Hiking at Elk State Park

Elk State Park Map (PDF)

Maple Trail

0.5 mile  |  Easiest hiking  |  Out-and-back trail  |  No blazes
Recreations permitted: hiking
Trailhead amenities: modern restrooms, benches

This family-friendly, gravel trail travels up a slight slope and offers sweeping vistas of East Branch Dam and East Branch lake. Hikers who venture to the end are rewarded with views of Swamp Creek Bay.

Trail Definitions

Difficulty Ratings

Easiest -- For beginner trail users. Grade is gentle with few obstacles. 
More Difficult -- For the majority of trail users. Grade is steeper and trails narrower with embedded rocks or roots on the trail surface. 
Most Difficult -- For trail users with advanced skills. Grade is steep and provides a definite physical challenge. Routes may not be well marked. Elevation gain or loss is severe. 

Trail Route Type

Loop -- Start and end at the same location and follow a single trail to form a loop.
Out-and-back -- Start and end at a trailhead and follow a single trail to an endpoint or specific point of interest, then return along the same route. 
Point-to-point -- Trails are generally longer in distance and parks may often contain only a portion of the trail within their boundary. Hiker starts and ends in different locations, often requiring a shuttle. 
Connector -- Begin and end in connection with another trail or trails but do not terminate at a trailhead.