Bridges Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The trail can be busy on spring/summer weekends, with hikers and cyclists.

The trails at Clayton Park are well maintained and well marked. There are signposts at every trail intersection to help keep you on the right path. There are a lot of turns, so bring a trail map, or, better yet, track your hike with the Hiking Project mobile app.

Start at the north side of the parking lot, on Glen Trail. Follow the wide trail for about 800 feet, and then turn right at the split for Bridges Trail. This will meander through a beautiful mature forest. There are some ups and downs as the trail goes into and out of river valleys, but the grades are easy. You'll come to another split in the trail. Left is a short-cut if you want a shorter hike. Instead, go right to get the full Bridges Trail experience.

You'll pass a signpost for Doctor's Creek Trail, another nice trail (longer than Bridges). The trail continues to be wide packed dirt. After a relatively straight, downhill stretch, the trail splits again. Left takes you on Glen Trail back to the parking lot if you've had enough. Go straight to continue on Bridges Trail. You'll come to a small lake where fishing is permitted (with a license). Turn right and hike around the lake.

This portion of the trail, which leads back to the other side of the parking lot, mainly goes through open fields, and to some is less interesting than the woods trails. Options are to take the Glen Trail, or pick up Doctor's Creek Trail. All in all, the Bridges Trail loop is a nice, easy/moderate 1.8 mile hike through some beautiful woods.

Many mature trees, including ash, beech, birch, black oak, and tulip poplar can be found here. Spring wildflowers grow in abundance. Deer are present, but shy.