despite lots of rain within the past week, all trails were mud-free. Two large blow-downs but not difficult to climb over.  See pictures.  Trail along the wall section of DeLeo Wall trail is sometimes sloped & eroded.

We had a beautiful winter hike from Lake Boren Park today!  After 3+ inches of overnight snow the parking area and lawns were bathed in shimmering snow. All the surface streets to drive there were bare and wet.  It was 32 degrees with blue skies when we started walking.  Many families and kids were sledding down the sloped park before the eventual melt out.  Our 6.4 mile hike went north around Laken Boren and up surface streets to the Crosstown Th opposite Beit Tikvah Temple. There was more snow out in the open at Lake Boren than up in Cougar Mountain and the DeLeo Wall View Point Trail. Thanks to whomever is widening and maintaining the Crosstown Trail, evidence of your work and little pink flags were everywhere.  Bravo!!! As temperatures started rising we kept being pelted by melting snow blobs all through the trees.  By the time we reached DeLeo Wall View Point (no view- clouds moved in from the south) our clothes were soaking up moisture.  After grabbing a short snack we continued south and took a right on the Cougar Access Trail.  It was disheartening to see all the trees tagged with pink construction tape, bulldozers to the north in the woods plus wide swaths of the forest being cleared.  I thought this area was saved by the “Save the DeLeo Wall” movement a few years ago.  Evidently not, it appeared that area was being groomed for large scale development.  With snow cover and new roads being punched through I had to rely on All Trails to get down to the Highland Trail and routes I recognized. Trail traffic was what we expected, solitary.  We only saw one other person out in the woods.  The birds on the other hand were every where. We saw large groups of robins, juncos, sparrows in the underbrush and low canopy.  Crossing over Coal Creek Park way we followed the May Creek and Waterline Trails back to Lake Boren.  Another fantastic day out in the woods.

It's hair ice season! Did a big loop around Cougar Mountian with our two newish doggos. Lots of hair ice and other frosty things to see. Trails are not just maintained but I'm pretty sure they are raked too. We got there at 9 and there were maybe 5 cars, which surprised me on a sunny Sunday in January. By the time we left the lot was packed. There are some devastatingly bad pot holes in the lot, so drive careful.