Rainy Hikes in Greensboro

Sandy had Saturday off, we took Alex to Greensboro for a couple of hikes.  The forecast called for off and on rain and we were hoping for the best.  We parked at the northern trailhead for Atlantic & Yadkin Greenway on Summerfield Road to hike the Greensboro Watershed Lakes.  We followed the trail south along US-220 and passed under the highway through a tunnel.

We continued heading south to Lake Brandt, but it started raining a bit.  We soon made it to Bur-Mil Park and went under a picnic shelter to wait out the rain.  It stopped for a bit and we continued on, but started again, so we found another shelter.  When it finally stopped again, we got on Little Loop Trail.  About half way through the loop, we saw the wreckage of an old car that was strewn down the hill in pieces.  I wonder what the story on that is?

The loop ended back on the greenway and we continued as far as Weaver Bridge, one of the most scenic spots on the trail.

Turning around here, I hiked the Big Loop Trail on the way back.

Since it had stopped raining, I got a couple of pictures of Lake Brandt this time.

Then we finished the hike up back at the car.

Next, we drove to the Greensboro Arboretum.  There was a beautiful maple with bright red leaves at the entrance.

We had to get back and didn't have a lot of time, but wanted to get see a few of the collections while we were here.  We first walked through the winter collection garden with the gazebo.

There was some camellia flowering.

Past here, we crossed North Buffalo Creek on a footbridge.

Then we walked through the Landmark Arbor.

It was really beautiful with vines and flowers growing up along the arbor.

There was a pretty dragonfly sculpture at the end.

At this point, we had to take off.

The arboretum was really pretty and we'll have to come back with more time, probably in the spring.