We built Our Own backyard forest path (Video Tour included)!

Because we have a lot of woods behind our new house, we decided to create a forest path so we could walk the dogs off the street, and enjoy the quiet of a forested walk. We also found at least 9 Native American rock markers. Today's blog is about the story, photos and a video where I walk YOU through the woods with our kids. The blog concludes with the video forest tour and my favorite sunrise photo through the woods that I captured in October. Enjoy the blog!

(Photo: Dash at the back end of one of the three trails, and Tom near the middle. Credit R.G.) 

HOW WE DID IT: Tom began making a pathway through the woods by clearing the leaves, then raking down to the mossy bottom of the forest. Rob outlined the sides of the path with tall, slender fallen trees. Lots of heavy raking with plastic rakes and metal rakes helped clear the path.

(Photos: Left: The right-side entrance to the first path. Right: in the middle of the first path)

ROUTING TO AN OLD LOGGING ROAD - We have an old logging road at the far end of the property, so it was our goal to get the path to go all the way back there (we did). Once the first path was done, Rob started working on a second path, scoped it out with fallen trees, and also brought it out to the logging road, so we had a circular path. But we were not done!

(Photos; Left: the old logging road at the back of the property line. Right: looking from the middle of the path toward the house)

TIME REQUIRED: It took about 2 months to clear out all the leaves and fallen branches. and get the paths down to the mossy surface. So, once those were complete, We created another exit path facing the house (because there was only 1 exit and the circular path was in the forest. Rob used many fallen birch trees to line the path (he calls it "Birch Way" and the entrance feeds in to the second, left side pathway in the woods.

NATIVE AMERICAN MOUNDS - We were puzzled by 9 or so large mounds of rocks that were scattered throughout the forest. Despite researching them, we could only conclude that Native Americans made these rock mounds to guide them through forested areas.

(Photo: Fork in the road. The right-side path splits into a left and right path through the woods, that comes out to the logging road in the back, making a circular route).

MEMORIAL MARKERS: Throughout the path, we placed memorial markers for our dogs in spirit: Dolly, Franklin, Sprite and Buzz.

THE WAY LIFE SHOULD BE - Like the slogan from the state of Maine, this little forest path is "the Way Life Should Be." It's quiet, off the road, and there are no other dogs to bark at! Our dogs love the scents and sounds.There's always an adventure back there, and there's nothing more peaceful than a quiet walk in a forest. Make your own happy place!

VIDEO TOUR with Tyler, Dash and Cody: https://youtu.be/VNFsMxHNKuU

(Photo: Rob's favorite picture of sunrise in October through our backyard woods.)