What Makes it Great

The Furnace Run Trail is impediment-free and spacious, so it provides an ideal place to take children on their first hike as long as everyone can make it up the 90 manmade stairs. And, it’s fun to look for the downed tree on the Furnace Run Trail that acts as a squirrel pedestrian bridge, and the shark-bitten tree and interesting green puffs of grass along Furnace Run. Remember to bring your bug spray: The deer flies are determined to taste your repellent-sprayed skin despite flailing arms and verbal threats.

The rolling hills of the trail are fun to hike especially with the whistling of black-capped chickadees drowning out the sounds from the nearby road. Other small woodland creatures may decide to make an appearance, so don’t get too long in the birdsong to miss out on the squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits around you.

Because the parking area for Furnace Run Trail is shared by both Perkins and Riding Run, hikers who finish the Furnace Run loop and are looking for more can easily move on to these two loops.