Unit A
Distance: 2.6 miles round trip

At the parking lot, the dike is a roadbed of pea gravel that begins by tiptoeing between the vast open marsh to the left and a smaller pond on the right, a beautiful start to any hike. Depending on what time of the year you arrive, a cornucopia of wildlife can be encountered. Unit A is particularly good for spotting wading birds and their broods while non-bird wildlife might include turtles, muskrats and beavers.

Within a quarter mile the trail becomes a grassy two-track and in 0.4 mile swings in a more easterly direction. At Mile 1.3 the dike arrives at the embankment of US-27, where it's necessary to backtrack to return to the parking lot.

Unit B
Distance: 2.3 miles

The trailhead for the Unit B is reached just after you cross the Maple River floodplain and comes up quickly. Use caution in slowing down as US-27 can be a busy highway at times. From the small parking lot a gate marks the dike that head due east straight as an arrow. At one time this portion of the dike was a two-track of crushed slag but gradually most of the gravel is being hidden by grass.

Within 0.4 mile you reach a long boardwalk that extends into the cattails. At the other end is a barrier-free blind, a three-sided shelter that keeps hunters comfortable during the fall and camera lens dry the rest of the year. There is open water south of the blind, providing hikers the opportunity to quietly watch great blue herons, bitterns or other birds fishing.

The dike continues east with the cattail marsh to the right and a lowlying woods to the left. Eventually you swing south and at 0.75 arrive at the observation tower. The wooden structure raises 20 feet above the marsh to provide a different vantage point than the blind of the winged wildlife. Also at the tower is a bridge that leads to Unit C and a dike on the opposite side of the canal. It’s possible to hike around Unit C and end up back at this bridge with the additional loop turning your outing into a 4-mile trek.

The Unit B dike continues south and then swings sharply west where you find yourself hiking a causeway between the extensive marsh and Maple River. At Mile 1.8 you arrive at US-27. It’s a half mile along US-27 back to the trailhead and your vehicle. The highway has a very wide shoulder and can actually be scenic as it cuts through the heart of the floodplain. But caution must used as US-27 can be busy at times.