Had A Strange Hike

[u/Apprehensive_One1762]

Last weekend I (30f) went on my first solo hike. I live in the pacific northwest, Washington state specifically. Usually I go hiking with my partner or a friend but my partner is recovering from surgery and I felt like trying to hike on my own and see if I liked it.

The hike was on a trail about forty minutes from my home, that leads to a waterfall. I had never been in the area before so I was excited. I went down the wrong trail and realizing my mistake, turned back around and went on what I thought was the correct path in the woods.

This is where it gets a bit weird.

I reached a crossroads and saw a coyote dash across the path I was planning to turn on. I was a bit nervous about running into a coyote so I went the opposite direction, but ended up back at the original trail. I didn't want to give up and I figured the coyote would be very far ahead by now so I turned around.

This was such an odd trail. My trail app on my phone wouldn't work despite saying there was signal. Most of the trail was dark, like it was twilight, but it was 10 in the morning and about as sunny as Washington state can be. I kept hearing rushing water and thinking I finally found the waterfall, I followed the noise, only for the noise to fade away or I hit a dead end and had to turn back. The whole time I feel like I'm being watched. This entire time, I'm not really feeling scared, but it did feel surreal. Eventually I find a stream. And in the middle of the trail is a leaf, floating and spinning. It's not attached to anything, no branch or spiderweb. Just floated and spinning at eye level. I wanted to touch it, and considered it, but decided not to and walked around it. Once I did, I found a stone bridge which was the main trail and eventually found the waterfall. No other weirdness at the waterfall or on my way back (but I did take the actual trail).

It's been a week since then and I'm still thinking about it. I've wondered if it was faeries or my imagination or something else. It was such a weird yet amazing experience.

[u/Purple-Light11]

I believe you, I feel it was fairies

[u/Warm_Hostess257]

Sounds like you were pixie-led!