Parnell to Greenbush
The trek from Parnell Shelter to the trailhead was a solid 8 mile push through green pinewoods. The morning started easy as we descended from the high ridges around Parnell. The trail quickly transitions from the Parnell Segment into the Greenbush Segment at Highway 67.
The middle of the hike was a leg-burner. The trail here doesn't just go around the kettles; it dips into deep, damp valleys and then climbs right back out onto narrow moraine ridges. I passed through dense stands of oak, maple, and pine, navigating a narrow footpath that was often tangled with rocks and roots.
The final stretch took me toward the Greenbush Recreation Area and finishing at the Greenbush Trailhead. I'm wiped but satisfied. This segment really makes you earn every mile with its constant elevation changes, but the views of those ancient glacial depressions are worth the sweat.