Last Sunday after my run on the Greenway, I still had plenty of energy and didn’t feel like going home just yet, so I took the long way home and stopped by Long Hunter State Park.  There was no time for a longer hike because to was going to get dark in an hour, which is how I landed upon the short 1-mi Deer Trail.  I’ve purposefully been avoiding this trail until this time of year because it has a massive tick problem.  Seriously, there are warnings on the park’s website and at the trailhead about the dangers of hiking this trail during warm weather months because of the high prevalence of ticks and lyme disease.  Since we’ve had weather in the 30-40° F range lately, though, I decided we’re probably in the clear regarding ticks for the rest of 2017.

Apparently several other people had the same idea I did, because there were a half dozen other cars parked at the trailhead.  I even saw a couple and a photographer taking engagement photos in the middle of some of the long dried grass next to the trail, which would normally be tick-central.

The hike was pretty, but mostly unremarkable, aside from the deer I saw toward the end of the loop.  There were a few moments where, due to all of the leaves covering the ground, I wasn’t sure in which direction the trail was supposed to head, but after continuing for a few yards, it became easily apparent once more.