Cobus Creek: Summer Time!

Cobus Creek is such a fun place to be. We haven't been recently, so was surprised to see the changes that summer brings. Here is a hike we took here on a mild winter day. I really like the diversity of habitats at Cobus Creek. There is a prairie area, meadow, river, woods, pond, and more! It's on the far west side of Elkhart, very close to the county line road, so it's very accessible to both Elkhart, Granger, and Mishawaka. When I was visiting this last Saturday, the pavilion was busy. People had music, were enjoying the beach volleyball area, and were gathering at the park. It was good to see people out in nature!

The wildflowers are looking gorgeous!

 

I love seeing the rows of bluebird boxes here! There are probably over 20 in the area.

The small playground is a good incentive for my children to do a little nature exploration before playground time. I actually was here doing filming for Our Town: Elkhart through WNIT, so felt a little odd without all my tagalongs! It will be interesting to see how my view of "nature" will be put together for a cohesive section of the production. 

I remember getting a little lost here in the past, so took a picture of the trail map. Well, maybe not lost, but it was the first time on the trails for a group of my mom friends. We all had young children with us and were so happy to see the playground once we found our way out of the woods.

It's great to see how the Sensory Garden has really grown in. I love the tagline: Experience Nature Through Your Senses. I encourage you to spend a little time in each of the areas. I've had small children here before, so I know that it can be difficult to help the little ones respect the integrity of the area at times. However, it can be a neat treat to interact with nature using all our senses, focusing on a different sense at each pod of the garden. I love to smell the different plants, hear the water flow, feel the textures, and to think about tasting edibles. I know my children are getting better at taking pictures with my phone camera. They like taking pictures in this area. It helps them slow down and "frame" their experience. This would be a great place to go for a "picture" walk, such as the frames we used at this nature art activity at Woodlawn Nature Center. 

I had a beautiful walk through the gardens.

Loved hearing the trickling water. 

The lily pads look inviting!

I like to go down by the river while visiting. I appreciate there are interpretive signs throughout the park to help us understand nature right there. 

I've seen so many kids get down on their bellies on this platform, wanting to get as close to the water for observation as they can.

Big beautiful trees! There is another large tree back on the trails we really like too. 

It's nice to have a place to stop and rest. 

This sign talked about the natural story of the area . . . how it became what it is today over time. 

I love hearing and seeing the water flow through the park. 

The trails are inviting! We love exploring here!