I live in the Hocking Hills region of Ohio where we have countless visitors come for the fall foliage. The trees are mostly bare now so the flow of visitors has slowed some, leaving the trails pleasantly quiet.
While the brilliant golds and reds of fall are gorgeous, I think there’s still something beautiful about the landscape after the leaves fall. It’s stark and basic. It’s quiet and calming. The beauty is subtle but lovely, even on a gloomy day.
This is one of a series of photos made on the Moonville Rail Trail over the weekend. We had the trail mostly to ourselves except at the end when we arrived back at the historic tunnel where people gathered to ghost hunt. I wondered if they would venture out of the tunnel to appreciate the starkness of the transformed landscape.
For their sake, I hope so.
Have you read “Grandma Gatewood’s Walk The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Applalachain Trail?” She did many hikes, but her favorite was a trail in Hocking Hills SP. They have since named the trail after her.
Yes! Grandma Gatewood is my hero!
She’s from Gallia County – just a a county to my south. That book is wonderful.
Sometimes you get a better view of the overall landscape without all those leaves in the way!
This is true!!
This is so true! Some of the coolest discoveries have taken place because you can see better in winter!
Same thing happens after forest fires, too.
Yes!!
While it’s always nice to enjoy the fall foliage, there’s always something special about this time of the year when the leaves are gone and so are the crowds. You get to experience a quieter side of the trails. Lovely capture.
I’m glad for the crowds to go away but those folks don’t know what they’re missing.