White Oak Trail
A 1.2 mile equestrian trail through forest.
Type: Hike, Equestrian
Length: 1.2 miles
Shade: Fully shaded
Parking/Access: Park at either River Campground (1.6 miles away) or Oak Ridge Campground (0.9 miles away). Horse pens and trailer parking are available at both campgrounds. All equestrian trails must be accessed using the Main Loop Trail from one of these parking locations.
Like the other equestrian trails, throughout this entire region of Whiterock is forest that blooms with wildflowers in spring as well as remnants of old coal mining history in this region. White Oak Trail features mainly white and red oaks, rather than the common bur oak of Iowa. White Oak Trail is also one of the best places at Whiterock to view the fascinating differences between two geologic regions: the Des Moines Lobe and Southern Iowa Drift Plain. Along the northern edge of Whiterock Conservancy marks where the last glacier in Iowa (The Des Moines Lobe) stopped its progression south less than 13,000 years ago. The entire Des Moines lobe region was scoured flat by the glacier as opposed to the hilly drift plain region to the south (not glaciated for over 500,000 years!). When using this trail, look for the differences in topography to the north and south, you are looking at two completely different geologic regions of Iowa! Report downed trees/other maintenance issue to trails@whiterockconservancy.org.
Accessibility
Material: dirt trail reinforced with limestone aggregate.
Width: narrow.
Limestone aggregate mix reinforces the trail for equestrian use. None of the three eastern equestrian trails can be accessed directly from a parking location.
