Bea

r Fal

ls

Secr

et F

alls

Trai

ls o

f Asb

ury

Hill

sA

sbur

y Tr

ail -

(RE

D) f

rom

Lak

e to

pro

perty

bor

der o

n w

ay to

Moo

nshi

ne F

alls

La

ke L

oop

(hal

f) - (

BLU

E) s

hort

hike

aro

und

lake

cro

ssin

g si

lent

brid

geLa

ke L

oop

(full)

- (B

LUE

) ful

l hik

e ar

ound

lake

cro

ssin

g 2

beav

er d

ams

Mat

hew

’s S

how

er -

(OR

AN

GE

) Bea

r Fal

ls to

Mat

hew

’s S

how

er &

the

tree

hous

es

Cam

psite

Loo

p (Y

ELL

OW

) Loo

ps o

ff of

Asb

ury

Trai

l to

Cre

eksi

de c

amps

ites

Out

post

Loo

p Tr

ail -

(GR

EE

N) -

Out

post

ridg

e to

Hog

ans

and

back

to L

ake

Mos

eley

Cre

ek T

rail

- (O

RA

NG

E) f

rom

Asb

ury

Trai

l dow

n to

bea

ver d

amM

ullig

an #

9 Tr

ail -

(YE

LLO

W) L

oop

trave

rsin

g be

low

Out

post

ridg

e

* P

leas

e no

te: M

any

of th

e tra

ils a

t Asb

ury

Hill

s ar

e ve

ry L

ong.

It i

s al

so p

ossi

ble

to ta

ke u

nmap

ped

side

tra

ils a

nd g

et lo

st.

Hik

ers

shou

ld a

lway

s be

pre

pare

d, h

ike

at y

our o

wn

risk,

not

ify o

ther

s of

you

r pla

ns, a

nd

don’

t exp

ect y

our c

ell h

one

to w

ork

in a

n em

erge

ncy.

Mat

thew

’s

Show

er L

oop

Mathew’s Creek

Cam

p an

d R

etre

at C

ente

r

Fern

Gul

ly

Fam

ily C

amp

Mou

ntai

n C

hape

l

Gra

cela

nd

Eagl

e’s

Nes

t

Cas

cade

Fal

ls

Boy

Sco

ut

Girl

Sco

ut

Cab

le B

ridge

Woo

d Po

st

Roc

k Pi

le

Roc

k Pi

le Moo

nshi

ne F

alls

Asb

ury

Falls

Mis

ty C

ove

Out

post

Can

opy

Tour

Cou

rse

Alp

ine

Tow

er

Moseley Creek Trail

Asbury Trail

Cree

k hi

ke e

scap

eM

ullig

an T

rail

Mulligan Trail

Out

post

Tra

il

Outpost Trail

Out

post

Tra

il

Lake Loop

Lake Loop

Campsite Loop

Hog

ans

Com

e an

d ex

plor

e th

e m

yste

ry, c

halle

nge

your

fitn

ess,

and

soak

in th

e pe

acef

ulne

ss th

at is

Asb

ury

Hill

s! F

ortu

nate

en

ough

to b

e in

the

mid

dle

of su

ch a

div

erse

com

mun

ity a

s th

e O

ak-H

icko

ry F

ores

t, th

e Asb

ury

trai

l net

wor

k of

fers

a

vari

ety

of m

ount

ain

ridg

es, f

ores

t val

leys

, win

ding

cre

eks,

hidd

en w

ater

falls

and

bea

ver

mad

e sw

amps

! W

ith to

wer

ing

oaks

, flow

erin

g do

gwoo

ds, w

ild tu

rkey

, gra

y sq

uirr

els a

nd

the

surr

ound

soun

d of

spri

ng p

eepe

rs a

nd c

icad

as, y

ou a

re

sure

to g

et im

mer

sed

in G

od’s

gre

at c

reat

ion!

Lak

e Tr

ail:

Blu

e bl

aze

½

loop

.75

mile

s,

Full

loop

2 m

iles –

Rat

ing:

mod

erat

e

Trai

l sta

rts o

n th

e fa

r end

of t

he b

aske

tbal

l cou

rt or

righ

t han

d si

de o

f dam

. ½

loop

cro

sses

woo

den

wal

kway

and

then

retu

rns.

