A Walk to Honor and to Explore

park sign — Welcome sign at Southwood in Springfield, Missouri.

It certainly depends on weather and location, but walking has always been a passion of mine. When I was a teenager, I was walking off time, passing days and evenings around a country neighborhood. I liked waving to neighbors, having quiet to think, seeing the occasional deer. Over the years, I found among my friends a few who truly enjoyed walking as much as I did.

bush with berries — Berries on a bush along the Trail of Honor.

Park walking is a favorite. Engineers and landscapers sat down and planned paths just for this purpose. On the edge of Springfield, Missouri is Southwood Canoe Access. Like many of these points where road meets water, the place to drop in is right beneath a highway, which I find unsettling as I head into nature, but it makes for easy access to a waterway that quickly grants entry to a more serene setting.

leaf impression in concrete — A leaf that left an impression on the Trail of Honor.

The Access is just that, an opening to park in and go somewhere else. We saw where we could go for a future canoe ride and viewed the posted map for a walk. We headed off on the Trail of Honor. The wide, paved walkway flowed between a pretty segment of the James River and a field bordering on Missouri’s State Veterans Cemetery. From a distance, white tombstones stood in sharp lines. Benches were placed at intervals along the walkway honoring the various branches of the U.S. Military. Most trails give me pause for nature, this one was for people.

military bench — A bench on the Trail of Honor for the U.S. Coast Guard.

military cemetery — The Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Springfield.

I viewed a broad part of the James River and spotted a man and a dog on a canoe. A steady current and upbeat jazz carried the passengers along. It took me back to many canoe trips on the South Florida canals, picnic packed and music playing. I looked forward to getting to know Missouri better, by water. This looked like a promising spot for a warmer day.

The walkway is part of the James River Greenway- a walking trail that brings pedestrians through southeast Springfield in three, one-mile segments. I was excited to see another segment of the same trail system was at Sequiota Park (Why I Love and Strongly Dislike Springfield, Missouri). Future walk noted.

railway bridge over river — A bridge off a James River Greenway Trail.

One unofficial stop from the path lacked warning signs, but there was a somewhat precarious, old railway bridge that spanned the James River. It had hefty structural supports as it was a timber pile bridge. There was a “walkway” to the side of the rails, that ran beside large, aging ties. It looked more like a maintenance side path than a safe place to stroll. Even so, the old construction materials were striking, still upholding potential cargo.

timber piles under bridge — Timber pile supports.

Back on the main path, several other friendly walkers passed by, some with dogs. A surprising number of people were out for a stroll in the chilly afternoon. It was a good walk and on the way back to the parking lot, bushes loaded with bright, red berries stood out, Christmas-like on a cloudy day.

water viewed through bridge — A side walkway along an old, railway bridge.

We made a quick inspection of the fishing area and noted that we could get a canoe in at that location, even though there wasn’t a ramp for a larger boat. Canoe-able and walking friendly, this was another spot to add to the list. Walk over, we headed home.