Date: 05/16/2020 – Distance: 8.2 mi – Elapsed Time: 5.5 hr – Ascent: 725 ft – Descent: 705 ft – Difficulty: Medium (distance)
Indian Mound Reserve encompasses three parks really: Peterson Park on the west end, Williamson Mound and Pollack Works in the middle, and Cedar Cliff Falls on the east end. I hiked every trail I could follow here.
I began by parking at the Williamson Mound lot. All three sections have lots and they’re all off of US 42.
From the parking lot, I followed Williamson Road until the trail went off to the right into the woods. At the intersection where the Mound Trail goes left, I stayed on the Gorge Trail to the right and across a bridge and across a levy. On the other side of the levy, the Rim Trail goes left. I followed the Rim Trail all the way and past the falls. Then I turned around and took the Rim Trail back until it intersects with the Gorge Trail and I took that back toward Williamson Mound. I took the Mound Trail to the top of the mound then returned and returned to the parking area. From the parking area, I then took the Pollocks Work Loop. When the Old Channel Loop intersects to the left, I took that loop which goes back around to the Pollocks Work Loop. I wanted to catch one more trail in this area so I took a right on the Pollocks Work Loop and retraced this trail until the Enclosure Loop went right. The Enclosure Loop comes back to the same intersection and I again returned to the parking lot. Then I took the Peterson Trail to it’s parking lot and back.
Dame’s Rocket
Appendaged Waterleaf
Bridge to the right at the Mound Trail intersection to follow the Rim Trail.
Intersection of the Gorge Trail down the stairs. I stayed on the Rim Trail.
You can see the river in the gorge below.
Overlook
This access to the gorge looked pretty sketchy.
Wild Columbine hanging on the cliff face.
Continuing on the Rim Trail toward the falls. I hate walking on crushed limestone.
Another side trail with stairs to the gorge. This one doesn’t connect up to the Gorge Trail though. I actually caught this on the way back from the falls..
Bush Honeysuckle demonstrating it’s invasive nature.
Bush Honeysuckle getting ready to bloom. It’s actually pretty and smells like honey.
There were two strange “drain holes” along the Rim Trail.
There’s a bridge ahead.
Across to the other side of the gorge.
This part of the gorge looks like it may have had a few structures of long ago. The scars are still there.
Past the bridge you approach the north falls overlook.
You can hear the falls.
Looking downstream from the falls overlook.
This is the first of two overlooks on the opposite (south) side. The rock it sits on looks like an old platform structure.
These falls aroudn 25 feet high.
There’s a little side waterfall.
Top of the falls.
It looks like an old bridge or aqueduct.
Some people have to be told.
Past the falls, the trail ends at a road.
I’m not sure where this came from or what type of tree.
Coming back to the falls overlook. I continued back along the rim until I came to the first gorge access.
Narrow stairs to the gorge.
White Virginia Waterleaf
Bottom of narrow stairs.
Back up to the rim.
You can see a trail below and another set of stairs.
These lead to the Gorge Trail.
At the bottom there is a short spur to the left, but the trail goes right.
On the Gorge Trail spur.
End of the spur trail.
Heading back on the spur to the Gorge Trail.
Star of Bethlehem
There is a spring coming from the bottom of the rock.
There are three distinct eras of sedimentary limestone here.
This is the lowest and it was blue and crumbly.
The middle layer was harder than the blue layer, but still more crumbly than the top.
The top layer was more solid limestone (dolomite).
You can see all three layers here, plus the remains of an old bridge.
The Gorge Trail continues straight along the creek, however this bridge crosses.
This is the trail on the other side of the bridge. I took it for a little while but it wasn’t going where I wanted to go, so I turned back and crossed the bridge again to continue the Gorge Trail.
The Gorge Trail continues this way.
Rue Anemone
I think this is Aniseroot.
Woodland Stonecrop (It was on a piece of dolomite down by the creek.
Woodland Stonecrop.
Wild Columbine
Seems like a deep hole.
This is how the dolomite polishes up when people walk on it. I’ve seen it look like bones.
This is an old gate for the levy to control flow through the three silt ponds here.
Across the bridge the Mound Trail goes right to Williamson Mound.
History sign.
The mound is 30 feet high and 140 feet in diameter.
The view from the top is good. From here I returned to the parking lot.
Williamson Road heading back to the parking lot.
I took a lunch break here.
The Pollock Works Loop Trailhead.
It’s really hard to tell, but there are small mounds along the left of the trail.
I passed the Old Channel Loop Trail (black).
Then I passed the Enclosure Loop Trail (yellow) and continued on the Pollow Works Loop Trail (brown).
Dame’s Rocket (the Blue Phlox looks similar but has 5 petals).
The Pollok Works Loop Trail follows between the creek and a cliff.
False Solomon’s Seal.
Wild Columbine.
I’m back at the bridge where I turned around before.
An old cistern.
This smaller gorge is the original creek bed until it changed directions and continued straight at the bridge behind me.
I did not follow the service road left.
Star of Bethlehem.
I turned left on the Old Channel Loop Trail (black).
Purple Virginia Waterleaf.
When I got back to the sign for the Enclosure Loop Trail (yellow), I followed it next.
I smelled these flowers before I saw these petals.
I believe it’s a Viburnum. I stayed here for a minute and just took in the aroma.
That’s the Pollock Works Loop Trail below.
I wish there would’ve been an educational kiosk on this trail to explain the Pollock Works area.
My last trail was the Peterson Trail.
There wasn’t much to photograph on this trail. However I think this is a Poison Hemlock.
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