Wild Cherry / Dogwood Connector Loop
Wild Cherry and Dogwood are useful south-park connectors for turning Lower Macleay, Wildwood, and Leif Erikson into longer loops. This page should help hikers pick between the shorter Wild Cherry option and the steeper Dogwood extension.
- DistanceAbout 5 miles for the Wild Cherry loop from Lower Macleay...
- ElevationModerate; Dogwood descent/ascent is steeper than Wild Che...
- DifficultyModerate
- Time2-3.5 hours
- Routeloop
At a glance
- Distance
- About 5 miles for the Wild Cherry loop from Lower Macleay; about 6.1 miles for the Dogwood loop option per FPC
- Elevation gain
- Moderate; Dogwood descent/ascent is steeper than Wild Cherry; exact gain requires final QA
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Est. time
- 2-3.5 hours
- Route type
- loop
- Allowed uses
- Pedestrians and dogs on leash. Leif Erikson allows cycling/equestrian use, but Wildwood and connector segments may not; publish as a hiking loop unless all bike/equestrian permissions are verified from PP&R symbols.
Trailhead, access, and parking
Begin at Lower Macleay Park or Leif Erikson/Thurman depending on final editorial route. Lower Macleay start gives the strongest visitor-intent route; Thurman start gives easier Leif Erikson orientation.
Lower Macleay and Thurman access points both see heavy use. Thurman gate parking is limited; Lower Macleay uses neighborhood/trailhead parking.
Route overview
From Lower Macleay, walk to Stone House and turn north on Wildwood. For the shorter loop, continue to Wild Cherry, descend to Leif Erikson, turn back toward Thurman, and return to Lower Macleay by the neighborhood stair/sidewalk connection. For the longer option, stay on Wildwood to Dogwood before descending to Leif Erikson. The page should clearly separate the two options so visitors do not accidentally turn a moderate loop into a longer outing.