Soapstone-Santee-Ridge Loop

From the Soapstone Trailhead at the Park-n-Ride, head along Soapstone Trail (purple rectangle markers on the trees) for 1.0 miles. At the parking lot, go straight towards the restroom and connect with the Santee Branch Trail (white rectangle markers on the trees). Soon after, you'll come to a T or a Y (depending on how worn it is at any time of the year) where you'll bear left until you get to a well loved stone/gravel road. Turn right, and across the road, the Santee Branch Trail continues. Follow the Santee Branch Trail until you reach Hilton Avenue. Take that road by turning left and follow the road down hill. You'll pass a playground/terrain park on your right, and then connect with another trail (Hilton Area Connector)that will take you down and across the bridge to some steps that access the rest of the park. You are now on Cascade Falls Trail. Shortly after getting onto Cascade, turn left at the T and stay left (there are a few branches off of cascade that go to the right, but we'll ignore those this time) follow it until you get to waterfalls. From there, simply continue to the trail on the other side. After going up some wood/rock steps make a sharp left to get on to the Ridge Trail, which is blazed with orange marks. Follow Ridge Trail until you get to the second entrance to Valley View (marked with white blazes). Take Valley View (or you could continue along the Ridge Trail if you miss Valley View--they are nearly identical) until you get to River Road. River Rd takes you to a pavilion area where there is a playground, restrooms, parking, etc. Right at the end of the playground area, turn left onto Gun Road and cross the bridge. Shortly after that, you'll see Grist Mill Trail pick up again to your left. Continue onto the trails again! Follow it until it takes you out to another little parking area and head very briefly to the left, until you see an archway/tunnel. Turn right up the tunnel onto the road and follow that to the first parking area you saw at the end of Soapstone Trail. Follow Soapstone Trail back to the parking area. DONE!