Gallivant about the woodland trails, and one just might spy a great blue heron, a barred owl, a tribe of turtles, a herd of deer, or, according to some, even a unicorn or two.

Among those proliferating at the greatest rate are "Trailheads." These are also among the more vociferous of the indigenous local critters, at least where conservation is concerned.

Their calls have echoed loud and clear of late throughout Carolina North, and were taken up last weekend by hundreds of runners in the inaugural Philosopher's Way 15K and 7K Trail Runs.

Organized by the Trailheads (in reality, a local running group) and hosted by Carolina North Forest Management, the Philosopher's Way promoted awareness of the 750-acre forest and UNC's active management program for the tranquil natural oasis nestled between Chapel Hill and Carrboro.

The races comprised the second event staged this year by the Trailheads, the first being January's Little River Trail Run at the Little River State Recreation Area.

UNC runner Brock Baker (1:01:49) was the first across the line in the men's 15K, with James Pearce just a second behind. Paul Potorti's 1:06:25 was good enough for third place and the masters' title as well.

"Yeah, I'm out here running all the time," said Baker, who served more as tour guide than competitor to runner-up Pearce.

"He ran with me the whole way," Baker said. "He grew up in Chapel Hill, but he's a law school student at Duke now. If there was a sharp left turn coming up, I'd tell him, 'Hard left.' We just had a friendly rapport going pretty much the whole time."

As with last winter's Little River event, local standout Caroline Blatti (1:15:54) was the first female in this past Saturday's women's 15K (9.3-mile) trail run, followed by Samantha Beardsley (1:17:40), and Kristen Alexander (1:21:17).

"I'd run parts of the course before, but the last section was still really difficult ... just because there were a lot of hills," Blatti said. "Each piece of this race was sort of a distinct loop, too. That helped you to strategize."

In the men's 7K, Derek Kaat (27:10) finished first overall, with Fred Ward (28:08) in second and remarkable 11-year-old Samuel Dunson (28:09) in third.

Molly Spencer (32:01) finished first among females in the 7k. Kelly Teagarden (35:48) was second, and Suzie Hosman's third-place finish (35:52) was also good enough for the master's title.

Trailhead race directors Steve "Squonk" Hoge and Joseph "Weezyl" Lea were happy both with race results and with the opportunity to introduce newcomers to the Forest and trail running.

"There'd be no way to do this without this club of people who like to do this sort of thing," Hoge said. "We'd have to thank both UNC and Carolina North Forest Management for this as well."

"We accomplished what we set out to do," Lea added, "which was to bring more people out there."

All proceeds from the races will go to the Carolina North Forest Management's efforts to maintain the Forest by employing sustainable management practices.

"This is win-win," Carolina North Forest Manager Greg Kopsch said. "It's great for both of our organizations."

Kopsch's and UNC campus arborist Tom Bythell's programs will both receive donations from the race proceeds, Hoge said.

The race itself is a tribute to UNC philosophy professor Horace Williams, who once owned the land and would often retreat by horseback from campus to the woodlands in search of mental clarity.

"Every man who studies hard should own a saddle horse," Williams wrote in his book, 'The Education of Horace Williams' (1936).

"He learns almost daily. Mount him and go to the woods. On my farm was a group of several hundred pine trees. They were tall and straight. I called them my temple. My horse seemed to know when I needed to visit my temple. ... Then we stood and listened to the soft music of the swaying boughs. Then he seemed to say it is time to go home. Often the problem would crumble as we sped home."

Hoge said that the success of Saturday's event would have suited UNC's famous philosopher.

"I think the breeze through these trees feels like the spirit of Horace Williams," Hoge said. "I think he'd be thinking this was all just fine, and he'd be wanting people to come back frequently."

Hoge said those wanting more information or interested in joining his fellow forest creatures for a run on the local trails need simply check out www.trailheads.org.

"We will be out here just running around," Hoge said, "like the crazy people we are."

Crazy enough to believe in unicorns, and crazy enough to see Carolina North Forest for the trees.