BIOLOGY

Trail Conditions - April 7th, 2009 Beiser Field Station Aerial view of the field station.  SR 26 runs east-west just out of the top of the frame; the Ohio River similarly runs southwest below the frame.  The red squares approximate the property boundaries.

Current Trail Conditions/Descriptions All trails:  All trails marked with solid lines on the map above are blazed with plastic ribbon and are walkable. The Perimeter Trail from the southwest portion of the property (where it meets the Hilltop Trail) to the point where it again crosses the Hilltop Trail is cleared although this is not marked on the map.  The extensions of the Perimeter Trail to the north and west are blazed, but have not been cleared.  An extension of the Hilltop Trail from its current terminus has been blazed and is being cleared.  The map will be updated when this new loop is complete. As of April 8th, all marked trails have been checked post-winter and all major treefalls have been removed.   All trails are primitive, with occasional steep pitches, loose rocks, protruding roots, slippery spots, briars and occasional poison ivy.  Hikers are advised to wear sturdy shoes and long pants.  We have not had any reports of ticks, and mosquitoes and biting flies have not been a major issue, but hikers should take precautions against being bitten by either wearing long pants and sleeves or using insect repellents.  No water or sanitary facilities are available.  Please do not create your own; use the facilities at the Wayne National Forest on SR 26.

 

Detailed Trail Notes:

 

