Oak and Hickory Upland Loop

Dogs Leashed

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

This is a small portion of the circuitous trail system at Hickory Hill Park. It begins in the parking lot at the end of Bloomington Street.

Jump on the trail and pass a small pavilion (with park information) called the Norton Wayside and cross over a small wooden bridge.

From here, you can go straight or, to hike the section in reverse, take a left up the hill. Going straight through a clearing, you'll enter the woods in about 40 meters and start up a gradual uphill. A branch of Ralston Creek is off to the right, and a small oak savanna is off to your left.

At the top of the hill is a three-way intersection. Going straight connects to the dam trail and other sections of the park. For this loop, turn left and continue up a gradual incline until you come to a large boulder. There's a little cut trail before the boulder, or you can continue straight to a four-way intersection. Going right will lead you into additional trails and sections of the park, and straight will take you out of the park and into Oakland Cemetery (home to the famed Black Angel).

To complete this loop, take a left down a steep, rocky, rooty trail. At the bottom, you can take a right back over the wooden bridge to the Bloomington Street parking lot.

Classic Iowa flora/fauna. Lots of song birds, deer, and small mammals.