We are again in our early Spring planning stage for our first History HIKE of the year. We try and do one every Springtime because of what we talk about here on the Blog, all the time. The foliage is way down and so much more can be spotted while roaming the Estate at this time of year. This year we will be doing our Spring History Hike a little 
close to early Summer, like the first week in May. The only real foliage we will need to be concerned about will be the Poison Ivy.
Poison Ivy has become almost rampant around the Haven Hill, main hill area of the Park. Although found everywhere at Highland Rec., it is very prominent around the Hill itself. It is about the only concern I have when Bushwhacking around the Estate.
This years History Hike will have a couple of twists to it. We have been talking about doing a dual Hike day. One group will head for the Haven Hill top and explore the main Estate features, including the Pump-house, Well house, Formal Gardens and some of the Man-made ornamental Ponds located on the Ford’s private Nature trails, just off the main Estate Hill top.
The other Group will head for a few places we have never taken people before. The Hiking will be pretty tuff and will take us off any map of the Park. We will expl
ore some abandon Cabins dating back to the 1800s, as well as some possible Native Hunting camps and areas. We will circle back and crawl up the North side of the Estate Hill, using some of what is left of the old Toboggan run. But before we do that, we will show everyone where the actual Toboggan run ended and some of what was happening down there when there wasn’t any snow going on.
These places are not easy to access, but are very interesting in the whole History of the area known as Haven Hill. Before Edsel and family, there where local settlers. Before and during the Settlers, there where Hunting Camps. before the settlers and Hunting Camps there where Native American encampments and wanderings.
There has even been some talk at one time, that the Huron river came through the back side of Highland Rec. area, and not it’s present day course. This would have made this area of the Park even more attractive to the Natives then it already was. With a water route in the area, the game and many plant & tree species, all the fresh natural Spring waters, this section of Highland Rec. area would have been the perfect Native hunting/Homestead grounds. Just what the white-man made it as he settled into the area.
So this is what we have been discussing as this years dual History HIKES. This is still in the planning stages and we are not sure if it would be best to do two separate Hikes or 
one dual Hike afternoon. We will see what response we get from all of you. Our last History Hike had a little over 85 people attend, and we had to split into two separate groups to accommodate the large number of people. Those kinds of numbers would not work on the heavy Bushwhacking Hike. The terrain is much to ruff, and we would loose people for sure. And that is not the point of these hikes. 🙂
So stay tuned for further developments, and in the meantime, head out to the Park and do some roaming. Be cautious while you explore. There are some heavy snow accumulations still hiding in the deeper ravines in-between the many ridges around the main Hill. Enjoy yourself…..EXPLORE…..and BE SAFE! See you all in May for our first History Hike of the year. One last thing…….we have something very Big coming this Summer. A History Event/Hike like we have never done before. You will not want to miss this one. That’s all I am saying right now. 🙂
![Zographus regalis cuprea [Cameroon]](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/52783978513_e3da275118_s.jpg "Zographus regalis cuprea [Cameroon]")
Haven Hill Project 