Orange Trail

Have you ever walked along the multi-use trail, gazed across Ridley Creek, and thought it would be really neat to walk on that side?

Well, now you can. The park's newest official trail is a two mile hike that pretty much follows the creek downstream of Gradyville Road for a mile, then loops uphill through tall beeches and oaks before returning to the creek and back to your car, parked next to Gradyville Road at a pull-out just east of Ridley Creek.

The trail, already known to some (especially fishermen) offers an excellent display of early spring wildflowers in April. Colorful foliage and edible hickory nuts in the fall give way to stunning winter views of the creek from atop the hill.

Thanks to many volunteers working over the last several months, the Orange Trail has been cleared and blazed. Park Manager Roger McChesney inaugurated the trail at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on National Trails Day, June 7. The trail isn't shown on park maps just yet, but if you carefully follow the orange blazes, you'll be sure to enjoy a wonderful hike in this little-used section of the park.

For approximate location of the Orange Trail, see the Trail Map