tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8645545882170788002024-02-07T21:41:01.844-05:00John Takes a HikeJThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.comBlogger50125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-22393888962698833942014-02-17T13:42:00.003-05:002014-02-17T22:57:40.528-05:00Hanging Rock<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Hanging Rock-Wolf Rock-Cook's Wall Circuit<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Hanging Rock State Park<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Danbury</span>, NC (50 minutes north of Winston-Salem)<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 2,480'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 1419'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 7.51<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Strenuous<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>:
From Winston-Salem: Take Rte 311 N out of the city, after passing
through Walnut Cove continue N on Rte 89, after passing through <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Danbury</span>
turn L on Hanging Rock Park Rd, continue on State Park Rd to the
parking lot at the end next to the lake. From Mt. Airy: Take Rte 52 S, L
onto Old US 52 S, L on Rte 268 E, R on Rte 89 S, R on Piedmont Springs
Rd, R on State Park Rd, continue to the parking lot at the end next to
the lake. The trail begins at the back of the parking
lot along the lake.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/haro/main.php</a><br />
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<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=864554588217078800" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a>Hanging Rock is hands down the best place for hiking in the North Carolina Piedmont. It provides a legitimate mountain feel without the three, four, or five hour drive it takes to get to the mountains of western North Carolina. Instead, it's about two hours from the Triangle and even quicker from the Triad. I had been there a couple times before in summer and spring, and on a beautiful early November day I decided to check out what fall was like at Hanging Rock.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Walking along the lake, looking up Moore's Wall</span></div>
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In the <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/04/moores-wall.html">other post I've done about Hanging Rock</a>, I traversed Moore's Wall, which is the northwest ridge of the park, but this time I wanted to explore the southeast ridge, which leads to the park's namesake promontory (these ridges form a bowl with a lake in the middle that becomes very popular in the summer). I started in the parking lot next to the lake and began my hike by walking southwest along the lake. Eventually, the Chestnut Oak Nature Trail will split off to the left, but for this hike I continued straight (you could actually shorten this hike by going up Chestnut Oak Nature Trail to Wolf Rock and from there going northeast to Hanging Rock). I followed the stream for about 1-1.25 miles until turning onto the Magnolia Springs Trail, which ascends the ridge to the south. This is probably the most strenuous part of the hike. The good news, though, is that once you're on the ridge, most of the trip is just hiking along top of it, which is easy. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hanging Rock in the distance</span></div>
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Once you reach the top of the ridge, you can either go right of left. Left will take you to Wolf Rock and eventually Hanging Rock to complete this loop. I would eventually do that, but first I wanted to explore where going right would take me. This trail is called Cook's Wall Trail and the main sights along it are House Rock, Cook's Wall, and Devil's Chimney. These aren't very clearly marked, but they are basically rocky cliffs that provide excellent views. House Rock and Cook's Wall give views over the Piedmont to the south while Devil's Chimney provides views of Moore's Wall and the other peaks of the Sauratown range. The trail dead ends at Devil's Chimney so from there, backtrack to the intersection with Magnolia Springs Trail, and continue north east along the ridge on what becomes Wolf Rock Trail.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A tree making a go of it on House Rock</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Other peaks of the Sauratown Range including Pilot Mountain in the distance</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Moore's Wall from Devil's Chimney</span></div>
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Wolf Rock is a grouping of very large and jagged rock formations that form cliffs just off the Wolf Rock trail, and they definitely merit stopping for a moment to enjoy the view. After soaking it in, continue heading northeast along Wolf Rock Trail which will gently decline toward its intersection with the Hanging Rock Trail (by the way, it was on this part of the trail where I noticed some of the most colorful foliage overhead).<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking back toward Cook's Wall from Wolf Rock</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Wolf Rock</span></div>
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Turn right, heading uphill, on the Hanging Rock Trail. Up until this point, I encountered only a dozen or so groups of people, but from here until the end of the hike, it gets pretty crowded since this trail is the most direct route to the top of Hanging Rock. The trail is pretty wide and smooth for a while until the final ascent of Hanging Rock which involves climbing up stairs. This part gets strenuous, but it's also pretty short, so it winds up not being too bad. Hanging Rock itself has different areas you can explore but most people just hang out at the top and enjoy the view. If you look directly west, you'll see Moore's Knob, the highest point in the park, and you can even see its fire tower on top. Looking southwest shows you the bowl that makes up Hanging Rock State Park, which is a great view in the fall. Looking north and northwest, you can just see the faint outlines of the larger mountains of the Appalachians. <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The "bowl" that is Hanging Rock State Park </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">There is no shortage of people to take your photo on Hanging Rock (Moore's Wall in the background)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hanging Rock</span></div>
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One important note: this area requires caution with several extremely steep cliffs. In fact, when I was there, I witnessed a mother who was in quite a panic about her children walking around the cliffs, and she didn't let anyone from her family actually go out onto Hanging Rock itself. So just be smart, and you'll be okay.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Assorted Foliage:</span></div>
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After I enjoyed an apple on the peak, I retraced my steps back down from Hanging Rock past the Wolf Rock Trail intersection, to the visitor center parking lot. I walked southwest to exit the parking lot and continued south along the road, past the lake, and back to the parking lot where the hike began. I always love hiking at Hanging Rock, and going in the fall certainly reinforced that for me. Check out the GPS track below.
