A great family hike, this trail follows the Little Conasauga River in, then meanders through woods and rhododendron on the return trip. The river that once flowed is widened and more stagnant thanks to the work of the beaver. Trees whose stumps are covered by the pond die, providing homes for both waterfowl and songbirds. Well-placed bird housing can be spotted around the perimeter of the lake and in some of the dead trees.
Grasses begin to grow in the bottom, and mud, formerly carried off by the river, thickens.
Water also provides a home for insects, on which the songbirds feed. As the trail continues, the sound of the birds grows louder, until a nearly continuous din makes it difficult to tell each call. Clearcuts and burn fields provide the open areas that attract these birds. A bridge crosses one of the beaver dams, however, it is obvious that extra work has been done to support the bridge. Here the trail veers left and begins to rise to a thicket of rhododendron, which the songbirds use for protection from predators.