Bill Craft Trail at Richardson Preserve - Greensboro, NC
“It takes a little patience, takes a little time. A little perseverance and a little uphill climb." - To Break In A Glove - Dear Evan Hansen
"No one should have any doubt that it matters that they are here." - Disappear - Dear Evan Hansen
"Even when the dark comes crashing through, and when you need a friend to carry you, when you're broken on the ground you will be found." - You Will Be Found - Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Chris Shields, This Is Going To Be A Good Day -
Following a fantastic Friday night attending the Dear Evan Hansen musical at The Steven Tanger Performing Arts Center then picking up my daughters Maria and Amelia from college on Saturday, we traveled to the Bill Craft Trail at the Richardson-Taylor Preserve in northern Guilford County on Sunday afternoon for a crisp and leisurely five-mile family hike (minus Amelia 😥).
And if you are curious about whom the trail Is named after, like I was, please see the paragraph titled Requiem at the end of my blog.
You Will Be Found -
The parking area and access to the trailhead of the Bill Craft Trail are located off Plainfield Road, perhaps the most magnificent roadway in all of Guilford County. We started our hike counterclockwise, first taking the serene half-mile Wetland Loop Trail and then connecting to the Bill Craft Trail for the rest of our hike. We did opt to turn around at an observation deck around the three-mile mark, yet the trail does continue for another mile for those seeking a longer distance, culminating at the rear of Northern Middle School. — Bonus points if you can find the toy duck we found behind Ginger in the picture!
All We See Is Sky For Forever -
Just outside the city limits of Greensboro, the Bill Craft Trail offers a truly isolated nature experience, fully immersing one in the beauty of God’s creation. We did hear the sound of a suburban leaf blower near the end of the trail and massive power lines do run overhead in spots, yet you are mostly in total seclusion within the countryside amongst the birds, deer, coyote, and beavers. Along the trail, we encountered vast wetlands, rambling creeks with multiple crossings, reflective glass-like ponds offering optical illusions David Blaine would admire, and many mature hardwoods, pine, cypress and holly trees.
Anybody Have A Map? -
With the Dear Evan Hansen musical from Friday night still fresh on my mind, I found myself reflecting on several of its most meaningful messages while walking amongst the trees and creeks on our Sunday hike. While not all are related to hiking, a few connections can readily be made.
One is that life can be really hard and unlike most trails, it doesn’t come with a map or any clear directions to guide you. Like the mom’s opening song in Evan, we all just try to do our best, inevitably making mistakes, yet hoping and trusting that eventually, everything will turn out ok. Some mistakes and bad decisions are harmless, like the time Ginger and I ended up off-trail in the middle of a poison ivy field searching for an elusive waterfall, while others can pose potential and life-altering consequences, like our family’s near-death experience lost high on a steep cliff in Zion National Park one summer (Unfortunately, it's not an exaggeration or hyperbole - a tearful and frightened Maria offered her college savings for a helicopter rescue 😥). My key takeaway is to remember we all make mistakes and to offer grace and forgiveness to others, and just as importantly, to ourselves as well. Easier said than done I know, yet try to remember the song, I'm Only Human (The Human League one, not The Jo Bros one 😂), and extend grace to others and yourself as well.
Requiem -
This wonderful trail and Greensboro gem is named in honor of Bill Craft, who passed away in 2010. Mr. Craft was a Greensboro icon, championing and participating in many local civic organizations including the Jaycees, Kiwanis Club, the Salvation Army, the Boys and Girls Club, Boy Scouts, the Mental Health Association of Guilford County, Red Cross, the Piedmont Land Conservatory and many others. He also was a city park volunteer, spending hundreds of hours planting thousands of azaleas, camellias, native trees and shrubs over the years in locations throughout Guilford County. The Bill Craft Trail is an amazing tribute to a truly dynamic man. I, unfortunately, did not know Mr. Craft, but the City of Greensboro and the world are better places because of him, and fortunately, we still benefit from his generosity and caring spirit long after his passing.
