February 12, 2017 Sunday Hike at Starved Rock State Park

We are meeting Patty at Starved Rock this morning. Since we were ahead of her on the highway, we took the scenic route through Ottawa.

When we saw this mural, Chrissy said that is pretty cool especially since today is Lincoln's birthday. So I stopped to take a picture and discovered that Washington Park in Ottawa was the site of the first Lincoln-Douglas debate.

So Happy Birthday to President Lincoln.

The back entrance to Starved Rock off Route 71.

We started off by the Visitor's Center, then hiked up Starved Rock.

It was a beautiful day for hiking.

Resting at the top of Starved Rock.

Looking west at the Illinois River.

Then we headed down toward French Canyon.

But there were too many stairs for Oslo to climb. So we drove out to Ottawa and Kaskaskia Canyons.

We passed through the Council Overhang on our way to Ottawa Canyon.

Patty & Oslo

Patty taking pictures under the Council Overhang.

Water on the canyon floor means there might be a waterfall up the canyon.

Chrissy & Oslo in Ottawa Canyon.

I was surprised to see a small waterfall and ice since we haven't had any snow for a month and it's been above freezing for weeks.

It is always so peaceful hiking in winter.

The water is falling into this snow/ice pile...

and cutting right through it even though it isn't a strong flow.

Chrissy has both dogs but Oslo got cut off in this photo.

A girl and her dogs enjoying an unusually warm February day.

Next stop Kaskaskia Canyon.

Nola blazing her own trail through the grass and mud of Kaskaskia Canyon.

Nola seems to be enjoying her first hike at Starved Rock. There were so many new sounds and all of them required her strict attention.

More flowing water means...

...another ice covered waterfall.

While I walked around taking pictures...

...Nola kept looking for Patty, Chrissy & Oslo who were taking longer negotiating their way through the water and mud than she did.

It was so relaxing standing here seeing the ice hanging onto the tree trunks and listening to the water falling into the canyon.

Oslo getting a cold drink in Kaskaskia Canyon.

Another beautiful day for our weekend big adventure hike with Patty and the dogs.

Nola investigating a new sound. The birds were singing all day long and of course the squirrels were busy rustling through the leaves on the ground.

Patty enjoyed the hike so much she decided to bring home some mud as a souvenir from her first trip to Starved Rock.

We stopped for lunch in Ottawa on the way home and parked in front of this mural. The town has a lot of murals in the downtown area. I do love these old river towns in Illinois. Another Sunday Funday hike with Christy, Patty and my dogs. Hopefully Patty will be bringing along her own dog on these hikes very soon.