This loop offers a great alternative when you're bored with Backside, taking you through a nearby residential neighborhood and back onto campus via Hooker Avenue. Below are detailed directions and an interactive map. We suggest that you take notes and carry them with you on the run to avoid getting lost.
Start in the northwest corner of Ballantine Field (near the storage shed), facing away from the TAs, with Walker Fieldhouse on your left. About 80 meters ahead you should see a yellow gate, which is your first target. Run past the yellow gate, and continue along the well-beaten ridge overlooking Sunset Lake. This ridge leads into a wide trail after about 180m. Run into the trail, heading up a fairly steep hill. The trail levels out briefly before heading up another steep hill beneath a row of powerlines. At the top of this hill, the trail makes a 90 degree turn to the left. Take the turn, and feel the relief of a brief downhill which ends abruptly at a T-intersection. Go right at this intersection and follow the rolling, winding trail for another quarter mile until you hit a street. At the street, turn right. Continue winding downhill on the street, but do not turn off of it. Eventually, a short street will break off to your right. Here you'll see a small covered bridge that leads to Hooker Avenue. Go under the covered bridge and turn right on Hooker. Briefly follow along Hooker until you can turn into the Security parking lot. Take the sidewalk that connects the Security lot to South Lot, and continue along in front of Shipping and Receiving. Turn right down the hill, and head to Sunset Lake. Bear left around the lake, and turn right when you get to the road. Run up the steep road hill, and finish on Ballantine Field.
Click here for an interactive map powered by Gmap-Pedometer. (map will open in a new window)