Ridge Trail

Dogs Leashed

The most popular of our trails, this offers a short trail through the sugar bush. The boardwalk from the Maple Heritage Museum leads to a forest amphitheater where you can learn about the seasons and photosynthesis. As you hike up the hill, the old growth maple forest surrounds you. Cattle pastured this area for quite a few years in the mid 1900's.

The cattle would eat all of the seedlings, preventing young trees from growing, resulting in a stand of mature maples with very few younger trees. It wasn't until the Ice Storm of 1998 that the canopy was opened up significantly, allowing other growth. As you go up around the corner there are coniferous (evergreen) trees that contribute to wild life habitat and plant diversity in the maple forest.

The trail then enters a newer part of the sugar bush that has been managed for maple production since 1975. This section is a good example of a healthy sugar bush because there are a variety of ages present to ensure continuous availability of mature maple trees to tap. The trail finishes at the barn.