The entrance to the Resilient Forest Trail is located by the Educational Building as you enter the museum grounds and is free and open to the public during regular museum hours. As you enter you will find a playground and pavilion which is the gateway to the trail.
The trail includes two short routes and loops, about a 1/2 mile in total length of easy walking. Signs along the trail provide information about the forests, and yellow paint marks trees to clearly identify the route. Information stops along the trail provide data on how forests are resilient and could naturally renew themselves from seeds of trees in adjacent areas when the existing forest has been harvested.
The trail includes eight interpretive plots where tree measurements and ages are shown, in addition to topography and informational signage. There are rest stops with comfortable seating and many identification signs for trees and shrubs. The trail has been developed in 10 acres of forest on the Museum grounds. There are examples of different kinds of forest species, growth patterns, and impacts of improvements related to management options.
Trail development began in 1998 because of significant funding from the National Tree Farm Association. Labor for the bridges was primarily provided by local Scout Troop #4 and was recognized in 2004 for its educational value demonstrating forest resiliency, tree growth, and forestry techniques.
Download a map of the trail and come for a walk in the Resilient Forest.
