Buffalo Rock State Park 02-25-2016

Today's walker's club had 29 walkers and 5 well behaved dogs.  We met in the Lobby by the front desk and carpooled to Buffalo Rock State Park.  It is the smallest of the 3 nearby state parks at 298 acres. 

There are 2 buffalo at this park.  Both looked real good today.  Sometime we come here and we can't even see them. Today they were very close. 

Buffalo 2 stayed a bit back.

It got a little interesting when the dogs when by the fence.  Bark, charge, bark, charge

After our short visit with the buffalo, it is time to walk

And we were off

I noticed a sign that said, stay on the trail.  I had not seen that sign before at that location.  So we followed it.  We came to a platform, that had a sign on the metal plate.  I have no idea what it said.  We could see the old tailing piles that was left over from the mining there from the Ottawa Silica Company.

They had really cleared out the brush since we were last here.  You can now see the Effigy Tumuli from the viewing deck.

  The Chicago based Crane Company purchased Buffalo Rock in 1912, where a sanatorium was built for employees.  On Nov. 15, 1928, the company deeded the property to the state.

The Effigy Tumuli, one of the more unique attractions in Illinois, can be found here.  This earthen art exhibit recreates sculptured earthen effigies dating back more than 3000 years.  Effigies were created by native peoples as temple platforms or burial mounds.  A result of a creative coal mining reclamation project on land donated by Ottawa Silica Company, the site contains a 2,070 - foot long snake, a 140- foot long frog and a 770 foot long catfish.  Also located along the mile and a half long bluff are a water strider and turtle.

View seen looking West on top of the snake formation

Group on top of the snake.  Wishing they could go down and explore.

On one of the overlooks on the wooded trail, overlooking the Illinois River, we saw this eagle's nest.  Yes there is an eagle in it. 

Where is the group geologists when you need him?  What's going on with the holes?  They were everywhere.

Beautiful colors on the rocks.  These are a sight to see especially if you are in a kayak (I know this from experience)

Steps leading back to the main trail from the overlook

One of the relatively new trail signs at Buffalo Rock

I will leave you with this: Take a hike or walk, because in the end, you won't remember the time you spent working in the office, mowing the grass or shoveling the snow.