Ful

l loo

p

cont

inue

s int

o th

e m

arsh

and

ove

r a c

oupl

e be

aver

dam

s. S

choo

ls c

an u

se o

ur c

urric

ulum

to ta

lk a

bout

syst

ems a

nd c

ycle

s in

natu

re.

Mat

thew

’s S

how

er T

rail:

Ora

nge

blaz

e

1.2

mile

s

Rat

ing:

mod

erat

e w

/ cre

ek c

ross

ing

Tr

ail b

egin

s at d

inin

g ha

ll on

the

cam

psite

loop

and

cut

s dow

n to

Mat

thew

’s sh

ower

. A

fter c

ross

ing

the

cree

k, c

ontin

ue u

p to

the

tree

hous

es

an

d ba

ck in

to c

amp.

A sh

ort s

ide

trail

can

take

you

to o

ur M

ount

ain

Cha

pel.

Sch

ools

use

our

cur

ricul

um to

lear

n ab

out e

rosi

on, g

eolo

gy, a

nd

fo

rces

in n

atur

e.M

oons

hine

Fal

ls: R

ed b

laze

5.2

mile

s

Rat

ing:

mod

erat

e bu

t lon

g

Loca

te th

e Asb

ury

Trai

l tha

t beg

ins n

ear t

he ri

ght s

ide

of o

ur la

ke.

The

red

blaz

es w

ill le

ad y

ou p

ast o

ur te

am b

uild

ing

cour

se a

nd z

ip li

ne.

Aro

und

the

2 m

ile th

e tra

il cr

osse

s Mat

thew

’s c

reek

via

2 w

ire b

ridge

. Sc

hool

s use

our

cur

ricul

um to

dis

cuss

fore

st e

colo

gy.

Out

post

Rid

ge: G

reen

bla

ze

arou

nd 5

mile

s – R

atin

g: m

ost d

ifficu

lt

Diffi

cult

seco

ndar

y tra

il br

anch

ing

off t

he A

sbur

y Tr

ail.

Incr

edib

le v

iew

s in

the

fall.

Mul

ligan

#9

Trai

l: Ye

llow

bla

ze

3+m

iles

R

atin

g: d

ifficu

lt

Beg

in h

ikin

g th

e fir

st m

ile o

f the

Asb

ury

Trai

l and

turn

left

at th

e ou

tpos

t sig

n. C

ontin

ue u

phill

for a

roun

d 50

0ft.

Tra

il cu

ts a

cros

s the

sub

rid

ge o

f Out

post

then

hea

ds d

ownh

ill to

Rag

sdal

e R

oad.

To

exit

early

link

into

the

blue

trai

l and

bac

k to

cam

pM

osel

ey C

reek

Tra

il: O

rang

e bl

aze

2+

mile

s

Rat

ing:

mod

erat

e do

wn

to la

ke

Beg

in o

n th

e Asb

ury

Trai

l and

hik

e to

an

old

sign

box

. Fo

llow

the

oran

ge b

laze

s lef

t and

con

tinue

dow

n to

the

beav

er d

ams b

ehin

d th

e la

ke.

R

etur

n to

cam

p vi

a la

ke tr

ail (

blue

bla

ze).

note

: if y

ou h

ike

up fr

om th

e la

ke, i

t is m

uch

mor

e di

fficu

lt.

ASB

UR

Y H

ILL

S T

RA

IL M

AP

and

RO

UT

E D

ESC

RIP

TIO

NS

www.AsburyHills.org

An Introduction to Trails, Floraand Fauna of Asbury Hills

Blue Beech or MusclewoodTo 25 ft. Bark is light blue / gray;

very smooth and unbroken; looks to have muscle like ridges.

Shagbark HickoryTo 60 ft. In the walnut family

with green nut that turns brown; 1-1.5” dia thick 4 ribbed husk

Pumkin AshTo 80 ft. Large “pumkin” shapedbase produces the largest seeds of all native

ash trees

TuliptreeTo 100 ft. One of the tallest trees in the forest. Often called a poplar, but actually in the Magnolia family

Sweetgum To 100 ft. 3-6” leaves. Fruit starts as round

green clusters with many hardy spines

American Beech

To 80 ft. Fruit is reddish brown

capsule found in pairs; splits in 4

sections.

