Antler Ridge Trail
Use	Hiker
North Trailhead	Bennett Ridge Trail, near Campground, Loop E
South Trailhead	Woodcock Hollow Trail
Distance	0.51 mile
Nearest Parking	0.5 mile, Maintenance yard parking lot on MD355
Summary	A scenic trail through full canopy, and generally clear of NNIs. For much of its length, trail parallels a small, emerging creek down to the Sopers Branch basin and features a patch of soft moss carpeting along a 50 yard stretch of it.

Narrative Direction: South from Bennett Ridge Trailhead

The northern end of Antler Ridge Trail, like the most of the rest of this trail, is under mature, full hardwood canopy. This trail has more twists and turns in it than most other Park trails as it winds downhill from the Bennett ridgeline, as shown in the photo below. The trail will follow one of the streambeds that feeds into Sopers Branch further down the hill.

Early on in the trail you will pass through a nice patch of ground cedar. Soon after this the trail will pass over a small gulley that is a precursor to a creekbed that eventually reaches Sopers Branch. For almost its entire length, Antler Ridge trail will parallel this little stream.

A little further on the trail footing softens to a carpet-like feel as it passes through a stretch of about 50-75 yards of moss bottom. Walk softly here and see the photo below.

After this, the trail begins to descend a little more steeply. Watch your footing; there are some exposed roots here.

The forest is very thick through here and the healthy understory assures that the mature hardwood giants in this part of the Park will one day have their suitable replacements.

The trail next approaches the edge of the intermittent creek you crossed earlier. You will soon come to a patch of ferns and then come to the small wooden bridge in the photo below. It crosses the creek bed you have been following down the forested hillside.

After you cross the bridge, you are in an emerging little stream hollow. You will come to some large rock outcroppings. Notice how the hillsides are climbing away from the trail as you follow the stream downhill through this scenic area.

But soon the trail turns to the left, away from the creek bed and up the hill to the left. In another 75 yards Whitetail Trail will break off to the left and head back to the campground.

Antler Ridge will now climb away from the streambed and further up the side of the ridge. But it will continue to follow the stream bed down hill through tall hardwood canopy for several hundred yards.

After about ¼ mile, the trail turns in the direction of the stream bed and then crosses it over another wooden footbridge. The trail will then turn again and generally continue heading west as it soon approaches the northern end of the Sopers Branch basin. The more open land at the edge of the wetland is promoting the growth of multiflora rose and briars. But you also can see a couple of sycamores which signify the wetter environment.

Soon after this the trail will switchback 120 degrees as it begins to climb out of the Sopers Branch wetland area. The last 150 yards of Antler Ridge climb rather steeply the heavily forested hillside (see following photo) to its ending point at Woodcock Hollow Trail.