Tolowa Dunes State Park – Dead Lake Trail

Moose and I went for our first hike together. Not wanting to kill the little guy, I started small with a 1 mile trail to Dead Lake in the Tolowa Dunes State Park just up the road. One part forest and another part sand dunes, this side of the state park was peaceful and quiet. It was the perfect place to acquaint Moose with the wild outdoors.

We parked Big Blue and strolled along a dirt road through a meadow where we met the forest a quarter-mile out. Another three-quarters of forest brought us near Dead Lake, but we never did find a trail that led anywhere within 100 yards of the water itself. The ferns and grasses were mostly dead for the approaching winter, but this allowed the fungi to make a show. Sprinkled all along the trail were large mushrooms in varying stages of life.

This did not phase Moose; with his nose the ground he charged forward at every turn. When we reached sand, he danced around on the soft surface. When in the forest he diligently followed the trail like an experienced explorer. When it was time to head back to the van, he pulled me along like a tractor, showing me the path he already knew by smell.

All though we never made it to the water, our first hike was a success. We did get glimpses of the lake through the trees from time to time, but it really didn’t matter much.