There was something especially inviting about beginning the Perimeter Trail from the Dogwood Nature Trail. It felt like a quieter, more intimate entrance into the woods, with the transition from roadside to forest happening almost immediately. Just beyond the trail sign, the world seemed to soften. The sound of passing cars faded behind us, replaced by birdsong and the gentle rustle of leaves beneath our feet.

The Dogwood Trail felt like a natural prologue to the longer loop, introducing us to a landscape alive with seasonal change. In spring, flowering dogwoods, mountain laurels, and wild azaleas bring soft shades of white and pink to the understory. Below them, bright green skunk cabbages unfurl in spirals, their broad leaves glowing against the remains of last season’s foliage.

The Dogwood Nature Trail is a 1.5-mile loop, so we could have followed the smaller circuit and returned to our starting point. Instead, when it intersected with the Perimeter Trail, we continued onto the longer route.

True to its name, the Perimeter Trail circles the entire park, quietly connecting its different areas. It passes picnic grounds along the northern end and the campground to the south while remaining largely tucked beneath the forest canopy. Along the way, it also connects with the Blueberry Nature Trail, while the Azalea Trail is only a short detour away.

Once we joined the Perimeter Trail, the path widened into a gravel track marked by yellow blazes painted on trees and trail signs. Despite being so close to the city, the forest seemed to create its own climate. The temperature felt noticeably cooler beneath the trees (sometimes by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit) making the trail a welcome escape on a warm day.

The landscape shifted again when we reached the wooden footbridges. We crossed Still Creek, a muddy but picturesque waterway that runs from east to west through the park, as well as nearby Deep Creek. Along their sandy banks, we noticed tracks left by birds and small mammals. The slow water reflected the trees in soft, wavering lines, and I found myself stopping simply to listen and look more closely.

Wildlife didn’t announce itself here. It appeared in quick, quiet moments: the flicker of a white-tailed deer slipping between the trees, a squirrel racing up a trunk, or a bird moving through the branches overhead.

For birdwatchers, there was plenty of reason to linger. Colorful warblers darted among the leaves, woodpeckers tapped out a steady rhythm, and chickadees flitted from branch to branch. A flash of red might reveal a scarlet tanager, while the woods near the creeks sometimes shelter a barred owl watching quietly from above. Even in its stillest moments, the forest felt full of life.

Some of my favorite discoveries were the smallest ones: clusters of mushrooms emerging from damp soil, fallen logs slowly returning to the earth, and initials carved into smooth bark. All little reminders of the people who had wandered these paths before us.

Because ticks are common in wooded areas, especially during the warmer months, I was careful to stay aware and check thoroughly after the hike.

Beginning on the Dogwood Trail gave the Perimeter loop a lovely sense of unfolding, as though the forest were revealing itself one detail at a time. It wasn’t a dramatic or demanding hike, but that was part of its appeal. This was a trail best explored at a wandering pace, where the quiet details became the destination.