Professor Don Gaylord led the portion of the hike that focused on the archaeology and history of the area. The trail runs though what was the Brown Mountain Creek Freedman Community, which was a community established after the Civil War by freed slaves.
In addition to growing food for themselves to eat, the members of the community were also sharecroppers who grew tobacco on the slopes of the hills.
Professor Chris Connors led the Geology Department's guided portion of the hike. The trail led hikers through parts of the Catoctin formation and the Blue Ridge basement complex, though most of the geological explanation was focused on the Catoctin formation at the north and south ends of the trail.
"We wanted to get a variety of people together to learn more about the history of the area," said Sarah Wilson, administrative assistant in the Geology Department, "and we wanted to do the learning outside because participating in an activity outside is stimulating in a way sitting in a classroom can’t be."