Maple Cathedral

 Maple Grove, along the Indian Mound Trail, is unusually beautiful this year.  This is looking North from the Trail toward Gladstone Blvd.   

The "easiest" way to get to the Grove is go straight down the bluff from Hardest and Gladstone Blvd.  Not real difficult, just steep.  Above, what you see about 1/3 of the way down. 

Above and below you can see the Trail.  It's not difficult, you just need good footwear. 

Lay on your back to get the full effect. 

Indian Mound Trail - Maple Grove

The Indian Mound Trail runs along the bluffs below Gladstone Boulevard between Elmwood and North White...almost all the way to Indian Mound.  It is a fairly easy trail with nine springs along the way.  Maple Grove is below Gladstone at roughly Hardesty... it is all maples and quite beautiful each Fall.

A Walk In The Woods

 Began the trek on the Indian Mound Trail... runs below Gladstone Boulevard from Cliff Drive to one block short of Indian Mound.

Above, Picnic Rock shows the tenacity of nature...paper, scissors, tree, rock.  I named it Picnic Rock because that's where Kelly and I would stop for lunch on our hikes.  It was flatter then.  Below, the Four Sisters.

 Finished up the walk by the Kansas City Museum.  The sun was setting.  Makes for long shadows and dramatic pix.

Indian Summer

 Above, along the Indian Mount Trail at, roughly, Gladstone Boulevard and Hardesty Avenue. Below,            
                                                      Trails' namesake, Indian Mound.

Along The Indian Mound Trail

This shows the abundant springs along the Cliff Drive Scenic Byway in Northeast Kansas City.   All are located along the Indian Mound Trail which runs below Gladstone Boulevard from the East Entrance to Cliff Drive all the way to White Avenue.     Take a break from Winter :)

Maple Grove, Indian Mound Trail

The Indian Mound Trail runs from North White to a little past North Elmwood below Gladstone Boulevard... about 1.5 miles of maintained path. Just below Hardesty is Maple Grove which is, in my opinion, the prettiest part of the hike. Some of these images are straight photographs ... others I have manipulated in Photoshop to be more painterly... not that anyone can improve on nature.

Blooms and Fungus Amungus

Common sulfur flutterby feasting on thistle (above). Below, wild onion in flower.


A lot of fungus this year.... since it's been relatively wet....

Above, the morel of the story (sorry).
Above and below red cup fungus.... very tiny... about the size of your pinky fingernail... likes the forest floor... most of these shots were taken along Indian Mound Trail.



Above, American Hover Fly getting takeout. Below, the beautiful symmetry of dandelion seeds.


Above yard clover very closeup.... below, same for thistle....
These bottom three were in a neighbor's yard.... don't know what they are but I like them.