Best Hike in Mohican State Park

We had to get ready in the van since there were no facilities at the trailhead by the covered bridge parking lot.

Pro-tip:  FAMILIES, please make a note of this and try to hit a bathroom before you get there. We had to layer today due to the weather. Due to the weather, I knew we would add and remove layers as we went along.

The first 5 minutes of the hike were rough. As I mentioned earlier, the kids were not super excited to be there. As we entered the trailhead to Big Lyons Falls, the snow began to fall and cover the walkway. It was the soft and gently falling kind. Suddenly, it became a magical moment; it was as if we entered Narnia, and we were filled with the wonder of the beauty. Each one of the children turned back to me at different times and said, “I am so glad you made me come.” This is beautiful.” “I can’t believe I did not want to hike this.”

A Lesson Learned in Mohican State Park

Learning Moment:

We hit the “learning moment” of our hike very quickly. The younger kids were hiking fast and not being as quiet as they should have been. I have told them many times in the past to be calm and watch for birds and wildlife. I am sure you will be surprised when I tell you they did not heed this advice. As I peered ahead, I saw that the kids ahead of me were approaching a couple who were hiking. I could see the couple shushed them and trying to share something, but the younger ones were so “hiking” focused that they were about to miss something beautiful.

Once I caught up to where the kids were, the couple shared with me that as the kids loudly came up the trail, they had scared off a beautiful bald eagle that had been perched in the tree by the river. Imagine my angst that I would not be able to see this majestic bird. The couple shared some bird-watching tips with us and told us to listen for the eagle clicking her beak together. This would be our indicator she was perched in a tree nearby.

Lectured the Kids:

As we left the couple behind, I gave the kids another lecture about quietness and watching and listening for things in the great outdoors. The kids assured me they would try harder, and we continued hiking. We all were disappointed that we had missed the eagle. #lessonlearned.

The streams beside the trail were flowing with water due to the rains we have had here in Ohio. It was such an extraordinary sound hearing the water’s gulping and splashing over the rocks and logs. Serenity in the woods today was terrific for this weary mom’s soul.

Big Lyons Falls in Mohican State Park

We made a great time at Big Lyons Falls. As we rounded the bend to the falls, we were all speechless. The water was flowing over the rock ledge down to the stream, and it was lovely. I had read about the falls and was not expecting much water, but the water was coming over more than expected because of the previous days, rainy weather.

I was happy to hear the kids gushing over the beauty they were beholding. It was at this moment, when the falls captured their eyes and ears that they were all in for the rest of the hike. Finally, they lost any of the leftover negativity and embraced the outdoors. (THANK GOD)

As we left the falls area, we began ascending the hill, and what goes up must come down. We came to the place where the trail began to descend, and it got fun. We were slipping and sliding down the path. I was having a great time until Sam lost his footing and took a little tumble. I did not see it happen to my defense, and he made no sound as he went, but when he caught up to me, he promptly told me how much I did not care about him. What he told me was that he could have died, and I would have never known.

Low Blood Sugar 🙁

At the bottom of that hill, Abbie told me she felt she had low blood sugar. We stopped and checked her BG, and she was indeed low. I got the airheads out, and she quickly ate them. She was not recovering well, so I reduced her basal rate on her insulin pump.

You should not stand around for long in winter because if you have started to sweat, you will begin to cool down way too fast. Some of us started sweating a little bit, and we quickly cooled down, so we had to get moving soon. I hoisted Abbie onto my back, and she sat on my Osprey Skimmer day pack. Thank goodness that backpack is sturdy!

Low Blood Sugar and How The Family Liked the Hike in Mohican State Park

We were moving along a bit slower now because I was carrying Abbie on my back. I was able to look around a bit more since I was moving at a more leisurely pace. As I walked, I glanced to my left, and that’s when I saw her, the majestic eagle. She was resting on a branch in the tree! The kids were ahead of me, so I quietly got their attention, and we shared the moment gazing at her. What a treasure!

As we finished the Mohican State Park hike, we ambled over to the car. I asked the kids if we should leave a note for the couple who had shared their wisdom with us, and of course, they said yes. We left them a message and told them we had seen the eagle and thanked them for being so thoughtful. **edited to add, they sent us an email with some pictures of the eagle and cheers that we got to see her!**

As we drove home, we all quietly reflected on the hike. I asked the kids to rate the walk from 0-10. Rachel=8, Nate=8, Sam=6, Abbie=8, and I gave it a strong 7. We all were so glad that we had come out into nature and drank in the beauty.

If you’re a mom and you’re struggling to get the kids outside in nature, don’t give up! The rewards come later, and they usually are not found in the immediate moment. Read my blog called:

3 Simple Tips to Help You Get Your Family Outside

Happy Adventures!
Brandy