A cold and sunny day in mid-December. A good time to do the 4.1-mile loop hike in the Tualatin Hills Nature Park a few miles west of home in the heart of the city of Beaverton.

The 222-acre Park surrounds the confluence of Cedar Mill Creek and Beaverton Creek.

It is a remarkably diverse wildlife preserve with wetlands, forests, ponds and streams. The trails’ names tell the story – – – Oak, Creek, Old Wagon, Vine Maple, Big Fir, Cougar, Chickadee, Cedar Grove, Ash, Serviceberry, Big Pond, Trillium Loop and Ponderosa Loop.

The highlights of the hike were spotting a blacktail doe (a trail runner scared it away before I could shoot a photo) and watching a fox squirrel foraging for food.

Walkway over a marshy area

Licorice Ferns

Snowberries

A pond along the trail

Fox Squirrel

Early morning frost

Small pond along the trail

Oregon Grape leaves

Cattails pond