<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1393409&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1393409'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-80168185024785690772013-08-21T22:11:00.000-04:002013-08-21T22:11:06.156-04:00Blue Ridge Parkway--Green Knob<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Green Knob Trail<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Blowing Rock, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 3900'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~460'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.1<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: This hike is accessible from the Sim's Pond Overlook at Milepost 295.9 between the town of Blowing Rock and Grandfather Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=61">http://www.blueridgeparkway.org/v.php?pg=61</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sim's Pond</span></div>
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E and I have made it a tradition to head west to the North Carolina mountains every year, usually in October. Asheville is our usual home base for these trips, but a couple years ago, we decided to explore a new area, so we made out way out to Boone. Turns out when people say Boone is the coolest place in North Carolina (thermally speaking), they aren't kidding. E and I tried to save money by staying at a KOA instead of getting a room at a hotel. Well, the morning we arrived at the KOA, they had an inch of snow on the ground...in October...in North Carolina. The night we were to stay there, it was sleeting, with excessively high winds, so we went through about 8 fire starters without successfully roasting one s'more. When we tried to go to sleep, I suffered a facial beating as the walls of our tent repeatedly collapsed on me as a result of the relentless winds. At about 2 in the morning, I started browsing TripAdvisor on my phone and calling the local hotels to see if we could get a room anywhere, and it turned out that out of the 6 or so hotels in Boone, only one had a room available, and we packed up and headed for drier, warmer, and more peaceful sleep. So much for saving money.<br />
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Now, on to the hike. As you head south from the Blowing Rock area on the Blue Ridge Parkway between Moses Cone and Julian Price parks, you'll see a pull off at Sim's Pond at Milepost 295.9. The pond is pretty small, but scenic, and there is a trail that crosses the spillway of the pond, and that is the beginning of this hike. Once you get to the other side of the pond, turn left to head into a dense rhododendron forest. The trail will go across a few small ups and downs crossing Sim's Creek a couple times. Some of these stream crossings are easier than others, but none of them are hazardous and the trail is always pretty obvious. After a little more than a half mile, the trail crosses beneath the Blue Ridge Parkway alongside Sim's Creek. There is a trail that breaks off here to go to another overlook off the parkway, but ignore it and continue on the trail ahead to make a loop.<br />
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The trail continues along the creek for a little while longer before turning left and leaving the creek behind. The trail also steepens at this point, but what's ahead is a great payoff for your efforts. The trail sneaks through a narrow opening in a fence to enter a beautiful, hilly pasture. On our hike, this section simply took our breath away. There were cows grazing on the hillside with fall colors emerging in the trees lining the pasture. Open spaces like this can sometimes make staying on a trail difficult, but there was a pretty obvious worn path when we went that made it very easy.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I just love how that one bright red tree stands out</span></div>
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As the trail continues its climb and heads back into the woods, you'll find a bench near an opening in the trees that gives a nice view of some of the mountain peaks beyond. Continue on just a bit more, though, and the view really opens up as the trail enters a meadow filled with goldenrod. Looming over the meadow in the distance is Grandfather Mountain. The trail descends through the meadow, briefly passes through some woods, and drops you off on the Parkway. Turn left on the road for a quick walk back to the Sim's Pond Overlook where the hike began. There was something about hiking along that beautiful mountain creek and through a cow pasture in cool, misty weather that made this hike one of our favorites. I highly recommend it. Check out the GPS-generated map below.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Calloway Peak of Grandfather Mountain</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1442665&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1442665'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-77831508261066225012013-07-28T22:49:00.000-04:002013-08-21T20:55:06.203-04:00Eno Quarry<span style="font-weight: bold;"></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Eno Quarry<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Durham, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 496'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~280'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.28<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: From I-85, take Exit 173 and head south on Cole Mill Rd. Turn right on Hillsborough Rd/Rte 70. Turn right on Sparger Rd, then turn left on Howe St and the parking for Cabe Lands (the section of Eno River State Park that contains this hike) will be on the right near a mobile home park.<br />
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From the Durham Freeway (Rte 147), take Exit 16A and then immediately take Exit 108D onto Hillsborough Rd (Rte 70). Turn left and then follow the above instructions to Sparger Rd.<br />
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From 15/501, take Exit 108D and head west on Hillsborough Rd. Then follow the above directions to Sparger Rd.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php">http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php</a><br />
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I had heard about the Eno Quarry as a popular swimming hole during the summer, and I clearly have a penchant for hiking around anything with the name Eno, so I decided to check it out. The trailhead is in a bit of an odd location down a residential street across from a mobile home park, but you quickly leave all that behind as you head down the trail towards the river. There are two trails that can, and should, be connected in a circuit on this hike.<br />
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As you begin the hike on the first trail, you come to a junction where you can go straight or left. You can really go either way because these trails are loops, but I decided to go straight and I returned on the trail to the left. When I did this hike it was early spring, and it was an encouraging sight passing multiple patches on daffodils in bloom along the trail. Just before reaching the river, the trail passes by the remains of the mill race of the Cabe Mill that used to sit along the banks of the Eno here. The trail turns left along the Eno River and follows it for a bit, which is always enjoyable. At some point, the trail turns away from the river and comes to a junction. If you go left here, you get back to the parking lot (this is eventually the way you will return), but for now go right to get to Eno Quarry.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Some mushrooms</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Stream crossing</span></div>
