Buffalo Rising Online

Sep 20th 2007, 7:50pm By queenseyes

Before you read any further see if you can guess where these two photos were taken... within the city limits.

On the way from the Cobblestone District to the NFTA Small Boat Harbor I figured I would stop into Dug's Dive for a late afternoon lunch. I had about 45 minutes to kill. By the time I drove past the restaurant I realized that it would be safer for me (time-wise) to just do some urban exploring instead. So I pulled into the parking lot of Tifft Nature Preserve, also known as the city's Urban Sanctuary. I'm working on another story for the weekend that will help to provide more background for the nature preserve, but first I want to explain what I just experienced.

I had always heard that Tifft was neat. And I've pulled into the driveway and looked at Lake Kirsty and beyond. But to tell you the truth I never ventured much further. Today was different. Today I decided to start hiking the five miles of trails. I started with a walk up one of the many hills where there are lush green trails cut into the waist-high reeds and grasses. Before I knew it I was staring at a fawn. It was crouching in the grass about 30 feet from me, and the only reason I even saw it was due to its big ears sticking up over the grass. It was uncanny that the animal did not run from me... then again this was a nature preserve and I was the visitor this time. I snapped a photo (#1) and kept moving. Already, between the colors of the trail and the fawn, the hike was far better than I had imagined. As I approached the top of the hill I read the directionals (there are effective trail markers too), and then looked on towards the distant windmills. Buffalo was very different from this perspective.

I stood on that hill taking it all in when I suddenly realized that there was a family hiking up to the next hill (#2). When I caught up to them a guy about my age said, "I remember when I was a kid and they told me that this waste dump was going to be a nature preserve... I can't believe that this is the same place." I agreed and headed on my way. As I walked down the hill I could see, to my left, two wild turkeys bobbing their heads to and fro. They didn't pay any attention to me... unfortunately by this time my camera battery had been spent. By the time I reached the bottom I was completely surrounded by small ponds and tall trees. This was a bit more of what I had expected, but to be honest it was far, far, more. The distant sounds of the cars had died down, replaced by the sounds of the frogs, crickets and an occasional scurrying animal. Queen Ann's lace spread out in the distance as far as the eye could see, and rabbits ran about in front of me.

By the time I circled back around, I found myself standing on top of a bridge gazing back out at Kirsty Lake. The half hour excursion had seemed like forever. For the life of me I could not figure why I had never experienced Tifft Nature Preserve in this way before today. I'm charging my camera batteries and heading back this weekend. Then I'm going to take a tour next Thursday at 10am (free though donations are smiled upon).

As I walked out of the driveway toward the busy roadway (that should be a boulevard - DOT are you listening?) I could only imagine that someday the sounds of the speeding bikes and the racing cars would die down. Tifft is a remarkable story... and the Friends of Tifft are a fascinating group of people. I'll have their story coming up. And there will be part two of the Tifft hike. But don't wait for me... if you have not taken this hike yourself it is something that you will never forget. Oh, and leave the dogs behind because they are not allowed. Also, pick up after yourself, and leave a donation before you exit. If you really fall in love with Tifft, as I did today, consider becoming a member.

Part two to come...