A Branstrom Park Afternoon

With the sun shining brightly and spring in the air, one Sunday afternoon was the perfect day to hit the trails. I headed for Branstrom Park, in Fremont, to take a tour around the hiking trails there.

The trails double as the Fremont Cross Country course, and the fun of competing comes back to me as I navigate the twists and turns. The course provides a nature escape through maples and pines. It traverses gentle inclines, steep hills, and rugged terrain. I imagine I am flying past the trees and over the roots. The movement is freeing and exhilarating.

Scenic views overlook a pond and a creek bed. The spring brings melting snow amid the chirping of blackbirds. Grass slowly greens and freshens the air. I followed deer tracks along the road.

The course can be as long or as short as you would like to hike as it crosses the road through the park in several places, making a quick jaunt back to your vehicle.

As I ran, I encountered families hiking through the disc golf course, enjoying a fine spring day. Others spread a family picnic through the pavilion and played catch by the playground. Children can capture frogs and minnows in the pond near the play area.

Before I left my husband showed me his mud-caked shoes, warning that my brand new shoes would be similarly encrusted after my trek. Even though I sloshed through mushy soil and snow, my shoes were perfectly clean when I returned home. My soul was enriched.

Branstrom Park provides a chance to enjoy nature’s secluded getaway right next to the town of Fremont.

By Esther Jiran