Some Early Fall Color And Lot Of Grasshoppers On The Greater Hazleton Rails To Trails.

It was beautiful Fall afternoon on Friday.  Cumulus clouds floated in blue skies with mild temperatures in the mid 70’s. After checking some of my aspen scaber bolete mushrooms spots, and finding none, I decided to hike on the Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails near my home in Luzerne County.   I always see some of the beauty nature has to offer on this trail.

As usual, I parked on the eastern trail head near the small town of Hazle Brook. I like this more remote section of the trail since there is more wildlife and I always hope to see a bear.

And, on Friday, I did. I SAW  these two female whitetail deer at the start of my hike.

They seemed  just as curious of me as I was of them.

They watched me watching them until they decided to slowly walk away.

I continued on the trail and under the mostly oak and maple trees hardwood forest at this section of the trail.

Most of the leaves were still green but there were a long of brown and yellows too. The birch and witch hazel trees had turned early this year because of the dry weather we have had.

The bracken ferns and

Hay-scented ferns were mostly brown and yellow. Many of the bracken ferns were already withered.

It was quiet there was no bird song, no cicadas just a few crickets chirping in the woods surrounding the trail.

I walked to the old abandoned  strip mined areas which has been reclaimed. The trail followed the edge of the woodlands and reclaimed areas. Many large pitch pine trees grew here.

I walked through the large reclaimed area which now supported a young birch, black locust , aspen, alder and pine woodland.

In the Spring and late Summer I often see migratory song birds here. Some nest here in the Summer. There were none here on Friday afternoon. And there were no year long resident birds either.

There were hundreds of grasshoppers fluttering along the trail. I saw mostly red legged grasshoppers and

a few two-stripped grasshoppers.

I also spotted this fall field cricket along the trail.

And this green striped darner dragonfly. I have seen dozens of this large dragonfly on my hikes this Summer. They are always darting along the trails, usually nears ponds and streams. I never see them rest but I was able to finally see this one resting on some leaves and get a photograph.

I continued  on the trail through the reclamation lands, and  crossed the bridge over the active railroad right of way.

I then walked through some abandoned strip mine areas for a short distance.   The trail took me through another  woodland of mixed oak, maple, pine and hemlock woods.

before it followed the old beryllium, road which lead to the now abandoned beryllium processing plant.

Many late season wildflowers bloomed along the trail including,  many American burnweed flowers, ,

rattlesnake hawkweed flowers,

hairy asters.

and many species of goldenrod. I believe this is gray goldenrod. These are all native to our Commonwealth.

A few invasive yellow loosestrife,

oxeye daisies

and a  spotted knapweed flowers also bloomed.

Although there were many wildflowers blooming there were no bees, wasps or yellow jackets visiting the flowers this late in the season. I did see this one monarch butterfly,

and hundreds of more grasshoppers. This is another red legged grasshoppers.  Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos of the grasshoppers and deer I saw on my 4 mile hike. Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails critters September 26 2025.

I walked to the end of the old Beryllium road. The trail continues here,  on the old railroad right of way, and through the pine and heath barrens. I was out about 2 miles and decided to began my hike back under the sunny September skies.

It was a pleasant hike. I didn’t see any  more wildlife, just the dozens of grasshoppers on  the shrubs and wildflowers along the trail.

I enjoyed the beginning of the the Fall colors in the woodlands along the trail,

including the sassafras,

birch and

this black tupelo tree leaves .

I was surprised no one was hiking on the trail on this beautiful Fall afternoon.  Most folks who use the  5 1/2  mile trail start at the  Route 93, East Broad Street trail head. I am glad not a lot of people hike on this side.  I

love  the entire trail but am too old now to hike the 11 miles . It would be no problem for me  in my younger days. I didn’t find any mushrooms but it was another great hike. There are so many parks, and trails here in Northeastern Pennsylvania, I am glad  we have  this great trail so close to my home.  It never disappoints in allowing me to explore the beauty of  nature. Here is a link to a gallery with some more photos from  my 4 mile hike. Greater Hazleton Rails to Trails September 26 2025.

“And the sun took a step back, the leaves lulled themselves to sleep and autumn was awakened.”  Raquel Franco