I strained my calf (muscle) last week and have been slowly easing back to physical activity. I've been avoiding running and walking long distances but since I had a free day and my leg was feeling good, I decided to explore Herbert Taylor Park for the first time.
The entrance to the park is at Pasadena Ave NE & Beech Valley Rd NE. There's another entrance along Beech Valley that I saw. I basically wandered around for an hour which was pretty fun. I did end up at the same spot multiple times and had to backtrack, but that's the fun of wandering! There are creeks that run through the park that you can haphazardly cross and giant fallen tress you can jump from. (Yes, I did both these things. Can you see how I could have strained my calf muscle?) I also randomly came across a mini beach area with sand and all! From within the park, I could still hear the sounds of construction happening outside the park, but once I got a little deeper in, I could only hear the sound of the trickling creek and critters in the trees. It was quite nice.
The paths were clearly defined but vary in width (0.5 - 5 feet wide) and some were covered in foliage which I imagine could get slippery, so be careful. The entire park was very flat once you pass the initial incline/decline coming into or going out of the park's entrance.
I highly recommend coming at least 2 hours before sundown as there is a lot of tree coverage which obscures the sun a lot. I also recommend following random trails and allowing yourself to get lost in the park. The park isn't big at all so it's fun to walk down one path and backtrack and wander down another path. I do not recommend coming during or after a big rain. I read on a warning bulletin that the creeks kind of overflow and get super crazy during/after rains and dogs (it's a dog-friendly park) and humans can get swept away, which I am sure would not make for a very fun stroll! I'm sure it also gets very muddy and slippery.
I did not notice any poison ivy or oak, but I will update my review in 24-48 hours if the status of my skin changes. read more