Gray Lodge Wildlife Area

Trail Overview: For this hike we combined the asphalt Wetland Discovery Trail with the compacted dirt and gravel Flyway Loop Trail for a 2.5-mile loop hike. To make your hike educational pick up a brochure at the trailhead for the three-quarter mile Wetland Discovery Trail.  The Discovery Trail passes transition zones of ponds, grassy fields and wooded riparian areas. The only benches we saw are by the trailhead overlooking the large permanent pond where you’ll likely see turtles sunning, and also at the ramp to the viewing deck further on.

Past the pond, where the asphalt trail turns left, we instead continued straight on the dirt trail. Both trails meet up again at the elevated viewing platform that overlooks wetlands and where having the place to ourselves, we spent an hour just listening to birdsong and looking at egrets, wood ducks and other wildlife.

After returning to the asphalt trail, at the next junction we turned on to the dirt and gravel Flyway Loop Trail to extend our hike. It meanders by the edges of seasonal and permanent ponds for another 1.5 miles. Look for a short spur trail across from the inaccessible portable restroom that leads to a viewing hide with two accessible viewing spots. A second hide further along the main trail has a large threshold that prevented my powerchair from getting in. Bunnies & lizards scurried across our path as we leisurely strolled back to the parking lot from where we started.

More Info: The 3/4 mile Wetlands Trail is asphalt but the Flyway Loop Trail is dirt & gravel.

The facilities listed below meet all of our access criteria unless otherwise noted.