Access Road:  The Access Road, marked in orange on the map, covers 3/10 mile (1/2 km) from the parking lot on Kelsey Lane to the main trailhead at the parking lot on the Marietta College property.  Walking is easy, although the gravel is large.  Elevation change is about 4m (12feet).  Please note:  the road is a right-of-way crossing private land!  Our neighbors were quite gracious in allowing us to have this access; please do not betray their trust by trespassing on their land.  Do NOT leave the gravel road.  The road is closed to all but pedestrian access. The trail follows a straight stretch along the Little Muskingum River.  Box elders are the dominant tree stabilizing the bank.  The adjacent field is part of the Grimm's Green Acres Apple Orchard.  At the end of the straight stretch this former township road turns from the river.  You are now crossing the property of the Arnold family.  At a second small parking lot the road turns to the left and crosses an ephemeral stream.  The stream crossing was designed as a low impact/low cost means of getting across small streams by the National Resource Conservation Service of the USDA.  The road moves steeply uphill across the Arnold property, following an old roadbed probably used by the Beiser family in the 1800's to reach their homestead.  At the crest of the hill is the property line dividing the Arnold property from the Sands property.  The road continues along a river terrace paralleling the Little Muskingum River.  Note the honey locust trees with huge spines.  The road terminates in a large parking lot on 1 acre owned by Marietta College as part of the Beiser Field Station.  This location serves as the main trailhead.
Homestead Trail:  This trail  is 0.2 miles (0.3km) long and rises 18m (60 feet) from the parking lot to its terminus. In most places it is packed earth; there are two steep sections which are slippery when wet.  The trail is marked with yellow flagging/signs/paint.  It exits the parking lot at the far end and cuts back across the hill.  Please stay on the trail and do not head directly up the bank, which is steep and easily eroded.  A short scramble up and past a large sycamore tree leads to another river terrace; here the path turns to the left and follows the terrace for 100 meters or so.  Note the many spicebush trees in the understory.  There is an excavation to the right of the trail that serves as a refuge for green frogs in the summer.  Several wetlands also fall on either side of the trail.  A second steep scramble leads to still another river terrace.  Once again the trail levels off as it follows the terrace.  A grove of paw-paw stands to the right, and just ahead a row of Osage Orange stretches off into the distance.  This row of trees was planted, probably to keep livestock in.  The path follows the bed of an old road, again no doubt the road leading to the Beiser House. The Homestead trail terminates at the junction of several other trails.
Osage Trail:  This trail  is 0.2 miles (0.3km) long and rises 6m (20 feet) from the end of the Homestead Trail to the end of the Osage Trail at the southern boundary of the property. The trail is marked with orange flagging/signs/paint.   In most places it is packed earth; it is fairly flat throughout but there are several gullies to step over, and in a few places one must duck under overhanging osage orange.  The trail continues the Homestead Trail.  A short distance down the Osage Trail, the Hilltop Trail, marked in red,  branches off to the right. The Osage Trail continues south, following the uphill side of the osage orange fence.  The Osage Trail terminates in a paw-paw and spicebush patch at the southern property line where it meets the Perimeter Trail marked in purple.  Do not proceed beyond the barbed wire fence; that property is private.  If you turn left on the Perimeter Trail you can proceed a short distance to the Turkey Trail; turn left on the Turkey trail to return to the Homestead Trail and thus make a loop.
Turkey Trail:  This trail  is 0.2 miles (0.3km) long and falls 7m (24 feet) from the end of the Homestead Trail to the end of the Turkey Trail at the southeastern corner of the property. The trail is marked with red  flagging/signs/paint. It starts as mown old-field growth then descends a steep hill to the Little Muskingum River.  It then proceeds along the flat riverbank to its terminus at the beginning of the Perimeter Trail, marked in purple. Watch for the thorns of multiflora rose in places along this trail.    The trail is accessed by a short connector from the  Homestead Trail; at the end of the Homestead trail bear left through an opening in the osage orange fence and up a short hill to an old field.  At this point, the Oxbow Trail (marked in blue) turns to the left and the Turkey Trail continues to the right, paralleling the Osage Trail which lies on the uphill side of the osage orange fence.  The Turkey Trail mostly crosses old-field habitat; this area was pastured until late in 2007.  Look for isolated osage orange trees, the progeny of the trees uphill on the fence.  Also scattered through the field are honey locust and hawthorn trees, as well as a few crabapples. The locusts and hawthorns bear spines that deter browsing.  Unfortunately, all of the trees in the field are being overgrown by multiflora rose and by honeysuckle vines.  Control of these invasive species is ongoing.  The trail is named for a flock of wild turkeys often seen in the fields here (although you are likely to find the flock just about anywhere on the preserve).    The Turkey Trail terminates in a paw-paw and spicebush patch at the southern property line where it meets the Perimeter Trail marked in purple.  Do not proceed beyond the barbed wire fence; that property is private.  You can turn right and follow the Perimeter Trail west a short distance uphill to the Osage Trail to your right.  You can follow the Osage Trail back to the Homestead Trail, forming a loop.
