History Trail (Fontenelle Forest) Hiking Guide
History Trail is the loop to take if you want Bellevue's past along with your hike. It starts at Camp Wa-Kon-Da, Fontenelle Forest's southernmost entrance, and climbs and drops around earth lodge sites, the original Bellevue Trading Post location and memorial markers for Logan Fontenelle and his mother, Bright Sun. It is short, but the hills are real.
Permit: History Trail starts at Camp Wa-Kon-Da (402 Forest Drive), one of Fontenelle Forest's unstaffed access points. Daily admission is $15 per adult, $13 for 62 and over and $9 for ages 2-17, plus sales tax; members and children under 2 are free. Pay online, by phone at 402-731-3140, or in cash at the Iron Ranger box at the trailhead.
The Loop
Fontenelle's trail table lists History Trail at 1.38 miles with 340 feet of gain and 341 feet of loss, and describes it as a moderate to steep loop. That is a lot of up and down per mile, so treat it as a short workout rather than a stroll. The Forest's recommended-hikes page calls it a self-guided tour of fifteen historic locations throughout the Forest; markers along the way explain each one.
What the Markers Cover
The trail winds around unmarked earth lodge sites, which appear as shallow depressions on the ridges, and passes the original site of the Bellevue Trading Post. Markers commemorate Logan Fontenelle and Bright Sun, whose family name the Forest carries. The surrounding southern uplands also hold Mormon Hollow, a 0.60-mile ravine trail that follows traces of a pioneer route first used in the summer of 1846.
Getting There and Paying
Camp Wa-Kon-Da is at 402 Forest Drive in Bellevue; from the Nature Center, the Forest's map directions run south on Bellevue Boulevard North, onto Bellevue Boulevard South, then left on Forest Drive. Nobody staffs this lot, so buy a day pass online or by phone before you go, or drop cash in the Iron Ranger. Adults pay $15 plus tax. Trails are open sunrise to sunset and the lot closes at dark. The area was a Scout camp until Fontenelle acquired it in 2019, and camping is still off-limits except for Scout groups.
Longer Options from Camp Wa-Kon-Da
Two more trails start from the same area. Signal Ridge, 0.87 miles, is mostly level along the ridgetop but steep at its north end. Gray Squirrel is the hardest trail at Fontenelle: the trail table lists it at 1.17 miles with 561 feet of gain, though an older Forest page gives 1.9 miles, so expect the distance to depend on where you join it. Pair History Trail with either one for a longer day.
Rules and Closures
Dogs and other pets are prohibited across Fontenelle Forest, as are jogging, bicycles, drones and collecting plants or fungi. All Fontenelle trails close for several days each December for the managed deer hunt. The Forest also uses prescribed fire on its oak woodlands, and History Trail runs through restoration areas, so it may be taped off on burn days and for days afterward; check the alerts on fontenelleforest.org before you go.
Hiking tips for History Trail (Fontenelle Forest)
- Pay for your day pass online before arriving at Camp Wa-Kon-Da, which has no staffed desk.
- Allow extra time to read the markers; the loop is short but has fifteen historic stops.
- Wear shoes with grip for the steep pitches, especially after rain or frost.
- Add Gray Squirrel if you want Fontenelle's toughest climbing in the same outing.
- Watch for orange prescribed-fire signs at the lot during burn season and respect taped closures.
Nearby trails to explore
- Riverview Boardwalk (Fontenelle Forest)
- Oak Trail (Fontenelle Forest)
- Hidden Lake Trail and Great Marsh (Fontenelle Forest)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
History Trail is a good loop for a small group that likes to stop and read as it goes. Set up a Camp Wa-Kon-Da hike in TrailMates, sort out day passes and rides in the event's group chat, and meet at the Forest Drive lot. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.