Laura Hare Preserve at Blossom Hollow

Short really cute trail. Very quaint and quiet to relax. My family loves to walk the dogs here and let then sniff their stress away.

This was a great place for a quiet hike with our dog, who is still learning trail manners around others pups. It's a relatively short hike that gets your heart pumping with inclines, and it's fascinating to see how the trees and plants are so different from other nearby hiking spots. I'd you're interested in birding, this is a great spot. Parking is limited and there are no bathroom facilities, so plan ahead. We really enjoyed this hiking spot and plan to return.

In southern Johnson County near Lamb Lake, there is a nature preserve that is good for a nice hike. After a short hike back towards the lake, the trail ascends a hill (rather steep) and then splits to make a roughly one mile loop that descends to the south towards the creek and circles back up to the hilltop. There is a picnic table near the split, but no trash cans, so you are expected to haul your own trash out.The road back to the entrance of the preserve is narrow and winding, so keep your eyes open while driving and you will see a sign that tells you where to turn. You then take an immediate left down to the mini parking lot where you wipe your feet before going around the fence blocking vehicles from heading down the trail.The trail starts off wide and is usually covered with leaves, though some clay is visible along with some grasses. So, be aware that if it has rained recently, you will want to wear something you can get muddy. The leaves on clay can be slippery especially when the elevation starts changing.The trail back to Lamb Lake is relatively flat, but descends to a spot where runoff pours into the lake. It was dry on my visit, but worth noting. Just passed the lake, the hill rises quickly and definitely got my heart beating faster. At the top was the split. If you go to the left, there is a picnic table and before long, you see a sign that says preserve boundary which I didn't cross. (More on that later.)So I switched directions and headed towards the right side of the split. Before long, the path was blocked by a fallen tree and an arrow directed me onto a much narrow path marked by either colorful ribbons or blue paint on the tree trunks. Occasionally, I would see another arrow directing me to an even less clearly defined trail that leads down near the creek. After walking through the lowlands, I eventually saw the path widen again and start the ascent. There was a park bench near the top for taking a break. I pushed on and soon was back by the picnic table at the split. I'm not sure why the left split says it is a park boundary while the right does not have a sign. I would suggest going to the right since all the arrows seem to be targeted that way. There were lots of wildlife sounds as I walked. Deer tracks in the clay were frequent. As I pulled into the preserve, a large woodpecker took off. And there were wildflowers all along the path as well as mature trees and ferns.Note that coming back down the hill was very slippery and I frequently stopped to slow my momentum since the wet leaves on clay made for tricky footing. I would definitely not go on a rainy day or right after one. But on other days, this natural forest is a delightful hike and escape since you will probably have the park to yourself.Review #2576

This is a beautiful place to hike with kids. Trails are easy, lakes are beautiful, lots of rocks to throw and trees to explore and climb. Parking is very scant though.