COLUMN: Trailing or Leading: Slide into the Limestone Ledge on the MYPath Trail

Maybe I was a bit too eager to show off the new trail. But there it was, the Limestone Ledge, a remarkable feature at the river’s edge. Between me and the ledge was three feet of steep trail. Surely my heel would grip the hill and let me step down.

It didn’t.

So, my feet slid down the steep trail, and I landed on my rump, in the mud. More specifically, I landed on my new coat on the muddy hill.

A month later, I was showing the new trail to a visitor from the Eppley Institute for Parks and Public Lands. I was explaining that we were trying to coordinate a workday to make steps so people could step down onto the Limestone Ledge more comfortably.

I like to think I cautioned her to “Be careful,” before she slipped. Nevertheless, she slipped and landed, just as I had. Between the time we announced that MYPath had acquired property to extend the trail and now, I wonder how many folks’ first impression of the Limestone ledge was from the sitting position.

Thanks to the work of two great volunteers, Derek Morgan and Brian Gessler, the trail to the Limestone Ledge now has steps. Don’t think of a grand staircase. Think of large stones, from the ledge itself, as steppingstones down to the shore.

Morgan and Gessler used a trail-making tool, known as a “Rogue Hoe,” to cut out spots for the stone steps. At the other end of the ledge, they used the Rogue Hoe to dig a gradual trail climbing away from the river.

We still have some trail adjustments to make before we announce an open house for the new trail. Several people have experienced the new section already, including a mother and child who were down there on bicycles, even before the addition of the steps. I have no idea how they got bicycles down there. Do not try that yourself.

The Limestone Ledge is remarkable. It is a state-park-worthy feature. It is a shelf of limestone, about eight to ten feet wide and as long as two football fields. For years, people have been using it as a great spot for fishing. It is rocky, not smooth. So don’t bring your rollerblades… or bicycles.

From the end of the paved MYPath Trail at River Road, follow the footpath along the river. I just fenced off a super-steep connection to the ledge that was potentially hazardous to the hikers and the trail. Keep walking along the trail until you get to a natural switchback that will lead you to the Limestone Ledge without sliding, thanks to the new steps.

Continue along the ledge until you see a gradual trail back up the slope. Soon, that will connect to the DNR boat ramp. You can see the boat ramp from the ledge.

It is important to note that this section is a hiking trail. It is different from the ADA-accessible paved trail that the community has been enjoying for nearly three years. I would rate it as a “moderate” trail, by state park standards.

And there is a lot of poison ivy along the trail. Please, please, please, turn around if you get uncomfortable with any part of the trail. There is no shame in staying safe. As you know, the White River floods. Do not use the trail if it’s wet or underwater.

If you are ready for a new MYPath experience, try the Limestone Ledge trail. You may see flowers that you don’t see on other parts of the trail. You may find a new favorite spot for photos.

You will admire the high school students who hauled an abandoned sofa from the trail. And you will wonder how the woman and her son got their bikes down to the ledge. Mostly, you will have a nice experience.