I knew when I backed out of the garage, we would have a good day. The temperature outside was 54 at 8:30 am, the predicted high for 2 pm. It was blustery but mild as I met 15 hikers in the Bandshell parking at Lithia Park for our last hike of 2023.

We started by climbing the stairs to the Butler-Perozzi Fountain. The fountain has seen better days since coming from Italy in 1916, but the good people of Ashland are 3/4 of the way to raising $1 million for its restoration.

Next, we visited the Japanese Peace Garden, walking the path all around and stopping to view the six big Koi fish hibernating at the bottom of the pond.

We made our way past empty pickleball courts, saw Wild Turkeys by the creek, and left the park past the Swimming Reservoir.

We headed up through parking to the New Wonder Trail TH. The wind had blow-dried the trail from earlier rain.

As we headed up we lost some hikers but gained one whose hiking group had cancelled. We hiked up as far as “Janet’s Boulder” about 2.5 miles from the TH. We stopped there for water and snacks before heading back down.

For the day, we hiked 8.6 miles on the Trail and in the Park.

Then some of us had a nice lunch at Skout’s.

It was a good day, capping off a great year of hiking.

Hike Leader: Rich Stickle

Photos By: Linda, Randy, Jerry