This post has been sponsored by MomDot Media and The Trust for Public Land. All opinions are my own.
My family and I love to go and enjoy the outdoors. We all need places we can go to enjoy nature and remember what is important in life.
Sometimes people think going outside and enjoy parks is only for the summer, but even in the fall and winter there is plenty to do and enjoy outside. There is hiking, boating, biking, and even skiing and snow shoeing. Last weekend my kids and I took our dogs for a hike at one of our local parks, Green Lakes State Park.
The leaves were off many trees, which made the towering pine trees seem even more majestic. It was a peaceful and relaxing way to spend a Sunday afternoon. We took the trail around Green Lake, which is about 2 miles long, and enjoyed the cool fall weather.
The trail around the lake is flat and easy, with lovely views of the lake and lots of benches to sit on and enjoy the scenery. Our dogs weren’t interested in stopping to enjoy the scenery and pose for pictures though, they wanted to hike!
The lake was covered in geese, stopping by for a rest on their migration, until some boaters on the lake scared them off.
We were far from the only ones enjoying a day at the park, as there were lots of walkers, dogs and joggers making the trek around the lake with us. This is one of the most popular of the many parks in our area year round. I took lots of pictures and put them together into a short instagram video.
The two lakes at this park aren’t just pretty – they are also geologically significant. I love science, so I find this kind of stuff fascinating! They are deep glacial lakes surrounded by pristine forest. Both the lakes are unusual because they are meromictic lakes, which means they have layers of water that don’t intermix, because of how deeply the lakes were carved out by glaciers during the last ice age. Only about 1 out of every 1000 lakes in the world is meromictic, and this is what gives the lakes their distinctly greenish colored water.
There are many hidden gems like this park all around the country! It is important to protect public lands like Green Lakes State Park and remember the importance of nature and that we all need a place to enjoy the splendor of the world and get away from the business and stress of everyday life. It is amazing to think of the huge glaciers and layers of ice that covered this park thousands of years ago, and marvel at what they left behind when they retreated. It helps put things in perspective, and to remind us of the things that we are leaving behind to future generations.
The Trust for Public Land has a mission to create and protect parks and other natural places, right in your own backyard. They want to protect and preserve nature for everyone, so that we all have a place we can stop and dig in the dirt, chase butterflies, clear our heads and let our imaginations run wild.
Visit the Trust for Public Land and create a postcard sharing the story of your favorite outdoor park, where you go for relaxation and fun. Check out the video below and then share your story and help protect the places you love!
Be sure to join The Trust for Public Land on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to learn more.
What is your favorite park to visit with your family?
That is so beautiful. Hilo, Franklin, and The Grump would LOVE it there!
Those are really great pictures! We live near Shenandoah National Park and love it. We are also really close to Skyline Drive which is especially beautiful in the fall. And you\’re right, parks are also very nice in the cooler months. I posted about our trip and if you\’d like to see the pics, they\’re pretty cool: randommommy(dot)com/2014/03/family-outing-skyline-drive/
Ahhh, that looks perfect! I sure could use a walk in the woods right now that isn’t covered in snow. I miss the greens already!
Wow! Green Lakes State Park looks stunning, you captured some beautiful shots! We love our local park, it’s amazing this time of the year. The foliage is wonderful there!
What a lovely walk you had! I enjoy being outdoors this time of year here in Phoenix, and I am glad you enjoyed your state park where you’re at too!
~Cathy~
OurMiniFamily.com
Now that is a beautiful walk. We used to love hiking when we lived on the East Coast. Here in Texas is it kind of drab 🙁
What a beautiful place! We love our local parks and woods.
That is such a beautiful place to be. I can see why it is one of your favorite places to walk.
I can’t think of a better way to spend the day. What a completely gorgeous park that is!
that looks so pretty! I used to live on a lake and loved walking around it. it was so pretty in the fall when the leaves were changing. this is making me miss it.
OMG that is so beautiful. I agree with you. Parks are great in the Fall and Winter. The leaves changing and the crisp air. I love nature.
Gorgeous! We love to hike and snowshoe as a family. Our dog hates stopping for pictures too!
This look so much fun. I cannot wait visit up north.
My favorite park to visit with my family is Hannah Park. It is a great spot in the heart of our city. There is a dog park there and trails threw the woods.
That is so peaceful and pretty. We live close to the Ocala National Forest and try to go whenever we can.
WOW, it is incredibly beautiful. 🙂 Love your vid!
When I was a kid we would always go up to Yosemite National Park. I have some great memories from that time spent with my family.
Your photos are magnificent! We haven’t been to our local state park in forever and seeing the lakes here make me miss it!! We love to go hiking at ours, since it’s less than 15 minutes away.
That is really interesting about the lake! What a beautiful park, and beautiful pups!