River Rock Refuge

Dogs Leashed

Features Geological Significance · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

No bathrooms or other facilities

The parking lot is marked by a wooden sign on the side of the road. The trailhead is just a short distance from the lot. You climb through a pollinator field with the path marked only by the mowing to then enter a singletrack woodland trail which climbs up and down, crossing several small creeks.

When you reach the point of the loop, heading clockwise you'll see large rock formations on the left (uphill). There are a few downed trees and rocks in the trail, which is marked with white blazes and orange flagging. After descending a short set of stairs, you follow a small creek and there are several benches to allow you to sit and admire the creek and the large rock formations next to it.

More stairs lead up and away from the creek. The trail then takes you back to the start of the loop and you backtrack to the parking lot.

Large trees including beeches surround the trail, along with spice bush and pawpaw. In the field, you can see butterfly milkweed, common milkweed, goldenrod and other wildflowers. Butterflies and bumblebees were evident on the wildflowers. Although not in flower when I was hiking, the woods look like good habitat for spring wildflowers.