This past week I didn’t pile on the miles like I like to, but I got to go exploring anyway. I went to investigate a pending trail north of Superior street, east of Folkways that is in the planning stages. The good folks at LPSNRD had the opportunity to get a good deal on a bridge a couple of years ago, the most expensive part of a trail, so they put it in place though the completion of the trail was still years away. I had hoped maybe that time had arrived, but no. All we saw was the bridge, temptingly close and trail-less, and lot lines for a new housing development. We did check out the Whitehead Saline Wetland though, a little further north near north 27th street and I-80. The sign says that walking, jogging, and biking are allowed on the trail, but we couldn’t locate the trail in the time we were there. That will be a ride for another day.
I’ve been wanting to do a wetlands tour. One could ride to the Whitehead Saline Wetland, back down Folkways to Superior, and take the John Dietrich connector to 27th, where the wild plums are growing big. That short segment of trail is one of my favorites. We saw deer, a fox, rabbits, and heard a lot of birdsong.
Then you split off west onto the trail at the south end of the Salt Creek bridge, ending up on new trail on the north side of Salt Creek, by the new soccer and tennis complex, crossing the 14th street bridge to the Salt Creek Levee Trail Extension, and continuing to the Oak Lake Trail by Haymarket Park, rounding the lake and arriving at the wetland west of Oak Lake and North 1st Street. Then you could ride on to Capitol Beach, further south, close to the Salt Creek Levee Trail. If you want to go further, you could take the Bison trail to Pioneers park and enjoy those wetlands, too.
There are many other wetlands around Lincoln, but the Saline wetlands are the rarest. They’re worth your time to learn about, and make a fun and worthwhile destination for a mini bike tour.