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This is now the second trail that you can use to make a circuit. There is a sign at this junction pointing you toward the Eno Quarry Trail. The hike to the quarry is pretty quick and easy with one somewhat tricky stream crossing (the stream isn't dangerous or deep, but you do have to rock hop). After the stream crossing, you've reached the loop around the four acre quarry. You can go left or right along the high banks above the quarry. This quarry was dug to provide material to build nearby I-85, and when it was abandoned it filled up with groundwater to make this pond. Since it was a quarry, the pond is very deep and the banks drop off rapidly, so be careful around the edges. There is one area along the northeast corner of the quarry where it looks like there was a ramp for trucks to get into and out of the quarry, so if there is anywhere that you can wade in that's probably it. On the other side of the trail on the east side of the quarry is the Eno River as it travels below a hillside covered in some pretty serious boulders. After doing the loop around the quarry, you can return the way you came, and when you reach the junction from earlier go right to return to the parking lot. I already have a favorite swimming hole along the Eno that is much less deep, so I think I'd pass on joining in, but it would be interesting to come back during the summer to see how busy the quarry gets. Check out the GPS-generated map below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnrN6eOMrRvgIY4Ay7K1N7CCqOldoRsekdyK1YGeXqZllu15F1MBkw_1-cNXCTPK4RTFcJcxtUMJjoczUFxvqJC0T22MMKHDS65eOV3g5_amA2bVaikDM3DZsjqHkukmqFaGXtE12ESE/s1600/P1170140.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixnrN6eOMrRvgIY4Ay7K1N7CCqOldoRsekdyK1YGeXqZllu15F1MBkw_1-cNXCTPK4RTFcJcxtUMJjoczUFxvqJC0T22MMKHDS65eOV3g5_amA2bVaikDM3DZsjqHkukmqFaGXtE12ESE/s320/P1170140.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1393452&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1393452'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-41054892392599848802013-01-17T21:33:00.002-05:002013-01-17T21:33:28.741-05:00Vista Point<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Jordan Lake-Vista Point<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Apex/Pittsboro, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 247'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~90'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 3.01<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: Turn South onto North Pea Ridge Rd. from Route 64, a few miles west of Jordan Lake. Follow N. Pea Ridge Rd. to the parking lot at the boat launch at the end. Trailhead at near-left corner when entering the parking lot next to bathrooms.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php">http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php</a><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Jordan Lake</span><br />
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E and I enjoyed a relaxing loop hike in the Vista Point section of Jordan Lake in early summer. The trailhead can be a bit difficult to find from the parking lot. First find the bathrooms and follow the trail past it. Then you will see a large picnic pavilion. Walk through the pavilion to the trailhead on the other side. This trail does not seem heavily used, and, at times, the trail is not obvious. The beginning of the trail is one such area where there are a lot of small down trees and limbs. The blazes are pretty well done, though, so despite this area, and a couple more areas where the trail is difficult to discern, you shouldn't get lost as long as you look for the blazes. There are many short spur trails that go off the main trail to the lakeshore for nice views.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRewfzc_xXf9czmDWioBbuewugCPDhBHd8B9WToT6oesRkUbzbDXj_doBkoZZO_jixvD_8hEa_E_m6Cm4L1eTvaRKcRszf7OaGQ8a4LS_07ocJDRjDNUMHTr45DIjqAgCRU0qJgKwXK4/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134321.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYRewfzc_xXf9czmDWioBbuewugCPDhBHd8B9WToT6oesRkUbzbDXj_doBkoZZO_jixvD_8hEa_E_m6Cm4L1eTvaRKcRszf7OaGQ8a4LS_07ocJDRjDNUMHTr45DIjqAgCRU0qJgKwXK4/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134321.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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At the beginning of the hike, you will notice a campground on your left. While the campground is still nearby, you will notice a spur off to the right that leads to a cove where we spotted a bald eagle perched in a tree across the water. After enjoying the sight for a while, we returned to the trail and continued on the main trail which is relatively straight for a bit before taking a pretty sharp right hand turn. Not long after the bend, there is a very short spur on the right that leads to a bench overlooking another little cove. This spot is pretty secluded from the busier parts of the lake, and I would bet that if you just sat here for 15 minutes in the morning or evening, you would see some neat wildlife.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojiSAZoew1ORbe3lQv8Vmm0n_MetIUKFDMXZsZV9oaT-6HVFTMuiZyPGuW55WteTIiMAXpgsqzTBpFDzv9Mt_rnCVU4qnOU0OOzDsibiFhF-7dVJ5ba5Y2FMedSLQPjftsX2mUo1RCyU/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134322.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgojiSAZoew1ORbe3lQv8Vmm0n_MetIUKFDMXZsZV9oaT-6HVFTMuiZyPGuW55WteTIiMAXpgsqzTBpFDzv9Mt_rnCVU4qnOU0OOzDsibiFhF-7dVJ5ba5Y2FMedSLQPjftsX2mUo1RCyU/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134322.jpeg" height="241" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">That would be a bald eagle</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0ucNs01p3EZOme1bx9SlQdnZRNMkhaxls2zaFh0KxeAdBf6s0xI18NHeeA9E_4jVtoMO8Fz-pgLGXcz1X88a-u4bu9sN3DntAgm1fYGfI2_jeUXCMU75HKFPhOJykvQZRs6x_yD-Vi8/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134323.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs0ucNs01p3EZOme1bx9SlQdnZRNMkhaxls2zaFh0KxeAdBf6s0xI18NHeeA9E_4jVtoMO8Fz-pgLGXcz1X88a-u4bu9sN3DntAgm1fYGfI2_jeUXCMU75HKFPhOJykvQZRs6x_yD-Vi8/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134323.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trail then turns back into the woods for a while. About halfway between the last lake lookout and the next one, the trail crosses a small wooden bridge over a gully. Eventually you'll reach another spur trail on the right that leads to a much wider lake view. The trail then parallels the shore of the peninsula fairly closely before arriving at the next lake view which includes a bench to relax at what is pretty close to the halfway point of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mypQfs7v-XjyYvYPcbtel0qOBAHDQQLoJ86M7WhvXTQx8dT4FTu-Fij68j28RPemuMm4rsPQdIxhUCdq6lBZagbS-7etPzCF8f1sec9Ofelo_HKfItn0YbIx9BP-KNTt1KaC9bWvQ9E/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134326.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3mypQfs7v-XjyYvYPcbtel0qOBAHDQQLoJ86M7WhvXTQx8dT4FTu-Fij68j28RPemuMm4rsPQdIxhUCdq6lBZagbS-7etPzCF8f1sec9Ofelo_HKfItn0YbIx9BP-KNTt1KaC9bWvQ9E/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134326.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXusJ4JddXo6IY4j4dc3vng-Q93Q4m1dLQt3GximoMOzVxfRo04qZc9ZZC3wBPyE7Bh7HuuH_IOmcXt1tEIZeEC7JRwvMRsq4SnVu8ML_Dv3bmTI3mvP4RgggYKHiDNCS3a-1wZhCeC0Y/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134327.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXusJ4JddXo6IY4j4dc3vng-Q93Q4m1dLQt3GximoMOzVxfRo04qZc9ZZC3wBPyE7Bh7HuuH_IOmcXt1tEIZeEC7JRwvMRsq4SnVu8ML_Dv3bmTI3mvP4RgggYKHiDNCS3a-1wZhCeC0Y/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134327.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZlkLDGLH1B5M-BPlGoAi1xlm5ehetNcEqV8cC08zhJg6Np4YQjmdjgwzYDt5O90dyHnyZffLy7kxkz3oV4Roq7pWkMODs_D1DmCiDWFz73qI8k2oWLWriFpfpSj1Vn-khx1mqlU6_1s/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134328.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhZlkLDGLH1B5M-BPlGoAi1xlm5ehetNcEqV8cC08zhJg6Np4YQjmdjgwzYDt5O90dyHnyZffLy7kxkz3oV4Roq7pWkMODs_D1DmCiDWFz73qI8k2oWLWriFpfpSj1Vn-khx1mqlU6_1s/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134328.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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The trail then turns southwest to begin the back portion of the hike cutting through some woods. There was a neat stand of some very tall but very skinny pines along this section of the hike. A little later you'll arrive at another spur on the right that leads to a bench that appears to be used infrequently that overlooks one of the quietest coves on Jordan Lake. I didn't see any wildlife when I visited, but I'm sure if you're patient you could see some neat stuff there. This is the last water view of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-53hkquWExzGoUL-A-C6Cgr3IlQlJOn2HcA4p1RegflnM9EW-asFvaREkBHeYqN9iJBo-CRff-l0j8mKfqpUo-bPEBgqfnDHWDe_DpHThI-z6kmxUpxKF8VULmcHVt9lps6EWH_QO3N8/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134329.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-53hkquWExzGoUL-A-C6Cgr3IlQlJOn2HcA4p1RegflnM9EW-asFvaREkBHeYqN9iJBo-CRff-l0j8mKfqpUo-bPEBgqfnDHWDe_DpHThI-z6kmxUpxKF8VULmcHVt9lps6EWH_QO3N8/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134329.jpeg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoz4UGk2G0yG3reEWiG8Qt5R7AXjKS1anA_yaJV43q9EbO86Alvt5mCaXDVttuS_EBVwJzIcq4HwJSSimuQBxfkRDxpyHkn-FKIOBan7u5L2wcHmtnjxA1TMCWm_XykJV7lwbmKBZzNQ/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134330.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuoz4UGk2G0yG3reEWiG8Qt5R7AXjKS1anA_yaJV43q9EbO86Alvt5mCaXDVttuS_EBVwJzIcq4HwJSSimuQBxfkRDxpyHkn-FKIOBan7u5L2wcHmtnjxA1TMCWm_XykJV7lwbmKBZzNQ/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134330.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Quiet cove</span></div>
