PRIDE Ecological Succession
This trail is about 1 mile in length; its signs are red. The PRIDE Trail has one moderately steep hill to climb, but steepest portion of this trail has steps. The trail takes you through mature woodland, logged forest, tall grass prairie, wetland and an old field. You can learn about each of these habitats by reading the large signs that occur along the trail or using your cell phone or tablet to follow the QR Barcode links provided along the trail.
Little Angel Spring
This trail is 1.4 miles in length; its signs are green. It leads through a mature beech maple forest where you can see some of the largest trees at Clay Hill. This forest was once dominated by American chestnut, but the only evidence of this is a few stumps and downed trees. Nearly all of the chestnuts were killed by chestnut blight in the early 1900's. Little Angel Spring Trail is our easiest hiking trail. It was named after Joan White Howell. She and her grandfather came to the spring often to collect drinking water. To get to the spring you have to descend about 100 feet along a side trail that has steps and a handrail. At the spring there is a small observation deck, a marble statue of an angel and a plaque memorializing Joan White Howell. The spring is home to a unique group of insects, some of which occur no where else in Kentucky. This spring contains some of the highest quality water in the Upper Green River. One of the oldest trees growning at CHMF occurs along this trail. This is a black gum or tupelo that has been aged at over 250 years. It was growing here before any settlers came to this land.
Trout Lily
This trail is about 1.5 miles in length; its signs are orange. It descends approximately 150 feet into the valleys of Sanders and White Creeks. In the spring, this valley is covered with trout lilies and other wildflowers. This wet valley and side slope is a favorite location for hikers on spring wildflower walks. Yellow or sweet buckeye is common here.
Ted White
This trail is over 2 miles in length; its signs are blue. The trail has several steep hills to ascend, so it may not be suitable for younger children or individuals with a physical disability. It passes through some of the most isolated parts of Clay Hill where it is not uncommon to see large animals such as whitetail deer, turkey and coyote. Bobcats have been photographed using this trail several times. The Ted White Trail is named after Edwin Lee White, Jr. one of the donors of Clay Hill Memorial Forest and a direct descendent of those that lived here as early as 1796.
Trail Rules.