Oxbow Trail:  This trail  is 0.3 miles (0.5km) long and falls 15m (50 feet) from the end of the Homestead Trail to the end of the Oxbow Trail at the southern boundary of the property.  In most places it is mown old-field growth; it is fairly flat throughout but there are several small hills.  Watch for the thorns of multiflora rose in places along this trail.  The trail is marked with blue flagging/signs/paint.  The trail is accessed by a short connector from the  Homestead Trail; at the end of the Homestead trail bear left through an opening in the osage orange fence and up a short hill to an old field.  At this point, the Oxbow Trail (marked in blue) turns to the left and the Turkey Trail branches to the right.  The Oxbow Trail mostly crosses old-field habitat; this area was pastured until late in 2007. At a bluff overlooking the river, the Oxbow Trail makes a steep descent on a packed earth trail to the riverbank.  This section is slippery when wet.  The trail is named for two small "oxbow" ponds on the lowest river terrace.  These ponds are formed in an old river channel and become part of the river during floods.  In the summer they are often full of aquatic plants, fish, tadpoles and frogs.  Danger!  The ground close to the ponds is very muddy; you could get stuck.  Observe the ponds from the trail.  The trail continues south along the river; most of the trees here are box elders.  The trail terminates at the southeastern corner of the property where the Perimeter Trail, marked in purple, originates.  Do not proceed beyond the barbed wire fence; that property is private.  You can turn right and follow the Perimeter Trail west until it meets either the Turkey or Osage trails, both of which will branch off to the right and return you to the Homestead Trail.
Perimeter Trail:  This trail  is under development and various sections are in different stages of completion. The trail is marked with purple flagging/signs/paint. It starts at the southeastern corner of the property on the Little Muskingum River.  It then proceeds up a steep hill to a bluff overlooking the river.  The trail then descends steeply through a thicket and bears to the left to approach the property line fence.  Here it bears right and parallels the fence through a dense growth of small trees.  It veers away from the fenceline a short distance to clear another thicket, then returns to the fenceline on an old road.  At the fence it again turns west (to the right) and parallels the fence going uphill to its junction with the Turkey Trail (marked in red) to the right.  The perimeter trail continues uphill a short distance to the Osage Trail (marked in Orange) also to the right.  Beyond this point, various sections of the Perimeter Trail have been flagged but have not been cleared.  Please stay off these portions of the trail until they have been cleared. The portion of the Perimeter Trail that has been cleared from the Oxbow Trail to the Osage Trail has not been well developed and there are numerous overhanging limbs, close thickets, briars, slippery spots and tripping hazards.  Use caution.
Hilltop Trail:  This trail  is 0.6 miles (1km) long and rises 70m (230 feet) from its origin to its terminus overlooking the Little Muskingum Valley.  The Hilltop Trail  is under development but is hikeable along its entire length. The trail is marked with red flagging/signs/paint. It starts as a branch off the Osage Trail in the vicinity of the old Beiser Homestead. It then proceeds up a gentle incline, winding through the forest (please stay on the trail and do not cut corners).  There are a few short scrambles uphill in the first 100 meters or so.  In one place the trail crosses an old logging road through a dense thicket of multiflora rose.    From here the trail becomes steeper.  It can be very slick.  In several places the trail angles across the slope and it is easy to slide off the side of the trail.  These sections have been marked to be graded to reduce this slipping hazard.  Use caution.  At the top of the hill, the trail opens into a pretty woodlot, largely clear of underbrush.  The trail continues to an overlook of an adjacent pasture; deer and hawk can be seen here if you haven't made too much noise coming up the hill.  The marked but uncleared Perimeter Trail (purple markings) intersects the Hilltop Trail here.  The Hilltop Trail reverses at this point, proceeding away from the fenceline on the remnants of an old logging road.  It continues on a very shallow uphill path through alternating patches of open woodlot and overgrown road.  About 800 feet down the trail the remnants of a barbed wire fence cross the trail.  The remaining wires are flagged with red tape - use caution!  The trail proceeds another 100 yards or so along the road.  At this point several flags lead into the woodlot to the right and a bluff (Ralph's Roost) overlooking the Little Muskingum Valley.  This is the end of the trail.  Because the trails at this point are close to the property lines (which are not well marked) we ask that you return to the parking lot by retracing your steps along the Hilltop Trail. The Hilltop Trail has not been well developed and there are numerous overhanging limbs, close thickets, briars, slippery spots and tripping hazards.  Use caution.  Note the 230 foot climb; this hill is steep and the footing is bad in several places.  Not a good trail for weak hearts or ankles.  We're working on the latter, but can't do much about the former.  Future development will allow hikers to return in either of two directions on the Perimeter Trail.	Please note the difference in the vertical scale of this profile!
Trail Construction, Hilltop Trail, 11/10/2008

Loops:  Starting at the Parking lot on Kelsey Lane, one must hike the Access Road and the Homestead Trail to reach all the other trails.  From the end of the homestead trail, several loops are possible:

Oxbow-Perimeter-Turkey Trail Loop:  1km (0.6 mile); 30m (100 foot elevation change) (down then up).

Oxbow-Perimeter-Osage Trail Loop - 1.1KM (0.6 mile); 30m (100 foot elevation change) (down then up).

We do not have a kiosk at the site with trail maps.  Please click on one of the links below to print out your own trail maps (we print them out front and back on a single sheet of paper and laminate them for use in the field).

Print out Trail Map - Microsoft Word        Adobe PDF

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