Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area: Muley Trail

I wasn't supposed to go hiking today. Noelle and I had finished painting our bedroom and I was tired of sitting around the house and so I decided to get out for a little bit. It was late and so I needed to stay close to home, and so I decided to head out to the Wildcat Hills again.

As I approached the State Recreation Area, it was obvious that there was a lot more snow in the Wildcat Hills than down in the lower elevations. I arrived, drove the muddy access road and hit the trail. Today I would be hiking the Muley Trail down to where it leaves the recreation area at Stage Hill Road. I would walk the road back to the car. I started on the Turkey Run Trail and hiked up to the old, stone picnic shelter.

The views from the shelter were stunning!

I continued down the trail,

slipping, sliding and trudging through the snow.

Eventually the Muley Trail

ascended to a little pass. I found a narrow trail that followed a ridge to the left. I took this trail out to a wonderful overlook of the surrounding area.

More views opened up as I made my way down the trail.

Eventually, the trail passed near an interesting rock outcropping. There were lots of names carved in the soft rock there. I followed the cliff face for a while, looking for interesting signatures. I found one that looked old and simply read "Philadelphia."

Nearby was one that said "Guatemala", and yet another that read "El Salvador".

I wonder who wrote these inscriptions and why the place names. From one part of the cliff face, there was a particularly interesting view looking down into the valley and across to Scotts Bluff.

I continued to follow the trail descending steadily into a meadow, with nice views of the surrounding rocks.

I also passed an old, wooden building of some sort. I have no idea what it was. Part of the old CCC camp maybe?

Soon enough, I was at the e3nd of the trail and Stage Hill Road. I made a right onto the road and followed it back up and into the state recreation area.

It was a wonderful, snowy hike with lots of interesting things to look at.