The trail actually begins at the west end of the picnic area and winds through the DNR facility before heading into the woods at post No. 10. Most hikers simply begin at post No. 10 where a stone path greets them. Within a couple hundred yards the trail becomes an impressive boardwalk. In the middle is a bridge across Wolf Creek and an interpretive sign about the Au Sable River which you can see through the trees, especially in the winter.

Post No. 9 marks where a powerline crosses the Au Sable and beyond it you climb the river bluff to post No. 8 at Mile 0.5.  Once on the bluff, the trail skirts the edge of it, providing glimpses of the river below through the trees and, if it’s a summer weekend, the flotilla of canoes often seen heading downstream. This is perhaps the most scenic stretch of the trail – summer or winter – and you continue to follow the edge for almost a mile until the trail descends the bluff and then re-climbs it to top off near post No. 3 at Mile 1.5.

The next leg to South River Road continues to stay on the bluff in the beginning. But within a half mile the trail descends, swings to the west and makes a long climb back up before reaching post No. 1 at Mile 2.3. The post marks the short spur to the South River Road trailhead. Continue west (right) at the junction to return to the canoe launch.

At post No. 2, two segments depart for the main loops along the river. The second to post No. 6 is actually shorter but the first to post No. 3 is more interesting, especially for skiers, as it’s a winding path that dips and climbs more. This route returns to post No. 4 at Mile 3.1 and remains as a level trail in a stand of pines, reaching post No. 6 within a quarter mile and returning to post No. 8 at Mile 3.7. Backtrack the first half mile of the hike to reach the canoe launch at Mile 4.2.