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Fishin, Hikin, Bikin, Ridin and Piknikin
By Paul Chasko
Those who haven’t been to Washington County’s Mingo Creek Park this year are in for a big surprise. One of the problems with this beautiful county park has been the coexistence of walkers, bikers and cars on the narrow road running through the park that is Mingo Creek Valley.
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Eric and Craig Gray caught these beauties under the Henry Bridge.
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Ed and Emily Mollard of Bentleyville each caught their limit under the Ebeneezer Bridge.
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The county has solved that problem by creating a separate biking and walking path through the park that’s asphalt for a long stretch and gravel in other parts of the park. The asphalt pathways are about 10 feet wide in most places and are great for both walkers and bikers. Motorists will have to surrender the right-of-way to bikers and walkers at the several intersections where the new trail crosses the old road. These crossings are well marked for motorists.
Several new bridges have been built across the creek so visitors have access to both sides. A new playground is in place, and some weirs have been constructed in the creek bed creating riffles and pools for better fish habitat. The horse riding trails (15 miles) are in operation, with horse trailer parking available at the trailhead near the creek. It’s nice to see that Washington County has been able to funnel some money back into its recreational facilities.
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Aubrey, Elijah and Matt Kurowsky (Dad) from Charleroi try out the new bike and hike pathway.
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The first big influx of visitors to Mingo Park usually coincides with opening day of trout season – April 14 this year. Mingo Park is popular for kids fishing, as the creek is easily accessible from the roads and pathways. Stocking of brown and rainbow trout in Mingo Creek must have been pretty heavy, as there were a few really nice catches. As in any other year, the hot spots were in the deeper pools under the Henry and Ebeneezer covered bridges. The rain held off until late afternoon, so opening day was great. Lots of dogs were in attendance with their owners; in most parts of the park, leashes are required for the safety of both pets and owners but there is a free running area for dogs. The park office can provide information about the park’s layout—there’s a lot to do there. Of course it’s a hotspot for the Covered Bridge Festival in the fall, it has a small observatory for star gazers and it’s home to Ringgold School District’s long distance runners. Stop by this spring and summer – you won’t be disappointed.
Click on "Gallery" for more photos by Paul Chasko in Mingo Creek Park.
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Last Updated on Thursday, 03 May 2012 21:16 |
