Location: Carmel
Distance: .75
Skill Level: easy, good for little walkers
Elevation Gain: 50′
Type of Hike: loop
Trail Condition: trail
Wow Factor: creepy, fun pine forest
Note: very poorly marked, recommend using GPS just in case

How to get there: From Route 6, head north on 52.  Make a left on 301.  Follow over the stone bridge on the reservoir.  Make an immediate right onto Gypsy Trail Rd.  Make a right onto Nicholas St.  If you pass Veteran’s Park and the large church in the bend of the road, you’ve gone too far.  The small 3-4 car parking lot is on the left.

 

Summary: Cross the street and enter the ominous and awesome pine grove.  There are no blazes but you can roughly see the path heading right.  This is a great place to play as there is no undergrowth and you can see far.  There are also tons of pine cones.

At just about .2 of a mile, the evergreens will stop and you’ll pick up the trail, heading south.  The blazes are few and far between but the path is well used by humans and horses.  Large yellow tree markers indicate the edge of the property and not a path.

Follow the trail.  You’ll pass a horse jump.  As you come to a stone fence, you’ll head left and start up the hill.

As the assent turns right, it walks along the ridge and if you have little walkers, keep a closer eye on them on the steep sections.

The path loops around and heads north at around .3 of a mile

At the top of the hill, the markers are hard to find again and the path splits several times.  Keep to the right at the forks.

You’ll start heading downhill before you hit half a mile.

Enter the pine trees again.  The markers disappear and it’s easy to lose the path.  Keep the road in front of you and to the right.

The trail will end at a few man placed rocks at the road.  Head left a short distance to the parking lot.

 

Facilities: none
Hunting:
Dogs: yes

Map