Friends of Oil Creek State Park

March 20th is the first day of spring according to the calendar. Most years, to call March a spring month can be quite generous. Often times it has more winter in it than spring. But this year has already proved to be quite different. Temperature have ranged from the 30 to the upper 70s.

Sooner or later though, spring will get here. Are you going to notice its arrival? Spend some time in various parts of the park and see for yourself how it introduces itself.

Wet areas are some of the first places spring shows up. Vernal pools are visited early by salamanders and frogs for courtship and egg laying. Spring peepers can be deafening on a warm night. Look for signs of the first flowers of the year here too. The hoods of skunk cabbage start growing in late winter in wet areas, and are well up before other flowers even break ground.

Migrating birds are coming back from warmer climates. The white bodies of mergansers are easy to spot on Oil Creek as well as other less colorful ducks with a little more effort. While in a wetland area just before dark, keep an ear and an eye open for the court-ship flight of the woodcock. Its crazy and erratic flight along with its peenting sounds are something you won’t soon forget.

You’ll find one of nature’s “tricksters” growing alongside the roadways. Many people see the new yellow flowers and mistake them for dandelions, but in truth, they are coltsfoot. Take a close look at one and you’ll see projections that look somewhat like scales all along the stem. Dandelions don’t have these markings.

Go into the woodlands before the leaves are on the trees and look for the wildflowers that are sprouting. After the leaves come out and shade the forest floor, most of these flowers will be gone for the year. There are some excellent field guides available that make identification pretty easy, even for the novice. Wildflowers make great photography subjects since they can’t run away.

Keep your ears open too. Listen for the “drumming” of the ruffed grouse or the call of wild turkeys. With practice you’ll be able to identify the sounds of some of the songbirds that fill the trees.

With the snow gone, all of the trails are open to hiking, including the ski trails. New maps of these trails are being upgraded using topography lines. These will be available at the park office as they get printed. With these you’ll be able to see how hard a particular trail might be to climb. Trail length can be as long or as short as you like thanks to many crossover trails. And of course the paved bicycle trail is nearly level its entire length, and is mud-free even in the wettest weather.

For those who like to fish, trout season opens on April 14th. The Fish Commission has stocked Oil Creek twice in March and will stock it again on April 11th and May 3rd. For the hunters, spring gobbler comes in on April 28th.

If nature cooperates and provides enough rain, spring is the best time of year to canoe Oil Creek. Even though the creek is mostly shallow, don’t forget to wear your PFD. After you’re in the water it’s too late to put it on.

If you’re interested in improving some habitat, get in touch with the DCNR forester Ty Ryan. He’s going to be working on getting the park’s apple trees back into shape to produce more apples for the wildlife. He’s also going to be working on propagating hardwood cuttings.

So grab your camera and binoculars and meet spring head on. Take a look and listen to what nature has to offer. It’s the best spring tonic available, and it’s free of charge!

Kirby Neubert, President, Friends of Oil Creek State Park

Gerard Hiking Trail is open year round and many consider spring hiking to be the best of the year. The Adirondack shelters at Cow Run and Wolfkiel are available for overnight camping. Be sure to get your camping permit at the park office before heading out on the trail. Dogs are allowed on the trails but they must be on a leash and be under the control of the hiker at all times.

If you'r hiking or hunting off trail and you find an unmarked oil well, please record the GPS location and report it to the park office. The Orpah Wells Project will appreciate your help.