Mill Branch Trail

Mill Branch is a 3-mile, one-way trail linking the Collie Ridge Trail junction with the Maple Springs Loop Road and Maple Springs Trail connection. Allow about two hours for this segment, plus time for the approach and return. It makes sense as part of a longer walk through the north-side backcountry, not as a quick loop from a parking area.

From Collie Ridge, the path descends through a narrow, wooded gully. Most of the early grade is gentle, with one short, steeper dip. Around the first mile, the tread gets rockier and can be churned into mud by horse traffic. After the low point, expect a steady climb back toward Maple Springs; the ground gets easier where the trail follows an old dirt-road tread near the creek.

The route crosses the broad, rocky bed of Dry Prong and reaches Mill Branch shortly afterward. Just before Mill Branch, bear left; this turn is easy to miss if you keep following the creek. Watch for the blue blaze and signs. A large burl tree nicknamed the Elephant Man Tree stands before the Raymer Hollow junction and makes a useful landmark.

There is no dedicated Mill Branch parking point in the trail information. The west end is on Collie Ridge Trail, and the east end meets Maple Springs Loop Road and the Maple Springs trail network. Pick your approach and return on the current backcountry map; maps are available at the visitor center and Headquarters Campground kiosk.

A 2024 planning draft proposed removing eroded parts of this trail, while the park still lists Mill Branch as a 3-mile route. That proposal is not a closure notice, so check the current map and conditions before relying on the connection. Leashed dogs are allowed on surface trails, up to six feet; horses also use Mill Branch.