All-Persons Trail Design

In the all-persons trail design, visitors can traverse through a multitude of landscapes including the Keep Homestead Museum wetland, the farm fields, and the forest, and can also visit view destinations. Longer and shorter trail loops also gives visitors multiple length options.

T he w e T land a rea T rails

An all-persons trail starts at the Keep Homestead Museum parking lot, descends through two switchbacks on a hayfield, and goes north along the western side of the northern farm field until it connects visitors to the Keep Homestead Museum wetland and another trail. The switchbacks near the parking lot allow for the trail to maintain slope guidelines for an allpersons trail.

An observation platform at the wetland invites visitors to experience a wetland environment, and interpretative signs provide information on the wetland and the intermittent stream. Additionally, a segment is graded on the southeast Flynt Park side for an all-persons trail connection from the Keep Homestead Museum to Flynt Park.

h ayfield e dge T rail

Starting at the Keep Homestead Museum parking lot, this trail traverses along the forest edges of the hay fields, and it connects to the Christmas Fern Trail. This trail would probably require the least disturbance in grading since most segments along the field edges are already less than 8.33 percent slope, and there would be potentially no forest clearing. Additionally, interpretative signs along this trail explain the farming uses over time, providing visitors a connection to the farming history of the Keep Homestead.

f ores T T rail

Connecting from the Keep Homestead Museum wetland, this all-persons trail traverses through a forested area, requiring multiple switchbacks to meet all-persons trail slope guidelines. Additionally, this trail segment avoids building a trail on agricultural land that is under the Agricultural Protection Restriction (APR).

C hris TM as f ern T rail

An all-persons trail is weaved into segments of the current Christmas Fern Trail since some segments of this trail are already at a slope that meets all-persons trail slope guidelines, and to minimize forest disturbance. Additionally, an out and back segment of the trail spur connects visitors to a former quarry.

M oun T ain T o P T rail

Visitors can connect from the Christmas Fern Trail to the boardwalk overlook and the picnic area overlook near the top of Mount Ella. Traversing through a segment of early succession al deciduous forest, the Mountain Top Trail places a boardwalk along a wet segment of the trail. This boardwalk also serves as an overlook where visitors can enjoy a scenic view of the mountain landscape. The picnic area overlook is planted with additional trees without disrupting the views to provide refuge for visitors during warmer months.