Taylorsville Lake Trail

Ridgetop fields with lots of birds and a good lake overlook. This hike combines three loop trails to make a large loop that takes you near the lakeshore and also to an impressive overlook above the intersection of Beech Creek and the main lake stem. There are several descents to the lakeshore, but the majority of the walking is relatively level along the top of Possum Ridge, a peninsula that juts out into the lake. All of this area was farmed before the river’s impoundment, and much of the flat ridgetop remains as fields covered only by small cedars, shrubs, and grasses. As a result, this is prime habitat for birds, including wild turkeys. In summer the treeless environment can make hiking hot, if not entirely miserable. But in spring and fall, the open ridgetop offers delightful walking with lots of birdwatching opportunities.