Kinzua Dam is located on the Allegheny River, a short jaunt from our house. We hadn't been to the dam before, so I took the boys and my mom on a little adventure. The drive was quite pretty, and we found the dam with little difficulty.
The Visitor's Center was closed, but the boys enjoyed the small playground outside. We wandered around the area and watched water spilling through the dam.
There was a short nature trail through the woods, and the boys loved climbing the rocks on the trail. I had forgotten to put the boys' coats in the car, so they used Grandma's sweatshirt and my jacket. The morning was a bit chillier than I expected.
We found several trillium growing in the woods. They were so pretty with the light shining through the petals. This one was growing on top of a rock, in very shallow soil.
We also went Letterboxing. Matt found the box we were searching for and was excited to add to his collection of stamps.
My mom snapped a picture of me with the boys, and I was grateful for that. I'm usually behind the camera so there are very few pictures of me with the little guys!
We were all impressed with the trees growing around the giant boulders. The root systems were fascinating and the boys had a great time climbing and playing along the nature trail.
Nolan had a great time walking along the Allegheny River. Both boys spent time throwing stones into the river and watching a few Canada Geese flying overhead.
We headed over to Jake's Rocks next, where both boys were instructed to stay on the trail. There are sharp drop-offs, though the trail is well marked and easy to hike with little kids.
There was some off-trail rock climbing allowed, of course. Both boys had a blast exploring.
Nolan wanted to jump off of every rock, which made us a bit nervous. He insisted he "get down by my own!" He's a very independent sort of fellow, though we had to insist on holding his hand in some sections of the park.
Both boys loved holding Grandma's hands on the trail. Everyone was tired out and happy by the time we reached the parking lot again.
The road home led to a few overlooks of the Kinzua Dam. The reservoir held really blue water, and I love this picture of Matt on the stone wall.
We left Pennsylvania (after stopping for some ice cream) - we'll be heading back to this area again. It was a fantastic place to hike with little kids!
6 comments:
aw seems like you all had a briliant day out and lovley pics! hope grandma loved it as much as the boys climbing the rocks!! i lobe nature its so awe espring!! :)
Can I have you email me the pictures of the boys and I? I really like the one of me holding their hands. NO HURRY! My memories are still fresh. Hugs.
Of course, Mom! I can send you print-outs or the electronic copy via email.
Oh, fun! That's a gorgeous area, and I love the blue, blue water. My boys - like yours - would love the roots and rocks to climb on.
Julie
So glad you had a good time. Well deserved after all the stress over Nolan's health. Looks like things are going well!! I think of you and the boys often. Allegany State Park and the Kinzua area is a lot of fun in the summer time. My son was always planning on buying the big house in Allegany State Park and living there. So far, hasn't happened!
It is really pretty - and only about 1/2 hour away! We have a lot of very beautiful places nearby!
Post a Comment