A Trail Experience

by Debbie

Our local area has many trails worth experiencing, including the Ghost Town Trail and its segments. Today’s post is about one of those sections.

Entrance to the trail. A trail worth experiencing.
Local trail head/parking area.

The Rexis Branch of the Ghost Town Trail runs from Vintondale/Rexis to White Mill Station. It is about four miles. It was donated in 1993 by the Cambria & Indiana Railroad.

The Trail Worth Experiencing

Today’s post is in regards to the two miles from Red Mill to White Mill. Considered a “spur” of the Ghost Town Trail, this section is quite pretty. The Cambria Country Conservation & Recreation Authority is working on adding trails to this spur to make it a loop.

Coming up on the Red Mill entrance. A trail worth experiencing.

I started my walk at the trail head by Route 422. I parked my car at the parking area along Vic Miller Rd. Right next to the trail is Elk Creek. During the late winter and early spring visitors need to be aware of the water level. Sometimes during heavy rains or snow melts the Creek can run high and block the path under 422.

High water at the White Mill entrance. A trail worth experiencing.
The water was a little high, but not too bad.

Around this area was the White Mill. This Mill was used to grind grain into flour and ground meal. While it is no longer visible, there are a few stone remains that may have something to do with the Mill.

There is only a slight incline to the trail. As a result, the walk is relatively easy. There are also several benches to sit at and enjoy the view.

Benches along the trail. A trail worth experiencing.

During my walk, the water was running high and fast. Therefore, my whole walk was treated to the beautiful natural music of the swiftly running creek. The sound was amazing.

High water. Fast moving water. A trail worth experiencing.

Traces of History Along the Trail:

Along the walk there is evidence of the old railroad. Decrepit metal towers falling in upon themselves and old telegraph lines can be seen.

After two miles, I reached the trail head at Red Mill. This is another grist mill. Located nearby is the Red Mill Cottage. This is a fully furnished vacation rental that can sleep eight. This is where I turned around and headed back.

Red Mill Cottage sign. A trail worth experiencing.

Wildlife Along the Trail:

While along the trail you may encounter all sorts of wildlife. Black bear are rarely seen. On occasion there are black snakes sunning themselves. Deer, chipmunks and a variety of birds are quite common. Animals may be prevalent, but today I didn’t see anything more that a couple of birds.

Heading back to the trail head. A trail worth experiencing.

You may be wondering what to do during the snowy part of the winter months along the trail. I cover some local trail experiences in a previous post: Winter Activity

This short section of the Rexis Branch is definitely one of the local trails worth experiencing. Keep an eye out for future posts because I will cover more sections of the Ghost Town Trail and other trails in the area.