A Blustery November Walk On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails.

November is not one of my favorite months. The days continue to get shorter and colder. The trees lose the last of their leaves. There are no wildflowers , or insects or frogs or snakes or turtles. The migratory birds and their beautiful songs are gone. I could go on. And it was a cloudy, cold and very windy November day on Saturday.

All that being said, I still wanted to get my walking in. I’m back up to my usual 5 miles a day after contracting Legionnaires pneumonia, dengue fever and a strain of E. coli. while traveling in India. I had a lot of chores to do so I decided to stay close to home and hike on the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails. This time I parked on the main trail head located on Route 93 or East Broad Street in Hazle Township. I was surprised there were a few cars in the parking lot on this cold blustery  and dreary morning.

After parking I walked over to the take a look at the new storage and maintenance  building,

then past the bears near the picnic area along the parking lot. They are always dressed fashionably and seasonally.

Another bear sits near the entrance to the trail

The flag at the beginning  of the trail was flying at half mast. This was  to honor one of the founders of the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails, Tom Ogorzaleck. Tom was Chairman of the Civic Partnership which   created the trail. He also served on the Rails to Trails Committee and many other organizations in the Greater Hazleton area, ranging from the Astronomy Club, where he was the founding member to the Anthracite Model Railroad Society. He volunteered at his local church as an usher and chairman of the famous Transfiguration Church picnic.   He was also a Vietnam veteran and dedicated much of his time to the Veterans community.  For 35 years I attended the West Hazleton Memorial Day Parade where he was a Master of Ceremonies.   He knew everything about the local railroad and  coal mining industries. . He was also an avid outdoors man who knew every path and trail in our area.He was a great man and I was   honored to call him a friend. He will be missed by his family, friends and community.

After reflecting on the memorial I began my hike on the trail. The trail is 5.6 miles and follows the abandoned Coxe Brother Delaware, Susquehanna & Schuylkill railroad that was built in the 1890’s. There is more history on the trail in many of my past post here on my blog and can be found using the search tool. It was still cloudy windy and cold as I  started on the trail. The temperature was in the upper 20’s. I soon passed a gentleman walking his dog and another returning from his walk. We all expressed our opinion that we dislike the cold and Winter.

The trail took a turn and here I saw two women returning from their hike and we also shared a greeting and expressed are dislike of the cold.

Along the trail were the pages from the StoryWalk. Pages from  children’s book are displayed along  the trail. This is a joint effort of the Civic Partnership and the Hazleon Area Public Library .

I usually don’t hike on section of the trail. I like to park on the east end of the  trail which is more secluded and where I feel I may see more birds and other wildlife. When I last hiked here the trees were lush and green. Now the are bare and brown.The only green were  the pitch pine and white pine trees,

and the mountain laurel,

teaberries and

moss growing along the trail.

I soon came to the trail that led into Butler Preserve  section of the North Branch Land Trust.

This nature preserve protects an endangered heath and pine barrens.

It was windy but I was walking with my back to the wind. I walked through a grove of white pine trees,

as the trail turned again and now proceeded in an easterly direction. The brown and grays of the trees made it feel like mid Winter,

The once lush and green bracken ferns,

and hay-scented ferns were now  withered and brown,

as was the deer tongue grass growing along the trail.

I was surprised to find this frozen mushrooms along the trail. They must have grown during the recent warm spell we had.

I walked down a ridge and came to the Stockon Mountain Road.

The trail continued on the other side of the road,  now through lands of the local water authority.

I walked past the mile marker and continued for another 1/2 mile. I usually walk out  to the picnic area above the Dreck Creek Reservoir about a 2 1/2 mile hike. I was cutting my hike short on Saturday and turned back after I walked 1 1/2 miles.

Just as I began my hike back the clouds broke, blue skies, and sunshine appeared.

It seemed like a different world hiking back in the sunshine. The pitch and white pines stood out in the sunshine with the deep blue skies above.

I was walking into the wind now but just seeing the sunshine made me feel warmer, it always does.

I only met one man walking his dog on my hike back.

On my return hike I noticed  this oak leaf pinned on a tree. It was the second one I saw and wondered who and why they were pinned on the trees. Anyone know?

As I neared the end of my hike, I stopped at the native wildflower garden along the trail. 

In addition to providing beauty in the Spring, Summer and Fall, pollen for the insects, the flowers now provide seeds for the resident birds in the Winter. I believe this is a sneezeweed flower.

 And here I saw the first birds on my hike. A flock of black-capped chickadees feeding along the  trailand I am sure on the seeds in the wildflower garden.

I came to the end of the trail, and saw the American flag in the wind,

I thought of my friend Tom. He was a proud American and Veteran. He  was very proud of his service to his country. I had a warm feeling he appreciated the memorial dedicated to him and his contributions to his Country, community, friends and family. And I know he was proud to have helped in creating this beautiful trail which is such a great asset to the Greater Hazleton are. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos from my hike on the trail. Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails November 28 2025.

 

 

When a great man dies, for years the light he leaves behind him lies on the paths of men. —HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW

“We don’t stop hiking because we grow old. We grow old because we stop hiking.” – Finis Mitchell

There is no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing.” – Sir Ranulph Fiennes