Moundbuilder Trail
Use	Hiker
East Trailhead	Wilsons Mill parking lot
West Trailhead	Bennett Ridge Trail
Distance	0.7 mile
Nearest Parking	Wilsons Mill parking lot off of Clarksburg Road
Summary	After passing through a scenic meadow and over a creek, this trail eventually begins its steady climb up the northern slope of Bennett Ridge through one of the Park's signature features: a large colony of distinctive Allegheny Moundbuilder anthills

Narrative Direction: West from Wilsons Mill parking lot

The eastern end of Moundbuilder connects the new Wilsons Mill parking lot to the Parks trail network.

The first couple hundred yards of this trail pass through a meadow that the Park appears to be selectively reforesting. There are several blue bird boxes along this scenic part of the trail, as seen in the photo below. Just beyond the trees to your right at the edge of the meadow flows Little Bennett Creek.

At the western end of the meadow, the trail makes a sharp left-hand turn as enters the forest. About 150 yards ahead of you, the trail crosses Stoneybrook creek by way of a new wooden footbridge.

After you cross the bridge, Moundbuilder Trail is temporarily interrupted as it intersects Stoneybrook Trail. Turn right here and head a short way down Stoneybrook until it intersects Beaver Valley Trail. Continue bearing right along Beaver Valley Trail until you come to another trailhead on your left. Take it to resume your hike up Moundbuilder Trail. The signage along this part of the trail is admittedly a little confusing and should be fixed as the Park's trails are realigned and repaired.

Moundbuilder Trail will begin its immediate gradual uphill climb toward Bennett Ridge. Like the other trails on the northern side of Bennett Ridge, Moundbuilder too has a lot of red cedar (both standing and fallen) in its lower reaches. See the photo below.

Depending on the season, you may also notice quite a bit of NNI stiltgrass and garlic mustard in this lower end of the trail as well as a lot of invasive vines and multiflora rose, though recent spraying has helped control this somewhat. See the photo below.

You will soon come to a small clearing where on your right you will see your first moundbuilder anthill. A short way ahead lies a bigger clearing. Here you will see the dozens of moundbuilder anthills for which the trail is named, and a few of which are shown in the photo below. Most hikers who pass through this part of the Park for the first time feel compelled to stop a minute and take in the unusual and amazing sight of this big colony of large anthills.

As you leave this area the trail makes a sharp right turn where you come upon the wooden bench depicted in the photo below. From this point to its termination at Bennett Ridge Trail 200 yards ahead, Moundbuilder Trail passes through the mostly clean, clear hardwood forest that characterizes the Bennett ridgeline you are approaching.