My crossed fingers came through and we were lucky enough to have a second hike in as many days. I had to be in White Lake anyways, so Ian tagged along and we went to the park for a five or six mile walk.
It was another sunny day and Indian Springs was refreshingly pretty. I believe this was my first time to this park, although I've gone to so many of the local spots it's hard to imagine that I didn't get to this one.
Indian Springs has nice stretches of boardwalk over wetlands, which had some pretty flora. The last few times we went hiking we've noticed a very interesting plant in low lying swampy areas, which was plentiful here. Checking a guidebook I brought, we learned it is called skunk cabbage. This plant generates its own heat through an unusual chemical process, which allows it to bloom in very early spring after melting snow. It does in fact smell skunk-like.
Coming around a corner, we were excited to find two sandhill cranes foraging. As they walked in deep brush, they had to raise their legs up behind them, nearly parallel to their body! Amazing birds. Another highlight was an Eastern bluebird.
We also enjoyed the big stands of huge American beech trees with their silver bark, and some pussy willows.