SycamoreTo 90 ft. Often single

massive trunk. Bark pale, white color,

smooth and peeling off. Found near water

Red MapleTo 60 ft. leaves with 3 to 5 lobes. During fall leaves change from red to orange. One of the most drought tolerant species of maple

Eastern HemlockTo 60 feet. Needles contain vitamin C, Bark contains Tannin. Is currently threatended by the parasitic wooly adelgid. Trees on camp with blue paint have been treated to help protect it.

Carolina HemlockTo 60 ft. Similar to Eastern Hemlock with more “wild” spreading needles. It too is

being attacked by wooly adel-gid. Known to have bigger cones than it’s Eastern kin.

White PineTo 100 ft. 5 needles per clus-ter. Favorite nesting of Bald

Eagles. Needles considered to made a good tea in the spring

Virginia PineTo 60 ft. Two slightly

twisted needles per cluster. Known to have a shorter lifespan than other like

pines

Sweet / Black / Cherry BirchTo 70 ft. Brownish

red bark when young. broken twigs smell

like wintergreen

Flowering DogwoodTo 30 ft. Green berry like fruit that turns red when mature. Leaves contain latex. Tree’s flower petals are actually leaves.

Blackjack OakTo 40 ft. Large leaves from 2 to 6 inches and covered with waxy sub-stance that helps prevent water loss

Southern Red OakTo 80 ft. Pointy tipped leaves.

Acorn has reddish brown cap cover-ing upper third of nut

Overcup OakTo 60 ft. Large

leaves up to 10 in. Roots designed to survive flooding.

Name comes from acorn cap almost covering the nut.

PawpawTo 30 ft. Has green fruit turning yellow to brown

at maturity. Fruit has prune-like texture and fruity

custard / banana flavor

Witch-hazelTo 30 ft. Fruit is a green capsule, turning

orange and splitting open at maturity. Forked branches used for finding water. Leaves, twigs,

and bark have been used as an astringent.

RhododendronShrub less than 10ft. Found near

water. Considered to be “nature’s ther-mometer” with leaves bending down

with the temperature. Considered toxic if burnt.

SassafrasTo 60 ft. Typically has three different shaped leaves per tree: oval, forked, and with a “thumb”. Crushed limbs and leaves have lemony smell. Leaves, bark, and roots have all been used for tea by settlers.

SourwoodTo 50 ft. Leaves are long and

lance shaped with “hairs” on the underside’s central vein. Sour to the taste. One of the first to

change color in the fall

MuscadineNative grape species whose fruit has been cultivated since the 1600s. Fruit is a rich source of polyphenols

Partidge BerryCreeping plant to 12 in. White flower to red berry.

Wild GingerGround cover forming colonies in moist woods

Poison IvyLeaves tend to have a

small “thumb” on their sides. Often presents

as a vine with hairy roots atttached to trees. Many are

alergic to its oils. If you come in contact, recommend washing

quickly in plenty of soap and water.

Mountain Laurel

Shrub to 18 ft. Similar to Rhododendron which doesn’t shed its leaves, but

with smaller leaves. Pink and white flower. Found near water.

Chestnut OakTo 90 ft. Bark con-

tains more Tanninthan other oaks and has been used to tan

leather

American HollyTo 60 ft. Green fruit

turns red when ripe in the fall.

Snakes at Asbury HillsA wide variety of snakes share Asbury Hills as their homes. Please give them the gift of life by staying away from them. Often, and from a distance, local venomus snakes can be catorgized from their non-venomus kin by body shape. Venomus snakes tend to have a large diamond shaped head, small neck, large body, and short tail. Non-venomus snakes tend to have a more uniform head a body and long tapered tail.

CopperheadVenomous. Considered a nocturnal in summer, diurnal in spring and fall. 90% of diet is rodents.

Black Rat SnakeNon-venomous. To 8 feet. Awesome climb-ers. Youth (below), adult (above). Because of the youth’s patern, they are often mistaken for

copperheads or other venomous smakes.

RingneckNon-venomous.Small snake up to 30 in, but often

not more than 6 in. Yellow band around neck

Red Spotted Newt In Red Eft stage of development. Through life

cycle lives both in and out of water

Wild Turkey Black Bear

Coyote

Red Fox

Gray Squirrel

White-tailed Deer

A select look at the TREES, SHRUBS, REPTILES, AMPHIBIANS, and MAMMALS at ASBURY HILLS