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After returning to the main trail you begin to turn south before going southeast to close the loop. There is a short, perhaps 20 yard section of trail as you approach the end that switches from the dirt/pine needle composition that you've been hiking on to knee high grass. This sort of thing always makes me a bit nervous due to ticks, so we quickly high-stepped our way across. Pretty soon after that, the trail meets the road on which you drove in, and you want to turn left and follow the road the rest of the way back to your car. Check below for a GPS-generated map of the hike. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ll7_n6ya-bi0aVSE50idCLo5pyEPjvH5MeZxPJhQx98ka3c8UGpfpVSvdlVKVkRbv2PzhHxBCqPzfXuc_Srws5aIcPPFi5fVB0nBpgsnwZM5-Jx_NS2Nv6PWzIfj4FytkIgUqL-gpFI/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134331.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6Ll7_n6ya-bi0aVSE50idCLo5pyEPjvH5MeZxPJhQx98ka3c8UGpfpVSvdlVKVkRbv2PzhHxBCqPzfXuc_Srws5aIcPPFi5fVB0nBpgsnwZM5-Jx_NS2Nv6PWzIfj4FytkIgUqL-gpFI/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+134331.jpeg" height="240" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=775074&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/775074'>here</a> instead.</iframe></div>
JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-55634176008620936282013-01-07T12:00:00.000-05:002013-01-07T12:00:00.919-05:00Jordan Lake--Seaforth<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Seaforth<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Apex or Pittsboro, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 243'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~50'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 1.64<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: Turn south off US-64 into the Seaforth Recreation Area (there are roadside signs for it) in the Jordan Lake area. There is a parking lot/boat launch pretty soon on the left, but continue on to the parking lot at the end of the road. The trail leaves the parking lot on the west side (not the beach side). I believe during the warm months, there is $6/car entrance fee.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php</a><br />
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On a warm January day, E and I headed to Jordan Lake for a little hike. Jordan Lake covers a pretty large area, and I've covered a <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/09/jordan-lake-new-hope-overlook.html">different hike</a> there before. Any hike around Jordan Lake will be pretty flat and include some good open water views, and this one is no exception. What this hike lacks a bit compared to other Jordan Lake hikes are secluded coves which herons and bald eagles tend to prefer, so the wildlife viewing on this hike wasn't as stellar as some others I've done before.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY_wCD5DdpGJ46m_V7l-EfRybSLhzS5WWsFrME_qPBGDjLA9OIvAlvHJk7_X8Lxdd6fCzgBiQL1lACx0lZUfo6w_72DFEwXOJXpH7IU5R8Nc_ddEOaTY-p4SQQYkI-_UiGczAqQ2NG6U/s1600/boardwalk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimY_wCD5DdpGJ46m_V7l-EfRybSLhzS5WWsFrME_qPBGDjLA9OIvAlvHJk7_X8Lxdd6fCzgBiQL1lACx0lZUfo6w_72DFEwXOJXpH7IU5R8Nc_ddEOaTY-p4SQQYkI-_UiGczAqQ2NG6U/s320/boardwalk.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Boardwalk near the beginning of the hike</span></div>
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The hike leaves the parking lot on the west side in the middle of the lot, and walks through some pine and deciduous forest. In a short while, the views of the lake start to peek through the trees and the trail becomes a boardwalk to cope with the rising and lowering waters of the lake. Just off the boardwalk, you can walk right to the lakeshore and take in the views. Depending on the time of year, the lake could be extremely busy or very peaceful. As one would assume, in January, when we went, it was the latter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHivb7QbJ76nmtPwSGMEf4AOnD0u256Yh7fMRXlj2af1onPLpHroQf-B1gyIRDaK3NEsk9-zSMNMv-1uQ4OTSGVslouNiNn51U6ILAul7PG-Sbk24CwVnvFUP2Z8ZuzkXRU7K_fzKYlM/s1600/cove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlHivb7QbJ76nmtPwSGMEf4AOnD0u256Yh7fMRXlj2af1onPLpHroQf-B1gyIRDaK3NEsk9-zSMNMv-1uQ4OTSGVslouNiNn51U6ILAul7PG-Sbk24CwVnvFUP2Z8ZuzkXRU7K_fzKYlM/s320/cove.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Little cove</span></div>
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The hike then curves back into the forest, and skirts by a cove. These little coves are one of the neatest parts of Jordan Lake. If you are quiet, you can often spot some good wildlife in these areas, especially bald eagles, of which there is an abundance at Jordan Lake. After the cove, the trail bends around the east side of a small pond, and cuts through more forest. The trail then passes another pond on your right before coming out on the lake one last time on this side of the little peninsula that is Seaforth. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJO3HF17YaB0QcCK_M3Vt1RIQipCRHXTTMKTiFPI4Gt7nG6M1FRHp0UrIbSPz6HdORl6NooqMZI4m_4cZRSib6z4MLHTLT_1cMHJ_wShofRBwOBTvaJQ0fgvGpwdXhquML39slpoH9f0/s1600/pine+cove.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqJO3HF17YaB0QcCK_M3Vt1RIQipCRHXTTMKTiFPI4Gt7nG6M1FRHp0UrIbSPz6HdORl6NooqMZI4m_4cZRSib6z4MLHTLT_1cMHJ_wShofRBwOBTvaJQ0fgvGpwdXhquML39slpoH9f0/s320/pine+cove.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Typical Jordan Lake view</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvYsN9BF_ZizKVfdUiUCLkk7YYExTAwz_IH1mxcfpAwHgbFFpgw4yKkw5VsFO-3X7RXhQB99KUa8gYnGum1tmbp2KW9rhlHgpjvvuI3GCAzLbfiKXhJtLHYtJ0zfDCchYwInAnIPllos/s1600/pine+needles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicvYsN9BF_ZizKVfdUiUCLkk7YYExTAwz_IH1mxcfpAwHgbFFpgw4yKkw5VsFO-3X7RXhQB99KUa8gYnGum1tmbp2KW9rhlHgpjvvuI3GCAzLbfiKXhJtLHYtJ0zfDCchYwInAnIPllos/s320/pine+needles.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Easy path</span></div>
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Follow the trail east and then northeast, traversing a little meadow, and crossing the road you drove in on. The trail then heads south for pretty much the rest of the way, eventually providing some lake views on the east side of the peninsula before ending at the beach/playground/beach volleyball/picnic area. We were amazed how busy this place was in January, so I can only imagine how hopping it would be in the summer. Overall, a really easy and relaxing hike with some good views to go with it. Check out the GPS-generated map below!<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1393457&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1393457'>here</a> instead.</iframe>
JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-43969136962923799102012-11-20T22:37:00.000-05:002012-12-09T21:19:11.019-05:00Whiteside Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Whiteside Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Highlands, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 4,930'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~550'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.03<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: From Highlands, follow US-64 E/N out of town. Continue to follow until turning right on Whiteside Mountain Rd after about 5 or 5.5 miles. Turn left into the parking area. The trail leaves near the middle of the parking lot.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteside_Mountain">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whiteside_Mountain</a><br />
