Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve — Attraction in Scottdale

I only discovered this park several weeks ago when I was restless and wanted to enjoy what was left of the beautiful day. And wow, what a park! Long trails snake around and over rocky bits; these are dirt paths and give the illusion of being in the deep forest. There is also a boardwalk over swamoy areas as well as a trail to take you around the pond or beside the creek. Only disappointment is the trash in the creek which is a shame because it is a nice sandy area with benches for sitting and viewing. At the end of my hike I like to go to the viewing platform where there is a tall wooden chair in which I sit and read until the great horned owls start hooting. Just a lovely respite from a long day. Another drawback is that you can hear traffic noise from Scott Boulevard...but just try to...

Clyde Shepherd Nature Preserve is a gem hidden in sight. It is a perfect piece of enjoying the Georgian sub-tropicals in the middle of the city. Though small in size, it provides about 1.6-mile long trail net, passing through blissful and pure wilderness. Many parts of the trails around the pond are wooden walkaways, and the trails are well maintained. The preserve is alive with birds. The beaver pond is an excellent place to watch water birds. My favorite place here is the bird-watching perch near the beaver pond. My favorite time of the year in the preserve is to observe abundant Beardtongue bushes in full bloom. The preserve is designed from local material and has several bird feeders and bird houses throughout. I am...

Lots of forks on the road to explore and meander along different trails. Good tree cover for almost all of the paths we explored. Agree with others that the paths are a bit muddy at various points, so appropriate footwear is advisable. Nice view of general forest, a swampy pond, and a small creek with a shallow sandy area that was nice for my baby to stick her feet in. Trail is a mix of dirt/ rickety boardwalk/ muddy spots/ stairs, so definitely NOT stroller friendly. However, it was a comfortable chill walk and it was easy to carry my 1 year old the whole time in a carrier - nothing treacherous or requiring serious climbing or balance etc. Masks required, and it was mild/moderately trafficked on the Sunday...