I’m not sure why the Marilla Bridges Trail is known as a rail trail, but it is a gentle, one mile stroll around a reservoir in Bradford, PA. This is one of those trails that are great when you don’t have much time. For us, the Marilla Reservoir is a trail we can hit when my husband gets home from work. It takes about 30-40 minutes to get there, which can be longer than the walk, but the payoff is worth it.

My husband finishes work early three days a week. This particular afternoon I needed to get out, so we loaded up Moto and went. The parking lot for this trail, and the others that lead off it, is the dirt side of the road. While we were there, I noticed fishermen, kayakers, and joggers.

Ever been on a trail where you have to turn around and go back the way you came? The Marilla Trail is not one of those. It circumnavigates the reservoir, and goes over three bridges including the scenic covered bridge. It’s wide, with few tree roots attempting to turn your ankle. The wildlife ranges from deer to ducks. On this particular afternoon, we watched a bald eagle chase a hawk which had a fish in its mouth. The hawk

dropped the fish into the water, but the eagle gave up and the hawk reclaimed its prize. Some minutes later, we saw the eagle fly in the direction the hawk had gone. Meanwhile, we could hear something that half resembled a bird call thing and a seagull. You can tell I’m no birdwatcher, but I was surprised to discover it was the eagle making that distinctive sound. How wonderful it is to see these majestic creatures in the wild instead of in a zoo or sanctuary. Part of me wished I had my 35mm camera with the good zoom and shutter speed. The rest of me was content just to stand, watch, and appreciate.

Our afternoon finished with a visit to a nationally-known ice cream store. Of course, Moto finished his before we’d barely taken two mouthfuls!