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While spending a fantastic weekend in Highlands at the incredible <a href="http://www.oldedwardsinn.com/">Old Edwards Inn and Spa</a>, E and I knew we had to take advantage of being this far out in Western North Carolina by getting in a hike. After doing a little research, we figured out Whiteside Mountain would meet our needs. It is close to Highlands, about 15 minutes away, it is a relatively short hike and not very strenuous, and it is exceptionally scenic. About one half of the loop trail takes hikers along the top of some of the tallest cliffs in the Eastern United States.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10kbGNbfJgLbx5pLeCbYpe6A9Ta6GnjT0aaa3RObS2ILs_HfiloksUQ743G19lldP7HU-ldelt4pqGwFcRNF6elAHi2zi14DHvw8WWjGmHL0c0mBN2JJNRIMwIW-vH2j_6hmMDDzSGnU/s1600/P1160347.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj10kbGNbfJgLbx5pLeCbYpe6A9Ta6GnjT0aaa3RObS2ILs_HfiloksUQ743G19lldP7HU-ldelt4pqGwFcRNF6elAHi2zi14DHvw8WWjGmHL0c0mBN2JJNRIMwIW-vH2j_6hmMDDzSGnU/s1600/P1160347.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I enjoy when she does this</span></div>
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The hike is a pretty simple and obvious loop. We began the loop by going left up the double track path that made the ascent quite gentle. We did this hike in February, so it was pretty cold, but the winds were light and the sun was bright so it was still a very pleasant hike. Along the way up the trail, there were many interesting ice formations including some growing on exposed rock on the side of the mountain and also large chunks of ice that had tumbled down the peak onto the trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcBy0Y5u1P0hSdtvGm6roRNZG5Ixevl8CJCm9dAryiUnPb8A8ojHnsftsU1rVxzduK-lc8E7B7R36ZHy6T03tD2QihwOs0gEjSq4k4lu-YtN_WPzT8Pl5eEciAzP4e0OR6TcZAFBT4j0/s1600/P1160281.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcBy0Y5u1P0hSdtvGm6roRNZG5Ixevl8CJCm9dAryiUnPb8A8ojHnsftsU1rVxzduK-lc8E7B7R36ZHy6T03tD2QihwOs0gEjSq4k4lu-YtN_WPzT8Pl5eEciAzP4e0OR6TcZAFBT4j0/s1600/P1160281.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The trail leaving the parking area</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozbuKy0uFGVr5byofTcqcpiAXz8q4n95t70FBhCOrnEXZrmnd_laPRnGbRKwG1zWo9QhEWrUTXQi_1DGgMlceDiuLm0LU4OWZEGwGD1fd4hgIXl4-z2lzpeRmq2E7VWJNOi4ddaETu-c/s1600/P1160289.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiozbuKy0uFGVr5byofTcqcpiAXz8q4n95t70FBhCOrnEXZrmnd_laPRnGbRKwG1zWo9QhEWrUTXQi_1DGgMlceDiuLm0LU4OWZEGwGD1fd4hgIXl4-z2lzpeRmq2E7VWJNOi4ddaETu-c/s1600/P1160289.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Ice coming out of the rocks</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Balls of ice that tumbled down the mountain</span></div>
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When the trail begins to curve to form the loop, the view opens up dramatically to the north, east, and south. We spent a little time here just enjoying the long views of the dramatic landscape. Then we began the cliff-top portion of the hike. There is a cable fence along much of this section of the trail, and it is definitely important to be cautious because it is a very long way down. The views stretch into South Carolina and probably Georgia, too. We also enjoyed watching several birds soaring on the updrafts created by the cliff. After the cliff-top walk, the trail turns back towards the parking area and descends pretty quickly to complete the loop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3c7FLPD0Pr5eF4oRf-y-gc4Dr4Y4FHvVTFyghs4ggvz8YqP09MS8UDggwzYOkaUrHXDzZKBpjUONJf6Mx5k7VPR5Biurfw3Sfnif9I5Kxh1zi9nGS9NQ28wsnxhl0vqdUpKP6B0PnpVo/s1600/P1160300.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3c7FLPD0Pr5eF4oRf-y-gc4Dr4Y4FHvVTFyghs4ggvz8YqP09MS8UDggwzYOkaUrHXDzZKBpjUONJf6Mx5k7VPR5Biurfw3Sfnif9I5Kxh1zi9nGS9NQ28wsnxhl0vqdUpKP6B0PnpVo/s1600/P1160300.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking north</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ_K13_TXo76f3R-yo7JRV5gboTo41IRcVo-QqnRZPoG3EweomEFrIn0yLEAokCExEyy62V3o9GCfDz78kfkvPIKpVg6oV9PHQYXnCZxmLNyoJdcHuvIdAaaWhIObq7cSU3xKklS4QeE/s1600/P1160307.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoJ_K13_TXo76f3R-yo7JRV5gboTo41IRcVo-QqnRZPoG3EweomEFrIn0yLEAokCExEyy62V3o9GCfDz78kfkvPIKpVg6oV9PHQYXnCZxmLNyoJdcHuvIdAaaWhIObq7cSU3xKklS4QeE/s1600/P1160307.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Oh, hello, South Carolina</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNC4J1TxRbXxVdfUag9SH2AOKSk4DlgRAVC71xgBjL8lBIzCG8PKdxhVWOJ3PHCe_SqB8hajuuv8D61txHV0QvAq3s4Qzzc4-8mn0IhDk1FOod9M5fZOoTtWl2VQrrynBsZUYgKFg0Ak/s1600/P1160316.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiNC4J1TxRbXxVdfUag9SH2AOKSk4DlgRAVC71xgBjL8lBIzCG8PKdxhVWOJ3PHCe_SqB8hajuuv8D61txHV0QvAq3s4Qzzc4-8mn0IhDk1FOod9M5fZOoTtWl2VQrrynBsZUYgKFg0Ak/s1600/P1160316.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Walking along the cliff</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYUOdNodvKeRAmqK8CK_h0q1pLQGcu755wFutsAqcoT99gw2Pz1iy53qZm9QEXpCRSXM-gKyMruhgWJw7-eKEPsJKrtbtt5vuIPcbYqCUt1bEyTzX1sqBdg9lORlLApagv9zL0QBxF24/s1600/P1160334.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibYUOdNodvKeRAmqK8CK_h0q1pLQGcu755wFutsAqcoT99gw2Pz1iy53qZm9QEXpCRSXM-gKyMruhgWJw7-eKEPsJKrtbtt5vuIPcbYqCUt1bEyTzX1sqBdg9lORlLApagv9zL0QBxF24/s1600/P1160334.JPG" height="320" width="241" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">A little bit of the cliff</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RyIBqAd1R1sYmyfrPTbIkmMD9AbitmjgH4t9kopyqPYuHt6R73M4GqO3GHl2ewAYYS_SR3Gmu_CmKaZqPnrKrRN7LxdumIp31djyeaq0Gq_XoTD6sWv5whtqG9Hwt_Ab7G4E52il9sE/s1600/P1160342.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3RyIBqAd1R1sYmyfrPTbIkmMD9AbitmjgH4t9kopyqPYuHt6R73M4GqO3GHl2ewAYYS_SR3Gmu_CmKaZqPnrKrRN7LxdumIp31djyeaq0Gq_XoTD6sWv5whtqG9Hwt_Ab7G4E52il9sE/s1600/P1160342.JPG" height="228" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Keeping it safe on the cables</span></div>
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E and I definitely plan to return to Highlands some day--ideally for a longer stay during the summer so we can explore more of the numerous outdoor activities around the Highlands area. Check out the GPS-generated map below.<br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1393421&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1393421'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-29275248122609095552012-11-12T21:04:00.001-05:002012-12-09T21:17:38.967-05:00Morrow Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Morrow Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Albemarle, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 906'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~1000'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 5.46<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: From the Triangle, take US-64 W until Asheboro. Then head south on I-73 S/I-74 E until reaching NC 24/27, on which you want to head west. Just a little while after crossing the Pee Dee River, turn right on Valley Dr. Then turn right on Morrow Mountain Rd. Park in the horse trailer parking on the right after the Ranger Residence (and before the intersection).<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momo/main.php">http://ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/momo/main.php</a><br />
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On a warm, late-winter day, E and I decided to explore a new area for hiking. We set our sights west on the Uwharrie National Forest/Morrow Mountain State Park area in central North Carolina. I had read about this hike in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Hiking-North-Carolina-2nd-Carolinas/dp/0762731389/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1345812234&sr=8-1&keywords=north+carolina+hiking">Hiking North Carolina</a>, and it sounded intriguing with steep hills set in the gentle rolling Piedmont with a river cutting through them.<br />
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Unfortunately, there were a few things that diminished our enjoyment of this hike. The first was the drive. The second half of our drive to the park was a very frustrating slog trailing behind other cars on a two lane road. This wouldn't have been bad if there was some nice countryside to enjoy, but since it was late winter everything was still brown, and much of the land along the road was clear cut. On the drive back, we took the longer way as the crow flies, but it turned out to be much quicker to return to the Triangle via I-73N to Route 64E (this is the route described in the trailhead directions).<br />
