River Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

The River Trail branches off from the White Pines Trail and descends steep bluffs to meander alongside both the Rocky and the Deep Rivers. The highlight has to be the confluence of the two rivers, which visitors can enjoy from a quiet bench while they attempt to spot the family of river otters that makes the confluence their home.

The trail begins at the top of the steep bluffs that create a cooler microclimate at White Pines, which allows unique flora to thrive. As the trail descends, it passes by numerous white pines and large expanses of mountain laurel that line the bluff faces. As the trail turns to parallel the rivers, it passes through a floodplain forest with huge hackberry, sycamore, and swamp chestnut oaks. The juxtaposition of these two ecosystems is just one of the many surprises at White Pines. Venture down to the rivers in the spring to see a profusion of wildflowers along the banks of both rivers.

Beaver and river otter can be found in both the Rocky and the Deep near White Pines, and though they are not easy to spot, signs of their presence can be seen easily along the river banks.