Cabin John Trail by Anonymous

There is an active tennis court beside the one-lane road. As you walk past the court, by the empty baseball field and overcrowded parking, you reach a tiny playground. Hidden towards the side of the playground, past the swings, forward from an abandoned grill, is the entrance to Cabin John Trail. Down you walk, through steep terrain, on loose, creaking wooden steps, to the creek. 

There is a table where a father sits, watching his dog dirty itself in the creek. You hear the sound of the dog shaking the water off. There is a narrow path of sand along the creek, and you walk through the sand to a built area. It appears to be a large stone pathway to the side of the creek, likely made to prevent floods. Instead of the trail above, you walk on the stone structure, enjoying the sun-kissed air and water views, until you see a large log blocking your path. You maneuver yourself around the log, hanging across the edge, just above the water. Pulling yourself up, you pass through to yet another beach area where some men sit together illegally fishing. 

Across you go, to a forest of invasive bamboo, with a pathway made from clearing it. Through the bamboo path you go, the creek on the right showing itself, shining, through the gaps between the bamboo. A bright glimpse of the shining water, shown in each step. Beyond this point, it is rare to find people. The tide is low, so you jump across the rocks peeking out on the creek, balancing on logs and crossing side-by-side. Getting that out of your system, you head back to the trail, walking up and down across familiar-looking terrain.

Eventually, the trail comes to an end. The trail stops, blocked by the creek heading in front of it, and towards the left. Inspired to discover more, you jump across rocks to follow the diverging creek. The area smells of sewage, and a road passes above. The area is overgrown, with thorns to either side. You see a fox standing in the center, just under the bright sun. Blood is dripping from its mouth, likely from a deer it ate quite recently. Unable to take a picture in time, but satisfied with what you’ve seen, you head back to the trail's end. The sun starts getting low, with a newly pink horizon, so you begin heading back. 

Back through the bamboo pathway, passing the fishermen, through the beach, and atop the stone structure, turning right at the table and upwards along the pathway to the long set of steep steps. Along you go past the playground, and along the now empty tennis court, to the one lane bridge, leaving, to come back another day.