Buckhorn Island State Park — Attraction in Town of Grand Island

The place is a secluded, field like trail that goes on for a couple/few miles, next to and behind some pumping station/factory-like building Bordering a marsh like swamp in the middle. The trail head was calling out to me and I was on a motorcycle. A 2012 Honda Shadow 750. Not a dirt bike! I should of reiterated that to myself at the time along with the list of 'should ofs & shouldn't ofs' I, since then, thought of while regretting my Gumption to do so. I circled the parking lot a few times contemplating. There was no signage telling me not to. I looked for it only to find the sign for Buckhorn National Park with its title and contributors. There was no "Keep Out" or anything to the contrary. I did not know the law and doubt it would of made a difference at the time. I guess I felt I was on this Island alone, Atleast at the park I didn't see a soul around for awhile. It was desolate and I seemingly happened to be there on a day everyone decided to stay away and leave the place alone. I was sort of fortunate in this manner except for the 5-10minutes of embarrassed agony and utter baffooness I was to feel shortly. The actual trail head has 2 steel barriers that allow enough space for an atv to squeak tightly between them. I know because I saw it. My roommates friend brought one to help get me out of the nightmarish predicament I was fixing to put myself into. After coming to some God aweful decision of being able to drive this thing of an unknowingly foreign-never seen before-trail going to God only knows. But yet i still went, and boy will I come to regret that decision forever in my life. So there I went. Through the barriers and rather easily without a care in the world, except to putt along and keep my balance while watching out for obstacles and surveying the trail ahead for a Desirable route. I stayed in 1st gear the whole way. I don't remember ever accelerating, I just idled and held on respectfully, While cautiously going down the path. This path of Doom, little did I know, was not taking Me to the beach as i thought it would. It was taking me deeper and deeper into the woods. At first is was wide open and welcoming. Birds are tweeting I bet. I can't hear 'em cuz I'm on a motorcycle and going down this path I never even walked. It was a ½ mile before the terrain started to change. There were more trees now and the worn out path started to turn more green by the second. The brush started thickening a little then there were these table like signs telling us something about the place. I think there were 4 of 'em spread out on both sides of the disappearing trail. I don't know what the hell they said on there, because like a BIG dummy and some new found Evil Knievel spirit inhabiting me, I couldn't find the moment and come to my senses. The trail was disappearing! I started collecting long stem weeds on my foot pegs and by then I was creeping along slowly but SHOULD OF stopped. I SHOULD OF stopped many of feet before it suddenly turned into an elevation Above a swamp in the brush. Instead I stopped when I could no longer go further. Amateur move and the first of many. The bike already is a little too small for my frame, so my balance is Kattywompous-sp.lol. I sit a bit to low to the ground which messes with my center of gravity while my legs are inhibited from proper mobility to try and adjust accordingly and never being able to straighten them out completely for strength in helping to keep the bike upright. I have to keep my legs bent because I'm sitting too low to the ground. So it's awkward, especially when I have to push myself backwards. I have hard enough times on pavement. I have to constantly feel the weight of the bike falling to one side or the other while pushing backwards and turning. I had topick the f'r up twice from falling to the ground. 5hundred lbs. Gets heavy on the 3rd time when its ontop of me. Upside down onthe hill and halfway in the swamp, I landed and got my leg pinned under the bike and it did not want to come out. 5 mins.of screaming, moaning and struggling I got it...

Serenity and the beautiful views is what comes to mind when I step out of my car and start to walk down the paths at this end of the Island. I don't bring the dogs, Bichons, white=muddy! and they hate baths! It's really nice to have so much right in your own backyard. North end, Buckhorn State Park, and South end Beaver Island State Park with golf, fishing off the little bridge, boardwalk, restrooms, beach, a lot of grassy areas with picnic tables, bar outside in the summer and boat docks. Both have bike paths which is so fun. Niagara Falls right down the Niagara River at the north end. Fabulous bike path that is on the West River side of the Island. You can see Canada across the way. A good long ride or run...

A nice park for walking, running and bike riding. Plenty of people walk their dogs here. There are several decent locations to launch kayaks. In winter, it is a nice location for cross country skiing for something short and basic - depending on the winter the creek will freeze up and can be skied on, but with caution. I usually avoid running here in the peak summer months due to the attack flies that bite.

Plenty of shielded locations for area bird watching. In autumn expect to find turkeys and deer that can approach the road. Several nice photographic locations and areas...