Trails
There are many short trails at Muscatatuck and a hiker may experience longer walks on old farm lanes and abandoned roads.The most visited trail is the Chestnut Ridge Trail adjacent to the Visitor Center. Chestnut Ridge is a wonderful stroll at all times of the year that features an accessible ridge-top loop with a boardwalk that descends into a seep-spring wetland.Other designated trails include Hunt/Richart,Turkey and Bird,and Wood Duck. Refuge trails are generally easy but are often wet in the spring.
Other Walking Paths
Old roads and farm lanes can provide pleasant hiking experiences. One interesting walk is to walk from the Endicott Observation Deck parking area, west on the old gravel road (E. County Road 500 N.) past the deck. The old road, which is closed to vehicles and grassy, takes you past Mutton Creek and Mini Marsh to an old farm lane on the left that eventually connects to the West Entrance Road (E. County Road 400 N.). The lane may be muddy in spots, but is a pleasant, moderately-easy walk past old house sites, reverting farm fields and beautiful woodlands. The old lane goes up two short hills. If you follow the lane all the way to the West Entrance Road, you will travel a little under two miles.
For a shorter hike, drive to the south end of County Line Road and parking near the closed gate. If you walk past the gate, you can follow an old county road straight south to the Muscatatuck River. This is about a 0.75 mile walk, one way and is easy with a gravel surface. Please note that this trail is for hikers only, but it is often very wet given that you it goes through bottomland forest in the river floodplain. The river is narrow with high muddy banks in this area and is full of log jams. While the river almost dries up in the summer months, after heavy rains it can rise quickly and flood in a short time, spreading water over much of this end of the refuge.