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The second let down was the hike itself. The topography of the area is really interesting--there are almost conical hills scattered around the park next to the river. Unfortunately, we never got a clear vista of the park during this hike, which was a big let down. To make matters worse, on a smaller scale, there just weren't many interesting things to look at. No neat rock formations, cool trees, caves, or streams to speak of. It was all rather dull.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0toYv0BEDl1_tAiSfzSKmOA9XtT_OUsPG86u9A2JkSoCg7FlCCZnRsSbBwejlSyD47vQ88d-q4KadbhGZgzH7fl_7b7Gv_ulcwLQvXWvnE-3aL2BuJRkyJLOXO0TROWNgsthymbTde4s/s1600/P1160717.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0toYv0BEDl1_tAiSfzSKmOA9XtT_OUsPG86u9A2JkSoCg7FlCCZnRsSbBwejlSyD47vQ88d-q4KadbhGZgzH7fl_7b7Gv_ulcwLQvXWvnE-3aL2BuJRkyJLOXO0TROWNgsthymbTde4s/s1600/P1160717.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Onto the directions. We designed our hike to be a loop that would take us to the two tallest hills in the park, Sugarloaf Mountain and Morrow Mountain. We headed east out of the parking lot on a hiking trail (there is also a bridle trail that accesses the parking lot, which we used on the return). This hiking trail splits almost immediately, stay left to be able to make the loop. Cross the street and continue up the ridge of Sugarloaf Mountain. You can catch some views of the water and nearby Tater Top Mountain from here (at least we could at that time of year, the view might disappear when the trees are in leaf). Follow the trail around the east side of Sugarloaf, which includes some pretty steep descents at times. The trail will flatten out and reach a T with another trail. Turn right to stay on the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail. Just follow this trail until you turn left onto Morrow Mountain Trail. If you look at the GPS map for this hike, you'll notice that we took a little detour before reaching Morrow Mountain Trail. I just wanted to scout out the campsites down a side trail, so this is a section of the hike that can be cut out.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIBC1yp2CzYWeT3_9I4dcZaaXIo4LqaqGurDN6VlQHb21FwG7ynJqPBLR2DGSDXyscY7mgpymYOUvWR7MzNC4Cwe0Iusz2W03Pkv2QIAT3_iaDSQP9-MiwdmPtlSM2Nq03pFJs6YqAVE/s1600/P1160731.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeIBC1yp2CzYWeT3_9I4dcZaaXIo4LqaqGurDN6VlQHb21FwG7ynJqPBLR2DGSDXyscY7mgpymYOUvWR7MzNC4Cwe0Iusz2W03Pkv2QIAT3_iaDSQP9-MiwdmPtlSM2Nq03pFJs6YqAVE/s1600/P1160731.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Rounding Sugarloaf Mountain</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5XooR4GMr92SwFvgsOSDa2Gs3Fk4kkxV_Z_g4S0bGrBsuQQYdnXBuGiy_G8Pqq_aJ-VguriEbFlErnfVsQyBfpH0nA6IDJL6Xr2RQvSb5n0STn3YCGhZCgt7tZiD9gL-I1S3H1PP0RI/s1600/P1160740.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG5XooR4GMr92SwFvgsOSDa2Gs3Fk4kkxV_Z_g4S0bGrBsuQQYdnXBuGiy_G8Pqq_aJ-VguriEbFlErnfVsQyBfpH0nA6IDJL6Xr2RQvSb5n0STn3YCGhZCgt7tZiD9gL-I1S3H1PP0RI/s1600/P1160740.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Below Sugarloaf Mountain on the way to Morrow Mountain Trail</span></div>
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The Morrow Mountain Trail begins ascending again. First, gradually, then very steeply up a slope of loose stones. This section was very strenuous, but it was brief. After that ascent, the trail just parallels the auto road that goes to the summit until the trail accesses the parking lot at the top of the hill. From here, you can see Charlotte in the distance to the southwest. There is also a nice little exhibit on the summit about the Indian artifacts that have been found in this area. By this time, the sun was starting to get low, so we didn't loiter for long before beginning our descent.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi7rFJebyM9gSRR0isuBddjf0s1cpvvNFL4KUpi4lBuyequR9rN0aogKCNWxetGPZUi42N9oBcgs5a3Sv4frqEngxAF6y7Ep-bAykU_bGYc1FYXeK_n3o68t093m5jRtUhoYPJD9IKY0/s1600/P1160746.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFi7rFJebyM9gSRR0isuBddjf0s1cpvvNFL4KUpi4lBuyequR9rN0aogKCNWxetGPZUi42N9oBcgs5a3Sv4frqEngxAF6y7Ep-bAykU_bGYc1FYXeK_n3o68t093m5jRtUhoYPJD9IKY0/s1600/P1160746.JPG" height="240" width="320" /> </a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Near the summit</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking northeast from the summit</span></div>
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We went down the Morrow Mountain Trail the way we came until it intersected a bridle trail. We turned left on the bridle trail as a short cut. You could keep going and just turn left on the Sugarloaf Mountain Trail to return to your car as well. Follow the bridle trail across the road that leads to the summit. Soon you will notice another bridle trail that goes to the right, and you want to take this trail to get back to your car. <br />
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Unfortunately, we didn't see Morrow Mountain in its best light, it was late winter so everything was brown, there was simply no variety in the scenery for almost the whole hike--just brown leaves underfoot and naked trees above. I imagine that this hike would be more enjoyable during the summer or fall, but even then, if you're going to pick a hike that's 2 hours away from the Triangle, Hanging Rock State Park is probably a better choice. Below is a GPS-generated map of our hike.<br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=1393443&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/1393443'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-64712765631602202682012-08-13T19:52:00.002-04:002012-12-09T21:16:31.579-05:00Chimney Rock State Park<div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Chimney Rock<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Chimney Rock, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 2,480'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~700'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.15<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: There is really only one place you can start a hike at Chimney Rock State Park since you have to be shuttled up from the parking lot to where all the trails begin. The park is adjacent to Lake Lure, which is about 40 minutes southeast of Asheville on US-74 Alt E. <br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/index.php">http://www.chimneyrockpark.com/index.php</a><br />
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E and I have made it a tradition to spend an October weekend in the mountains of western North Carolina, and when we went a couple years ago, we visited Chimney Rock State Park. The drive from Asheville to Chimney Rock is really enjoyable with hairpin turns, apple orchards, and tiny towns perched along a river's edge (including a village called Bat Cave). Chimney Rock is a pretty developed park that attracts a lot of people. The geological features are very interesting, it is perched above the tourist area of Lake Lure, and <i>The</i> <i>Last of the Mohicans</i> was filmed there.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking up to Chimney Rock</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Lake Lure</span> </div>
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Emily and I visited on a perfect October day with just a little chill in the air but plenty of warmth to be had in the bright sunshine. We parked our car in the lot and boarded the bus that takes visitors to Chimney Rock (a big, cylindrical monolith). From the lot, we descended a long set of stairs to join the Hickory Nut Falls trail, which is an easy, flat trail that goes out to a small waterfall that drops over a very tall cliff (the falls are 404' tall but the flow rate isn't all that impressive). Though the falls aren't roaring, I would definitely recommend doing this trail because the falls are still very impressive due to their height alone, and it's a good warm up for the more vertical portion of the hike that is to come.<br />
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After enjoying the falls, turn around and return to the stairs you started on, but now continue up the stairs above where you began. It won't take long before you realize this hike seems to mostly be stairs. These stairs lead into the Outcroppings Trail which visits interesting features in the rocks such as Moonshiner's Cave which goes about 30 feet into Chimney Rock and Vista Rock which is sort of a mini Chimney Rock located just below Chimney Rock proper. There are other features as well like the Grotto and Subway, but the trails to these areas were closed when we visited. After getting some good exploration under your belt, continue up the trail to Chimney Rock.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hickory Nut Falls</span> </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking across Hickory Nut Gorge from the base of the falls</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is a common sight</span></div>
