Maywood South Loop

Dogs No Dogs

Features Birding · Fall Colors · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

In the spring, expect muddy conditions, parts of which can be on grass and are slippery too. This is a nice option for running in the city on recovery days.

Follow the path that leads to the back of the ecology center building and take the stairs down the hill and head towards the bridge. There will be boardwalk in this section, and follow any of the paths to the left. Once on the other side of the bridge, if you turn right, there is a sign posted that has the loop numbers which are used in the winter for the XC ski trails; this part of the loop is marked 1, 4, and 5.

You'll run along the Pigeon River through hardwood forests; this area is pretty level and parts of it are gravel and parts are grass. The grass areas can get muddy after the rain. After you turn away from the river at about the .46-mile mark the route gets more hilly and, in places, muddy after the rain in the valleys. In places you'll be quite close to some houses on the tops of the hills. At the .75 mile mark, you'll descend the hilly area.

Shortly thereafter, at the .86 mile mark, the trail splits; To stay on this loop, take the trail marked 5 which turns left and there will be a sign that says "To Maywood". Trails 1 and 4 continue straight to Evergreen Park. If you want an extra .4 miles continue straight and follow trail 4. The next .2 miles goes through a planted pine forest and is fairly flat. You'll end up back at the river and turn left at the fork and run along the river again for the remainder of the run. The loop ends back at the bridge.

Deers and rabbit sightings are pretty common. The trail is mostly shaded by both pines and hardwoods.