Lookout Mountain Forest Preserve — Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025

Took Rufus Creek trail and detoured to Leila June trail for solitude. Gets dark so early these days and with cloudy overcast conditions, I ran out of time to reach the overlook. Took Rufus Creek Trail back down. 15,000 steps according to my iPhone.

Highlights were a massive grove of Douglas fir on the way back down, abundant sword fern, and a very close hairy woodpecker foraging on the Doug fir bark.

The facilities are nice and trail is well maintained. Only complaint is massive potholes in the parking lot- really needs to be taken care of.