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Once on Chimney Rock, the view opens up in 3 directions, looking up the gorge, across the gorge, and down to where the river below empties into Lake Lure. It's a very enjoyable view, but you will be sharing it with a number of friends, as this is an easily accessible spot (it's even accessible for handicapped folks). The downside of having this be such a crowded spot, besides the lack of solitude, is the fact that it seems to have prompted the people in charge to erect a metal fence along the edge of the rock that can get in the way of photography. After getting your fill of the view, head up a set of stairs to join the Skyline Trail, which will stop by a couple interesting features such as the Opera Box and Devil's Head before reaching its terminus at Exclamation Point, which provides a fantastic view of Hickory Nut Gorge below. This would be a good place to enjoy a snack before returning the way you came on Skyline Trail.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">E in the Opera Box</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Devil's Head</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Hickory Nut Gorge</span></div>
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Once you return to Chimney Rock, you have a choice: descend the way you climbed or take the elevator. Yes, I said elevator--I did mention earlier this place is handicapped accessible. We opted for the elevator to take it easy on our knees and just because we were curious. Turns out the elevators aren't exactly high-capacity so we waited in line for a little while (maybe 10 minutes) in the gift shop they have set up around the elevators. The elevator ride itself wasn't really remarkable, but the exit off the elevator was pretty cool. The doors open to a long, dark tunnel carved into the rock that leads to where we began and where the shuttle buses will pick you up to take you back to your car. Sadly, the tunnel was filled with folks (not handicapped) who were waiting for a ride to the top. If you're going to Chimney Rock and are able-bodied, I would strongly encourage hiking to the top so you can enjoy the fresh air, skip the line, check out the neat rock features, and work on your fitness. And when you get the top, it will be that much more enjoyable since it was your feet that got you there. Below is a GPS-generated map of the hike.<br />
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Leave me a comment below if you know some good places to visit in the Chimney Rock/Lake Lure area!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Chimney Rock and Lake Lure</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=999849&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/999849'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-79991215561909920692012-08-06T19:09:00.000-04:002012-12-09T21:09:44.910-05:00Camden Hills State Park<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Camden Hills<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Camden, ME<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 1,300'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~987'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.59<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Trailhead</span>: Camden Hills is in Camden, Maine, which is about 1h 45m north of Portland and 1h 45m south of Acadia National Park. From Route 1 just northeast of Camden, turn left onto Mt Battie Road, take the second left to continue on Mt Battie Rd, and then park in the lot on the right.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/search_name.pl?state_park=14&historic_site=&public_reserved_land=&shared_use_trails=&option=search">http://www.maine.gov/cgi-bin/online/doc/parksearch/search_name.pl?state_park=14&historic_site=&public_reserved_land=&shared_use_trails=&option=search</a><br />
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Working through the hiking backlog...<br />
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A couple years ago, while we were in Maine for E's sister's wedding, I decided it was a shame that I had been going to Maine all those years without getting in a hike. So, I started doing some planning. Katahdin was a bit too far and so was Acadia. Lucky for me, there is a park called Camden Hill State Park that is perfectly located right on the coast of Maine (its slogan is "where the mountains meet the sea"). E and I made the drive up, crawled through the traffic on the main road through Camden, which looks like a Maine vacation town ought to look, and parked the car in the first lot off Mt. Battie Rd. Its was a gray, cool day, which was somewhat disappointing because we knew the views from the peak would be amazing on a clear day, but I was very happy to hike a new place regardless.<br />
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The trailhead for the Megunticook Trail is at the back of the parking lot and you begin by going north until you reach the point where the trail turns to the left and begins the climb. We found the trail to be fairly busy, which is to be expected for being so easily accessible from a popular summer town. Eventually you will arrive at a point where a smaller trail breaks off on the left. You can take this trail (Adam's Lookout Trail), but we decided to continue on the Megunticook Trail and use the Adam's Lookout Trail for the return trip. The trail will curve west until eventually you reach Ocean Lookout, 1,300 feet above the sea right beneath you. Ocean Lookout is a rocky area with fantastic views of Camden, the harbor, nearby hills to the west and northwest, and islands dotting Penobscot Bay. Sadly, the overcast skies detracted from the views just a bit as the sky, ocean, and islands all blended together in different shades of gray. Despite this, we were pretty sure that far out to the east we could see the peaks of Acadia National Park. After hanging around up there for a while, we decided to head back down since we still had wedding duties to attend to. However, the actual summit is a bit further up the Ridge Trail, which we would certainly have done if not for the time constraints. If you're tired after the hike thus far, though, I can't imagine the summit of Mount Megunticook providing significantly better views than Ocean Lookout since it's only 85 feet higher, so this would make a good turnaround point.<br />
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To head back down, we took the Adam's Lookout Trail, which brought us to another great vantage point before reconnecting with the Megunticook Trail. Turn right going downhill on the Megunticook Trail and soon enough you'll be back at the parking lot. This is an ideally located state park that appears well-maintained and is unique along the Maine coast (until you get up to Bar Harbor, of course). There are many more trails in the park that provide different types of hikes, or you can combine some to make a pretty decent circuit.<br />
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Sadly, I deleted the pictures from this hike off my camera before I loaded them onto my computer so the Flickr photo below will have to do. I do have the GPS-generated map, though!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Penobscot Bay from Adam's Lookout with town of Camden on the right (via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/celestecota/4674901360/">Flickr)</a></span></div>
