Trail 4

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Cave · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Spring · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Trail 4 can be accessed from a few spots throughout the park. For our hike we took Trail 1 from behind the Spring Mill Inn to reach Trail 4. You can also access the trail from the parking area near the Pioneer Village.

The trail takes you to many historical elements of the park. The Pioneer Village is a historical recreation of what life was like in this area in the 1800's. Log cabins and the working grist mill our manned by interpreters are open for you to explore. Upon approaching the Pioneer Village, you'll have two choices to continue your hike. One portion of the trail will take you thorough the village, and the other way takes you around the village. NO DOGS are allowed in the village, so plan accordingly.

Just past the Pioneer Village, you'll pass Hamer Cave and eventually come across the Hamer Pioneer Cemetery. The path follows the back side of the cemetery along the fence. You'll need to work your way around to the front to access the cemetery if you wish to explore there. Be on the look out for grave markers identifying servicemen who fought and died for our country.

After the cemetery, you'll cross through a parking and picnic area and descend a long series of wooden steps taking you down to the creek. From here you can turn right for a very short spurt to Donaldson Cave. Turning left at the bottom of the steps completes the loop and takes you past the Wilson Monument honoring Andrew Wilson an early American ornithologist. The monument was erected in 1866 by George Donaldson, the former land owner.

You'll come across many hills and valleys and will be met with many rock formations that you'll need to work around on this trail. The park map calls this trail "rugged" and it lives up to it's classification.

Donaldson Woods is home to native trees that can be dated back 300 years. White-tailed deer, coyotes, foxes, raccoons, skunks and wild turkey have been spotted near this trail.