The Riverside Trail begins just beyond Butterfly Meadows and follows a calm, scenic route through some of the estate’s most picturesque terrain. It passes the Thompson family cemetery, with a nearby junction leading to the Fox Den Trail (0.5 km), before guiding you toward the river and its peaceful lookouts. As the path rises again, glimpses of the Greek Revival mansion appear through the trees, adding a quiet sense of history to the walk. As the longest and most scenic trail on the property, it brings together river, woodland, and architecture in a way that feels unhurried and deeply connected to the land.

The Carolinian trail leads you beneath a lush Carolinian canopy and alongside a clear stream flowing toward the Grand River, with wildflowers, birdsong, and woodland life unfolding around you in every season.

The Fox Den Trail winds gently toward the riverbank, ending in a sandy pocket perfect for resting and enjoying an unobstructed view of Slink Island—a quiet landmark woven into the Ruthven estate.

The Indiana Trail offers a relaxed, easy walk along leisurely paths that loop around the places where the town once existed—where streets once stretched across the clearing, where an orchard once stood in neat rows, and where the rhythm of daily life has long since disappeared into the land. Nothing of those features remains today, yet the open spaces and subtle rises in the terrain still hint at what used to be. As the trail continues, it brings you beside the St. Rose of Lima Catholic Cemetery, its weathered stones overlooking the landscape like quiet sentinels guarding the stories of the past.

Follow the Butterfly Trail into a meadow buzzing with wild energy, where native plants fuel a constant rush of wings as butterflies and birds burst into view at every turn.