It was the second day of camping. We went hiking at Coyote Run Trail. This was the 4.6 mile hiking trail at Cooper Lake State Park. The campsite was already stirring early in the morning. The water was boiling in the pot. The thought of coffee was enticing. It was time to get up and be ready for hiking.

We knew that it was going to be a hot day. We learned our lesson in the past when we went hiking and was almost exhausted by the heat. Water was essential for the trail. Surprisingly, the sky was overcast and there was a cool breeze gently blowing on our faces.

The parking lot and the trailhead of Coyote Run Trail was quiet. I guess we picked the right time to be there. We posed for a photograph by the trailhead sign and started the hike.

The trail was a looping trail of around four plus miles. A tree canopy covered the trail. There were brush on both sides but it wasn’t dense. The trail itself was crunchy with gravel and some scattered sandy patches. It was sloping and there were no steep upgrades or downgrades. The tree canopy, the overcast sky, minimal humidity, and a light breeze contributed to a comfortable condition of hiking.

The halfway mark was interesting as the trail became narrower and was almost devoid of human traffic. There were track marks on the ground but few shoe marks. Along the way, we found insects and reptiles that we usually don’t find on hikes. Our lead even encountered “a big cat with a very long tail” that ran the opposite direction!

Our hike back felt easier. We were now familiar with the surroundings and we anticipated the end of the trail. It was back to campsite in no time. That afternoon, after more food and some lazy time at the camp, we headed to the lake for a swim and a game of pick up basketball.