I recently visited the Darlin Creek Preserve for the first time and hiked one of its trails. The video above gives you a good idea of what the preserve looks like and below is some additional useful information.
Getting to the trailhead at around 11 AM, there were two other cars in the parking lot. It's a small lot with 11 dedicated spaces and there is no parking allowed on the other side of the road. The preserve/parking lot/trailhead is located directly at the end of a residential neighborhood. This seems to make it quite the popular dog-walking spot as I saw several locals arriving when I left. Normally I would say to arrive early in order to get a parking spot but this location doesn't seem like it's all that popular except to the people who live nearby. But from what I saw, they all walked there.
As far as the preserve, I was pleasantly surprised. I would have to say that this is my new favorite trail walk. Don't get me wrong, it's not mind-blowing or anything like that. If you've done a local hike with a lot of wooded areas, this place is going to look very similar. But, this is a short and very manageable trail walk. For inexperienced hikers or people who are looking to get outside but don't want to expend too much energy, this is the perfect place to go.
I did the Wetland Forest Loop Trail which is around 2 miles long. The trail is clearly marked and easily navigable. On my hike, there was still some frost on the ground but nothing that caused any trouble. The trail was largely in good condition. Some portions were covered by wet leaves. This could be an issue if you're not watching where you step. There was no snow and very little mud. There was only one muddy stretch of land that was less than 50 feet long. I had no issues with bugs until the very end, passing Lake Lucinda. They all congregated in one tiny swarm that I had to walk through.
Again, I was pleasantly surprised by this trail and can definitely recommend it. It's an easy walk with some good views. A very nice break from the city.
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