Spring is back in all its fervent verdency as the colorful landscape of countless shades of green returns to Fairy Stone State Park. Along with it, many members of our web of life return as well. 

Spring rains can sometimes dissuade people from hiking. But if it's a calm rain, the newly leafed in forest takes on a primeval, lush experience. Everything in the woods glistens, speckled with water droplets following a soothing rain. The air smells rich and fresh, a little thicker from the moisture.

These are perfect conditions to see one of our cutest little colorful creatures, the red eft.

Two red efts crawling through tiny mossy mountains

The rain was real slow for a while, slow enough the forest acted like a giant umbrella and you weren’t in need for your own (though I had one just in case). It had the potential to be a pleasant salamander rain.

Fire pink shimmering during a soft rain

Amphibians love and need moist environments; salamanders often come out of hiding only after or during rains. The Eastern Newt is one of my favorite salamanders.

Red eft covered in tiny rain droplets

Red efts capture the imagination and awe of children and adults alike and I can’t help but smile when I stumble across one of spring’s truly special sightings.

The glowing orange coloration is eye-popping and a warning to would-be predators. Their color ranges in intensity, some being more yellowish-brown, but they are fairly easy to spot when active.

Red eft climbing a moss wall

This newt’s life cycle is intricate, and has 3 stages. In the first stage they are aquatic, living underwater. During the juvenile, or second stage, they live on land as red efts for 2-7 years. They return to the water during their adult, or final, stage. 

A male courts a female. They retain their spots but look very different as adults

Underwater larvae in their first stage re-absorb their gills, transforming. As efts and adults they use lungs like we do. Metamorphosis is a powerful tool for certain animals to take advantage of different types of habitats.

Notice the nostrils on this close up

I was so excited to see a couple red efts. We started wondering if we could find 10, then 15. It turned into a fun game, forcing me to slow down and absorb all the small details around me.

Walking slow reveals camouflaged critters, like this dragonfly 

Not all salamanders stand out so much, can you find this one in a stream?

Slowly walking, I’d often spot an eft surrounded by several more within a 6-foot radius. Then we wondered if we could find 20, then 40. They were everywhere!

Sometimes when the conditions are ideal, life just seems to explode.

For every one I saw there had to be more unseen ones.

Red eft hanging out on a log

They were coming out the woodwork, literally, coming out from under leaves and logs all along the stream and nearby woods.

Little Mountain Falls at Fairy Stone State Park

What do they do the rest of the time on drier days hidden from the eyes of man?

An eft enjoying the moisture

By the end of our walk to the overlook, we saw 102 unique efts!

Over a hundred salamanders within a couple miles of hiking, I’d never experienced anything like it before. A point A to point B destination while counting ensured we didn’t double count any critters walking by them a second time on the way down.

Little Mountain Falls Overlook (the day prior before the rain came)

The last five were found at the overlook, taking the count over the top to 100 right at the top in storybook fashion. It was a magical, moist spring day and fitting for a place named Fairy Stone.

Eft on a showy orchis

As the rains filled puddles, strengthened streams, fed the plants, and pulled the efts out of hiding, the salamander rain refilled me as well.

Directions and more information about Fairy Stone State Park can be found here.