It only takes about half an hour to go around the loop. Little Scotia Pond rests in a forest of oak, hickory, and shortleaf pine. It has no fish. Reptile and amphibian species are at home here. The water is a mirror on a windless day, reflecting the assortment of trees and flowers that surround it.
Waterfowl use the pond as a runway to take off and land, temporarily disturbing the peacefulness.
But soon the surface smooth out again and the reflections reappear. The trail curves along the water's edge, guarded at places by sandstone blocks or climbing a short ways on sandstone steps. Black cherry and sassafras trees grow at the edges of the woods. The purple wood sorrel also has small flowers. If you take the time to bite one, it will taste faintly lemon-like.