We all know summer and winter are very different seasons. For most places, summer means warmer weather, longer days and bright, blooming landscapes. But what some don’t know is that a particular place can look completely different in each season. I’m not just talking about your backyard or your campus. I’m talking about the middle of the woods. That’s right. A spot that is visited in the winter is almost completely unrecognizable in the summer, and vise versa. I love putting this theory to the test by hiking in identical parks in opposite seasons. Not only is the comparison astonishing, but it’s fun to see if I can navigate through the trails and recall which area I am winding through and what it previously looked like.
Let me walk you through my most recent comparison adventure. We wound our way through the unique trails of Matthiessen State Park. This park lies beside its larger, more popular counterpart, Starved Rock State Park. These parks both reside in central Illinois. While most prefer the smattering of canyons that sprinkle Starved Rock’s trails, I saw no competition with its smaller neighbor. Matthiessen is a smaller park with less trails, sure, but nearly every square inch of the paths contain unique gems. From the menacing waters of Giant’s Bathtub to the falling waters of Cascade Falls into the shallow pool of the Wishing Well to my favorite secret, fantastical haven with the stepping stones into the magical world of Lake Falls, the park has no shortage of beautiful sights.
Let’s take a step back and analyze winter first. Last March we hiked through the eerily quiet paths of Matthiessen State Park. We were completely alone; the entire park was ours. The quiet atmosphere and bare trees had a calming, yet oddly ominous vibe. It was breathtaking, to say the least. We were amazed at the smattering of unique sights that enveloped the trails. We walked by Strawberry Rock, Devil’s Paint Box, and eventually made our way down the windy staircase to the waterfall.
Since it was late winter, the water was flowing. We stared at the falls in awe. To our left was a cave that was accessed by four feet of water that normally we’d want to explore if the air temperature wasn’t 40 degrees. Above was a bridge that stretched in an arc over the falls, connecting two sides of the park in stunning fashion. As I admired the falls, I couldn’t help but wonder why this park was skipped by many. It was truly a beautiful place!
On we moved. After climbing the same set of stairs and winding through the trails a bit more, we came across another set of stairs that led us to my favorite spot in the entire park.
The first sight we saw was the Giant’s Bathtub. I had seen photos online of this beauty, but the pictures didn’t do it justice. In front of my eyes was a stretch of water spilling into a pool of dark, navy blue water. Since it was winter, the water levels were high. The stepping stones that scattered across the area allowed for easy access to Lake Falls, which, according to the map, was just around the corner. We had our dogs with us, and since I wasn’t comfortable with them crossing the stones that stuck out of deep, dark water, I crossed alone. What I found was astonishing. Barren of leaves, the trees stood in quiet contemplation, rustling slightly with the light breeze. The sight around them was jaw-dropping. It was as if I had stepped into a fantasyland. A string of stepping stones crept its way across the dark water to the waterfall. The stones were a bit sketchy, so I didn’t cross them on this particular trip. The water temperature was chilly and the water level was high, so I admired from the safety of the treeside.
Now that you have seen what winter was like in Matthiessen, let me introduce you to summer.
Immediately the difference that I recognized was the crowds. It was busy. I was both pleased and disappointed. I immediately missed the quiet air of the previous visit, but I was also excited that more people were appreciating the mystical beauty of this tiny gem. Besides the crowds, the leaves were green and vibrant, the air was warmer and cheerier, and the pools of water, such as the Wishing Well, Giant’s Bathtub, and the fantasy area around the stepping stones of Lake Falls were leveled much lower. Now I was easily able to cross the stones with both my wife and puppies, and everyone was able to soak in the incredible views that I was blessed with previously.
I had a hunch that we wouldn’t be alone in the “fantasyland,” but I was pleased when I saw just one group of people were down below with us. We patiently waited for them to cross the stones, and suddenly, we were alone. We snapped photos that I had been itching to take for 17 months. The photos accurately portrayed the aura of the place. We were quite literally stepping into a fantasy.
So next time you contemplate whether or not you should visit the same place twice in different seasons, your answer should be yes! Especially if it is a place you can easily travel to. It’s a no-brainer. Gaining different perspectives is so crucial in all aspects of your life, including travel. You never know if you’ll find yourself stepping into a fantasyland!
Wonder. Wander. Repeat. 