Section 6 of the Radial Line Trail (RLT) - Linked to August 2024 Newsletter

To learn more about this section of the RLT,  I hiked the section with Frank Schoenhoeffer, the Trail Coordinator for the Radial Line Trail, and I spoke with Bob Fanning and Fraser Brown, the Trail Captains of this section.  All three of them love Section 6, and after hiking it, I know why! 

This may be the most beautiful and interesting section of the RLT our club maintains.  It has a variety of environments:  beautiful rock formations, bridges, sections of the original railbed that allow you to hike through the marshy areas, Kong Hill with its awesome vista, varying elevations, and habitats from beaver dam to pine plantation to marsh to forest.  There is no side trail to create a loop, so Section 6 is an out and back trail.  Another option is to take two cars and park at both ends of the trail.

Frank and I left a car at 6th Line & Pineridge and drove to Dublin Ln & Mill St,  W. to leave the other car and pick up the trail.  At the start of the trail, we walked through a forested area, passing by interesting rocky outcrops. 

We continued on along lovely, shady forest paths and out into a beautiful meadow full of wildflowers.

Next we climbed up, and up!  But the view from the top of Kong Hill (apparently named after a former landowner) was worth it.  There are a lot of mature trees that block the view a bit right now, but when the leaves have fallen, you can see farther.  Both Bob and Fraser mentioned how nice it is to hike this section of the trail in the winter as well.  They commented that it seems like a completely different world with the stone and cedar fences from the settlers being more evident and the view from Kong Hill being less obstructed.

After the hill, we were back in the woods, often hiking alongside those stone fences made by settler farmers.  

We came to a marshier, wetter area and crossed sturdy bridges built by the GHTC.  

The trail led us through a pine plantation, back into mixed forest and then out to the road where our car was parked.  It was well-marked with our club’s orange blazes and easy to follow thanks to the efforts of Bob and Fraser, the volunteer Trail Captains. 

The hike was a little more challenging than some other sections of the RLT because of the steep hill, wet areas and uneven footing at times, so hiking boots or sturdy walking shoes would be a great choice.  

Section 6 was an absolutely beautiful trail with lots of variety.  It can be a 5 km walk with a car at each end, or a little longer 10 km out and back with a stop on Kong Hill for a picnic lunch or snack.  I highly recommend hiking this section of the RLT!

Need to Know About Section 6 of the RLT

Location:  

East end - Nassagaweya 6th Line & Pineridge Drive (Milton)

West end - Dublin Line & Mill Street, West (Limehouse)

Length:  5 km

Difficulty:  Level 2+

Parking:  Roadside

Trail Captains:  Bob Fanning and Fraser Brown

Cool to Know About Section 6 of the RLT 

• Part of Section 6 runs alongside the Blue Springs Golf Club.

• Once a beaver built a dam that caused the water to rise, threatening to flood the path.  Intrepid Trail Captain, Bob, notched a V in the top of the dam to allow water to run off, thereby saving the trail!

Don’t forget that members have free access to an electronic map of all the trails we maintain.  It is an amazing tool that works with Google Maps.  There are tips and descriptions, notes about where to park, icons identifying points of interest, and of course the routes for the trails themselves.  Head HERE to get the link!

Who Keeps the Trail Safe for Hiking?

Bob Fanning and Fraser Brown are the Trail Captains for Section 6.  Bob took on this volunteer role about 15 years ago, and Fraser joined him about 8 years ago.  Fraser commented that it is a lot of fun to go out 4-5 times a year together to “march around and whack a bunch of weeds and see the gorgeous scenery on our superb 5 km of forest.” 

When I asked them what was good about being a trail captain, Bob told me it’s a nice feeling to know that he can make sure the trail is in good shape for people.  He likes to meet hikers and help them understand about the history and maintenance of the trail.  Fraser also really enjoys meeting hikers out on the trail so he can tell them a little about the club.

Trail Captains volunteer to keep all 80+ km of our trails safe and passable.  They walk the trail a few times throughout the year and trim grass, cut branches that obstruct the trail, and do other tasks that keep the trail safe.  If you’re interested in contributing to your community in this way, then please contact Frank Schoenhoeffer for more information.