Get Outdoors - Bethel Green - 5/2/2026

On May 2, 2026, three members of Bower Hill Community Church hiked the trails in Bethel Green. The land itself is a relic of the area’s industrial history as it was part of the Mollenaur Mine #3 complex and was used from the late 1800s through 1939 and a dumping ground for dirt and rock tailings from the mine. The once large and unsightly mountain of debris has evolved over time into an excellent demonstration of nature’s ability to recover if given the opportunity. The once imposing tailings pile has been almost completely reclaimed by nature, and is now mostly forested by black cherry, sumac, and birch trees. We started on the red trail counterclockwise. The trail meandered gently uphill. After a little less than a mile we were on a plateau with some tree plantings and a trail to a nearby housing development. We continued on the trail back into the woods. Shortly, we came to some side trails that led us to piles of mining tailings. One of them had a very narrow path on the top of the pilings. We retraced our steps and continued on the trail to be greeted by a large group of crows. The rest of the hike consisted of taking a few of the side trails. While it was a little chilly when we started, it was quite comfortable by the end of the hike.

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