Yellow Trail

2.1 miles | 48 minutes | Starts from: Sunken Garden

This trail is excellent for hikers who want to see and walk through great examples of both upland oak-hickory forest and bottomland forest with large silver maple and sycamore trees. Starting at the Sunken Garden, you will first experience the upland forest. This area of open grown oaks and hickories is great for woodpeckers. Keep your eye out for red-headed woodpeckers and the huge pileated woodpecker. Deer, wild turkey and other wildlife have also been seen along this part of the trail.As you continue walking you will soon approach the Death of the Last Centaur statue. Walk down the concrete steps into a bottomland forest to continue on the Yellow trail.

Moving past the four white pillars and down the trail will lead you to the Sangamon River. Here the trail runs along the Sangamon and gives great views of the river, many opportunities for watchable wildlife, and a chance to experience large bottomland trees. The main trail continues along the river before heading back into the formal garden area through some coniferous trees and beside the Mansion’s Reflecting Pond.

Look for: large white trillium and bloodroot (spring); freshwater mussel shells (summer); colorful leaves (fall); migrating song birds (spring and fall); red-headed woodpeckers and pileated woodpeckers (winter)

There may be times of the year when the bottomland portion of this trail may be flooded. Please use caution.

There is one section of this trail that shares the path the Brown Trail.

Want a shorter hike? The trail has a shortcut (noted with a dotted line on the map) that will lead you back to the Sunken Garden or the Meadow.