Locate the path of the gas pipeline indicated by a series of three tall yellow pipes in a row. The pipes in each group of three are about 4 feet high and are placed periodically along the mowed right of way. The pipeline right of way cuts across the area between the parking lot and building L. Facing the building, turn left and follow the mowed pipeline path across the road. The mowed pipeline takes a sharp turn to the right. When the mowed path takes a sharp left, continue straight ahead on the path into the young woods.
The wide pathway is easy to follow first through a young swampy woods dominated by red swamp maple. There are a number of trails in this first section of the hike; at the initial fork, just after entering the woods, keep to the right, paralleling the edge of the woods on the right. At the second fork, go straight ahead rather than to the left. When reaching the entrance road, the trail jogs ot the left for 50 yards or so along a grass strip, then crosses the road (look for signpost) into a more mature woods of white ash, basswood, elm and red maple. Look for wooden posts under a power line, as the trail approaches and then parallels Stony Brook, the trees along the way get older. Look for double or triple trunks on the trees indicating this woods had once been cut down. Shortly after crossing a footbridge, look for some very large white ash on the right. The trees are in a straight row and were along an old road, traces of which can be seen in the flatness of the ground between the trees. The path periodically crosses intermittent streams on bridges or stepping stones, and in several places trails or stairs on the right go up to a loop road. As the path and stream swing around to the right, hickory, maple and ash begin to dominate. As the path starts to climb look for a rock outcropping on the left with a lovely overlook of the stream. This is the easiest access to the stream. The trail turns uphill after passing a building on the right and crossing a bridge. At the fork in the trail, keep to the right along the little stream and across several more bridges. (The left hand fork crosses another bridge and runs uphill along an old jeep trail, through private land to a paved driveway. Approximately 35 yards to the right is Province Line Road. The road beyond this driveway is closed to cars, but is a scenic way to cross Stony Brook on foot.)The main trail eventually comes out in a meadow along the gas pipeline right-of-way. Turn right and follow the pipeline(and/or the driveway) back to the parking lot.
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