By the shores of the Finger Lakes, where the forests are deep and the waterfalls tumble like laughter, a tiny creature stirred…

Baby Bigfoot yawned a big, fuzzy yawn.

It was morning in the forest near Seneca Lake, as the sun peeked over the mountain and twinkled through the tall trees like a shy friend. Birds chirped their greetings, and the breeze carried the smell of pine and earth—and something exciting… adventure!

Today was a special day—BB was going on his very first real hike. Not a little stroll near the den, oh no—this was a trail, with trail markers, backpack snacks, and a map drawn in crayon by Grandsquatch himself.

BB was so excited as he skipped toward his mama, gripping his empty backpack tightly.

BB’s mom, Willow, chuckled and handed over a squished peanut butter and honey sandwich.

And with that, Baby Bigfoot stomp-stomp-stomped off toward the Gorge Trail at Watkins Glen State Park.

The Gorge Trail was magical. Waterfalls leapt from cliffs, misty rainbows danced in the sunlight, and the path twisted through rock walls like a secret passage.

There was so much to see, so BB just had to stop at every bend.

“Ooooh,” BB muttered to himself, his eyes growing wide at the sight of the biggest waterfall he’d ever seen.

Next, BB made a sound: “Wooooah.” He’d never seen spiral stairs carved into stone. Of course, he had to try and climb them. As he did, he let out a big “WHOA!” when he slipped a little on some moss and landed with a soft plop.

A squirrel, watching from a tree, squeaked with laughter.

Embarrassed, BB giggled a little and did a jig, as if he totally meant to slip on the moss. He then grinned, brushing the wet moss off his knees.

As he continued on, BB saw a couple of hikers coming into view. Knowing they might be startled at the sight of him, BB jumped behind a big tree to escape their view. But he wasn’t fast enough. The girl gasped when she saw a blur of brown fur, accompanied by the sound of rustling leaves.

She looked white as a ghost and shouted,
“Did you see that?”

The guy just shrugged. “Probably a bear.”

But the girl whispered, “I swear I just saw Bigfoot,” not knowing she was actually right—sort of.

Still behind the tree, Baby Bigfoot couldn’t help but giggle as he watched them pass by. It was best that he stay hidden and continue his solo hike.

Down a ways, almost near the end of the trail, BB’s stomach began to growl, and he realized he hadn’t had his lunch yet. He stopped at a rock shaped like a turtle and pulled out his sandwich. Birds landed nearby, hoping for crumbs.

BB, who prefers his sandwiches without the crust, carefully tore off little bits for everyone. Even a curious chipmunk got a bite!

Then came a sound—drip, drip… splash! It was Rainbow Falls, the most magical part of the trail!

Water tumbled like silver ribbons over the cliff, and if you walked under it, the mist sparkled like fairy dust. BB gasped and ran straight through, arms out like airplane wings. It looked and felt like he was actually flying—like he was the Waterfall King or something like it.

His laughter was so loud that the sound of it echoed through the canyon. BB’s fur was soaking wet now. He knew he’d have to pick up his pace to help dry off before he got home to Mama Willow.

BB began to skip down the trail, which got him to the end faster than he’d anticipated. He was tired, and his fur was still a little damp, too, so he plopped down on a big rock at the foot of the trail to lay in the sunshine and dry off some more.

What a great time he had hiking! BB was so happy, even the mud that clung to his fur didn’t bother him. His feet were a little soggy, too, but his heart was full of adventure.

As the sun dipped lower and painted the lake in golden orange, BB pulled out a little notebook and wrote:

“Today I hiked the Gorge Trail. I saw 7 waterfalls, made 5 bird friends, and only fell down twice. I might be small, but I’m a BIG explorer.”

He then signed it with a muddy pawprint.

And just before heading home, he turned and gazed back at the trail he had hiked all by himself and let out a little grunt. He was already thinking about the next time he would visit the trail.

The wind then rustled the leaves like it was saying, We’ll be waiting.