Silhouette Trail

The Silhouette Trail is an ADA accessible trail that meanders through Hawk Mountain's ridge-top forest between the Trail Head and South Lookout. This alternative route to South Lookout is 900 feet long and does not exceed an 8.3% grade, making it wheelchair accessible. 

The trail currently features a trail-side gallery with life-size, in-flight silhouettes of 7 of the world’s 22 species of vultures and condors, including four New World species (turkey vulture, black vulture, Andean condor, and California condor) and three Old World species (hooded vulture, griffon vulture, and Egyptian vulture). 

This is one of three installments; previously the display has featured endangered eagles from around the world and endangered Latin American raptors. In the future, other species of raptors will be featured, as well.

A free brochure describing these displayed raptors is available at the trail entrance, and you can also download it below. 

In May 2017, this trail won the Trail Accessibility Award from the American Trails National and International Awards for being a successful trail project that demonstrates integration of accessibility characteristics into its design and construction. For more information about this award, click here.