RAGS nature therapy trails
Most of the other trails on these maps are only a bit more than mower wide, but should be comfortable walking. A few are more like paths and are narrower.
In general, the western part emphasizes mature native forest preserve while the eastern part is mostly much younger and more diverse and also less steep ground and easier walking paths.
The central area with the house is where the human activity is the highest and where city folks need to chill before venturing into the path system. Unlike parks and richly endowed nature preserves, the trails and paths and sit spots are much closer to "raw" nature and thus will have bugs and itchy things and lots of pollen of whatever kind is in season.
I use bug spray when the bugs are bad, though my definition of bad may not be as bad as yours. I also keep my feet and lower legs covered because I am frequently tempted to wander off the path to check out this or that.
Plus, when doing path maintenance, good idea.
RAGS does not have much parking; maximum is probably around 10 vehicles. The three vehicle road sections are access roads and are generally not passable when wet from rain or snow. The eight trails and paths shown here are mowed and maintained about like shown here -- lots of connections and twists and turns and interesting things to see.
It's not really a forest, yet. While the other parts of the formerly cleared land are hosting persimmons or black locust, this section seems to have attracted a whole colony of easter red cedar (Juniperis ???). The soil type here is about the same as the rest of the place, but much shallower. One of the spots along this trail is the only place where bedrock is visible on the whole eastern part of the place. The cedar are quite happy here and are growing quickly so the trials need to be constantly worked on. Photo from winter 2019 or 2018
In 2020 this is not quite a forest yet, still lots of youngsters and several distinct neighbourhoods. This system needs some detailed planning and laying out as it is a good place for nice wide easy to walk on trails. Slope is very gentle. It is closest to the highway and when the wind is from the east the noise can be annoying. Photo from winter 2019 or 2018
looks winter 2019 or 2018
looks winter 2019 or 2018
looks winter 2019 or 2018
The entrances to this trail are through a couple of nice gathering areas. I prefer to leave most of this area without paths or trails, even though I do walk through it several times a year. That central cleared area used to be pond and is now a wet land fed by the storm drains from the Eagle Knoll golf course housing development. The mowed part goes down to the first approach to that we area. The mowed trail stops but a footpath continues once you skirt around the we area. This is the area, particularly in the lower left corner (southwest) where there appears to be the oldest trees and the fullest canopy. A good place for reintroducing natives who want that canopy. Photo from winter 2019 or 2018
looks winter 2019 or 2018
This version was built on the Google Maps My Maps platform. On there it tells me the acerage of each area and also will let me load photos or videos for the areas and for specific points within them.
looks winter 2019 or 2018
looks winter 2019 or 2018
