!steemitworldmap 16.458954 lat 120.596138 long Mt. Kalugong, Benguet d3scr

I borrowed a Samsung mobile phone and asked my sister if she wants to go for a short hike, which she readily said yes. Without further ado, we took off. I brought my phone, the mobile phone I borrowed, bottled water and cash. I thought we can be back home after an hour or one-hour-and-a-half at the most. However, it took us three hours to go there and back.

I decided that we go to Mt. Kalugong. It's just a bright and sunny morning that is too good to pass. Kalugong is our local language which means hat/cap in English. It is actually a limestone of a mountain. One rock formation can be seen on the side of this rock/mountain which resembles the knitted hats that you can see here in our place. That is where its name was derived from. I forgot however to take a photo of that said rock to share it here. This was owned by Benguet State University before but now it is privately owned and it was turned into an Eco Park.

How to Get There:

If you are commuting from Baguio City, ride jeepneys that are going to La Trinidad-Cruz/Camp Dangwa/Tomay/Acop. Do not take jeepneys going to La Trinidad-Buyagan/Pico/Puguis. Tell the driver to drop you off the way to Mt. Kalugong. The road going up to Mt. Kalugong is beside a funeral home. That is a fact.

The road going up is paved so it is an easy hike. Depending on how fast you walk, then you will get there sooner or later. Just follow the road until you come to the unfinished subdivision. As of this moment, the subdivision is still underway. No houses were built yet but to get to the Eco Park you have to bypass this area.

This is the final stretch of cemented road and beyond that point will be red soil.

Due to the rain that we are having every day, it was muddy. We have to really be careful where we step. What lies ahead are limestones and they are slippery. Good thing we had our shoes on for that matter. However, we still have to take extra care.

Most of the Eco Park is not as muddy as the photo above. The earth is darker and more compact so it does not stick to your soles.

House rules are posted near the entrance.

Always remember that when you leave your homes or when you visit another place, be a responsible visitor. Not because you are on vacation or on a holiday, it does not mean you have to forget about the environment and just do what you want to do.

A lady greeted us this time. The first two previous visits we had, a guy entertained us and took our fees. There is a PHP50.00 entrance fee before but it now jumped up to PHP100.00. They increased the fee due to some renovation under way. I believe once construction is done, the entrance fee will be raised again.

I don't know about this tiny hut. Maybe it was just to show what kind of traditional houses were built then. This is a model of a typical house. The other huts and tiny houses/cabins above are actually for rent that you can rent overnight. I remember asking the guy who was there before but forgot how much. Some of those have no toilet but there are common toilets within the property. The lady who was in charge when me and sister went there did not know how much. She said that she is just new there. I guess she was not informed. She said that she was just there to collect fees from visitors coming to the park.

Adivay or Dap-ay refers to the ring of stones built around a place for bonfire. Traditionally, Adivayan or Dap-ayan is a place where people come together to talk or discuss about things. It is a place where people gather.

They have picnic grounds so feel free to bring in food and drinks. There is a short zip line but there is no one available to man that.

Lots of swings are available and it is nice to take time and enjoy the wind on your face as you enjoy the beauty of the place and being close to nature.

Kasiljas means toilet. This is the public toilet and also the common toilets that you can use if you are to stay in one of the cabins/huts.

Lots of cats roam the area. I saw two dogs. This particular cat is wary as one of the dogs is chasing it.

This is a framed shot of parts of La Trinidad and on the horizon is Baguio City. You can even see the biggest mall from this distance.

Just beyond the cabins and picnic grounds are these clusters of lime stones that have formed different rock formations. Some are over hanging and it takes guts to sit on the edge.

One misstep could be fatal. You really have to be sure, double, triple sure that your foothold and hand grip is secure before moving forward. Always remember SAFETY FIRST BEFORE SELFIE. So far, no accidents have been reported that I am aware of. However, that would still be a priority for the management. They should have restrictions as to how far people can go.

It is also impressive that there are different kinds of plants and flowers growing in, on and around these rocks. Nature truly finds a way. There are also wild cherry trees and they are full with young fruits.

What really impressed me was these gladioli. They decorate the whole place. They were not there when we visited before and they are pleasant and beautiful to look at.

Do you know how to suck the nectar from these flowers? Here's how.

I was expecting sweet tiny drop of juice but I was surprised that it was bland and it was not what I was expecting.

I will be posting the second part of this hike but for now, I will leave you with this photo.

On the foreground is the state university's property. They own a great portion of the land. You can also see the strawberry fields in the middle. It is noticeable that more and more houses are being build up the mountains in the background.

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