Trail at Aumsville Ponds County Park

This was a spur of the moment after dinner hike. We only had about an hour to work with, so we skipped our usual bike ride to this location, just over a mile from our home. It is located off of Mill Creek Rd. in Aumsville. Turn South onto Bishop Rd, then right onto Bates Rd. The park entrance will be on your left. It is officially closed for the winter, and is open from May 1- October 31 from 8am-sunset.
Aumsville Ponds County Park is a 77 acre wetlands area, consisting of small ponds, the largest of which is Young Lake. Eight years ago, the Northwest Youth Corps forged trail nearly 1 mile long that fully encircles the pond. It includes a couple of bridges, some stairs, an observation deck, and a few tangent trails leading to the water's edge. In addition to the trail, there is a small island about 10 ft from the pond's bank. Thanks to local kids, there is usually a gathering of large stones and branches stretching the distance, allowing dry passage to the island. During the summer, you might also enjoy the rope swing tied to a tree on the island, allowing you/your children to swing out into the water. The pond is stocked for fishing, and there are always several ducks, geese, and other birds wading through the pond, flying above it, or meandering around it. Dogs are not allowed.

Total Distance: < 1 mile
Trail Type: Loop
Trail Appearance: Dirt, gravel 
Trail Elevation: Mostly level, a few dips w/ stairs
Atmosphere: Quiet, birds
View: Pond, trees
Extras: Island, rope swing

Difficulty: Easy
My Rating: *** 
Kid Ratings: ****; ****; ****