July 25, 2024 (The Beginning)

Big Creek Park / Big Creek Greenway starting from Big Creek Park Entrance

Big Creek Park

I think it had just recently rained on the day I first decided to check out Big Creek Park. When I entered, I was stunned by how beautifully green it was, but confused by how the trails worked. I ended up accidentally choosing to walk a mountain bike trail called the Troll Trail. Soon after I started down that path, I realized my mistake as mountain bikes flew past me. I felt very strongly like I wasn’t supposed to be there – and I wasn’t.

As I walked down the zig-zagging path, I felt myself getting disoriented. I ended up giving up and turning around at one point, which was somehow even more disorienting. I did, however, get to see a family of deer. Deer are always nice.

This first trip was kind of a bust. I’d never been to a park that had both a walking path and multiple mountain bike paths before, so I didn’t know what I was doing. The signage was pretty clear; I’m just not always great at critical thinking.

Big Creek Greenway (Big Creek Park entrance)

Once I made it back to my car, I decided to follow this strange, bumpy, liminal road on the left of Big Creek Park. It took me all the way down to an entrance to the Big Creek Greenway! Intrigued, I started walking that way. I immediately met a family, the patriarch of which had just picked a massive mushroom out of the ground and was walking around with it. There was a Little Free Library. However, I couldn’t get close to the creek. The boardwalk was closed off due to slippery conditions. Disappointing in the moment, inspirational in the long run.