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JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-30073293931403977392012-01-03T11:55:00.002-05:002012-12-09T21:06:53.684-05:00Sleeping Bear Dunes--Take Two<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Lake Trail<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Sleeping Bear Dunes National <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Lakeshore</span><br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Glen Arbor, MI<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 858'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~690'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 3.74<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: From the South: Take Rte 22 north until after Empire, then turn left onto Rte 109. Parking will be on the left (opposite Glen Lake). From the North: Take Rte 22 into Glen Arbor, where 22 intersects with Rte 109, stay straight to take 109 south. Parking will be on the right. The parking is very obvious from 109.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Fees</span>: The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">NPS</span> charges $10 per vehicle--so pack everyone in.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Website</span>: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/slbe/index.htm">http://www.nps.gov/slbe/index.htm</a><br />
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After exploring a new area at Platte Plains with a <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2011/12/sleeping-bear-dunes-platte-plains.html">hike through the woods</a>, my family took to <span style="font-style: italic;">the</span> classic hike in Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore--the Lake Trail across the Sleeping Bear Dunes themselves. This is a hike that I've <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/03/sleeping-bear-dunes.html">posted on before</a> when I hiked it with my then-girlfriend (now fiancee) and parents on a previous trip to Michigan. As you may recall, E and I successfully hiked to Lake Michigan across the dunes but then got pretty lost on the return hike because we tried to make a loop instead of doing the out and back. This time, I was with my parents, aunts, and sisters and we wisely decided to do the out and back. Since I've already described the hike, this will be mostly a photography post with a GPS-generated track at the end. Enjoy!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVpWRHYuSOKqWDTnTgOzRZIsJUVEMprR3ORHs4dMAfdywYAgoz14JAc2vXwuYQTaKee4vUZnSkuyLHQWKee0mYAgBQqAU4dsH4U7xnLaX-u17y93HZRxB18u2Mq9LLLH6kKTP9igS40Q/s1600/P1050645+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVpWRHYuSOKqWDTnTgOzRZIsJUVEMprR3ORHs4dMAfdywYAgoz14JAc2vXwuYQTaKee4vUZnSkuyLHQWKee0mYAgBQqAU4dsH4U7xnLaX-u17y93HZRxB18u2Mq9LLLH6kKTP9igS40Q/s400/P1050645+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605807018983122" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">The start of the hike, known simply as The Climb</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYVpWRHYuSOKqWDTnTgOzRZIsJUVEMprR3ORHs4dMAfdywYAgoz14JAc2vXwuYQTaKee4vUZnSkuyLHQWKee0mYAgBQqAU4dsH4U7xnLaX-u17y93HZRxB18u2Mq9LLLH6kKTP9igS40Q/s1600/P1050645+%25282%2529.JPG"><span style="font-weight: bold;"></span></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cNp2IiC_8DxTDQLfcMmWV6jEduR-XCosJG0PmHGGwundNeCPOKREnQUgB7PBCMmwrmR28B9-dqCBmkNpsWCfo_I1GxBO9zx_vNhTbomIpKGSDt2SI4GnCjycwHnwCN5lioRF5Foh-js/s1600/P1050646+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6cNp2IiC_8DxTDQLfcMmWV6jEduR-XCosJG0PmHGGwundNeCPOKREnQUgB7PBCMmwrmR28B9-dqCBmkNpsWCfo_I1GxBO9zx_vNhTbomIpKGSDt2SI4GnCjycwHnwCN5lioRF5Foh-js/s400/P1050646+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605809322542850" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Historic DH Day Farm</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GufakgCcTQb8DsiKF1LqJAJJQl4KEyD1U2xsuu5fdtlau3CZw-AZ75TQAiScWj50u2a5hRzjZ_0A18sRA3ThnRaSevkE8_zNKlB-acYr_OMA_miglTLFoDow5pLQTwQHuiqe6EfEIA0/s1600/P1050654+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3GufakgCcTQb8DsiKF1LqJAJJQl4KEyD1U2xsuu5fdtlau3CZw-AZ75TQAiScWj50u2a5hRzjZ_0A18sRA3ThnRaSevkE8_zNKlB-acYr_OMA_miglTLFoDow5pLQTwQHuiqe6EfEIA0/s400/P1050654+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605815088723282" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking back at Glen Lake</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwON4cOYTIrMPgtqwYl6RT_zlU79ueQhhT2r050acViKI72StCirfXz5Bjz8V8NdPfnbvRGcC069ydJ5bqiDW6IZ0yORtGbiZMyXQJxFgCrgaeK479l1gGVNjzRhHIS8tmWO18yu8dRO4/s1600/P1050670+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwON4cOYTIrMPgtqwYl6RT_zlU79ueQhhT2r050acViKI72StCirfXz5Bjz8V8NdPfnbvRGcC069ydJ5bqiDW6IZ0yORtGbiZMyXQJxFgCrgaeK479l1gGVNjzRhHIS8tmWO18yu8dRO4/s400/P1050670+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605836789975842" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">View of Lake Michigan<br /></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetJcGlIs23tpj7JCRFn6FaCodRUJagpKypRum9fwqzp27xk5nzK8b30eiOgGMMA04tSd_IngV-lWu9CcRY29yDG-uCxRrMZkwX0qaxvnO5euvhIX7aqol1V4u_BF15DTxkplE09fybYY/s1600/P1050665+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetJcGlIs23tpj7JCRFn6FaCodRUJagpKypRum9fwqzp27xk5nzK8b30eiOgGMMA04tSd_IngV-lWu9CcRY29yDG-uCxRrMZkwX0qaxvnO5euvhIX7aqol1V4u_BF15DTxkplE09fybYY/s400/P1050665+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605830884355042" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">We went out one way and came back the other way</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdNZZuQ6AWpg6s_TSj-x0yVidR-0Zvr_fos3AukOt6lDquDjVEpAMksu9nQDE9HBzQUzn14_GApfVoExsDaXQmwoPcK4vV-dxMoUvjnR4qA5_LNy2sextbo16N72VqRf8-XSG9SJ0B48/s1600/P1050681+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvdNZZuQ6AWpg6s_TSj-x0yVidR-0Zvr_fos3AukOt6lDquDjVEpAMksu9nQDE9HBzQUzn14_GApfVoExsDaXQmwoPcK4vV-dxMoUvjnR4qA5_LNy2sextbo16N72VqRf8-XSG9SJ0B48/s400/P1050681+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691606010263047954" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Soothing, clear waters of Lake Michigan after the hike across the sand</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDAjrCbPB-IimmKsDmX7LdjfZPwQp_1uA4lOYkBUpH-prEs7LGxX9_qs46-QiSjraig8lpIZcMgvDGgtwDeQ8b50dtTEBr9ZFBorcCLsja7wKJTeBzr6usHynFwvDqxWHgLFvMp4qrW0/s1600/P1050686+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDDAjrCbPB-IimmKsDmX7LdjfZPwQp_1uA4lOYkBUpH-prEs7LGxX9_qs46-QiSjraig8lpIZcMgvDGgtwDeQ8b50dtTEBr9ZFBorcCLsja7wKJTeBzr6usHynFwvDqxWHgLFvMp4qrW0/s400/P1050686+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691606012732290722" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking north towards North Manitou Island</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uEtbCcksDWKDur1m0pvYtPx3WkWOD1GH7h8PuZNFl260FnE4GtKo1_kVY_8nR3knfP_kW3CBCT-tDX0cC9AMAFwcPG0mY7dilmoURz8CrGyiDZrQU-NJI1PGv-dAf2z0XW4Ni6Ni7AY/s1600/P1050691+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0uEtbCcksDWKDur1m0pvYtPx3WkWOD1GH7h8PuZNFl260FnE4GtKo1_kVY_8nR3knfP_kW3CBCT-tDX0cC9AMAFwcPG0mY7dilmoURz8CrGyiDZrQU-NJI1PGv-dAf2z0XW4Ni6Ni7AY/s400/P1050691+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691606022154058802" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Sailboat framed by South and North Manitou Islands</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhdJXGC-0fofTbYDmdFcGY-3n8njuWHJDAjReRMzFMnjByDlI1XU3_De6xvfz7I5xVfBgyuVkX_Hl7Pg_CoJlapZqzxy_WaBLCfFNS_uSyb9hVZlGMASvJ7yrmaUqztujrPw0ndtugB0/s1600/P1050699+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhhdJXGC-0fofTbYDmdFcGY-3n8njuWHJDAjReRMzFMnjByDlI1XU3_De6xvfz7I5xVfBgyuVkX_Hl7Pg_CoJlapZqzxy_WaBLCfFNS_uSyb9hVZlGMASvJ7yrmaUqztujrPw0ndtugB0/s400/P1050699+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691606027924170578" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Heading back</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4feCwO_GQVdt8xEZQ6lLiNXbxhF0rU5rTI5VbdhgZq3NNO8yHHUW3EuQKdRLM7cFqcwWygKadlhC1a07NOrAHmBdkikRTZefufu_sBny9MfsRlzyx1pMEg4Mv63nQIjawzZygTtWqHD8/s1600/P1050702+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4feCwO_GQVdt8xEZQ6lLiNXbxhF0rU5rTI5VbdhgZq3NNO8yHHUW3EuQKdRLM7cFqcwWygKadlhC1a07NOrAHmBdkikRTZefufu_sBny9MfsRlzyx1pMEg4Mv63nQIjawzZygTtWqHD8/s400/P1050702+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691606039911516466" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Siblings almost done with the hike</span><br />
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The pictures below are not from the hike, but rather from the Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive which is just south of the hike, and I definitely recommend it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbJ1Lz_se3fbL5KaR5zEPryvi71HyEfMCnv_NmBg2J34Gz_BtK9IetKPtbhrmkbbMWSQD3EhfK_iHhhHB1QUOyR7v566FGuPRmpHpA7ycpOq8HhqNBg9tFNy1rvtGycBIqDKpPEoj8oA/s1600/P1050602+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFbJ1Lz_se3fbL5KaR5zEPryvi71HyEfMCnv_NmBg2J34Gz_BtK9IetKPtbhrmkbbMWSQD3EhfK_iHhhHB1QUOyR7v566FGuPRmpHpA7ycpOq8HhqNBg9tFNy1rvtGycBIqDKpPEoj8oA/s400/P1050602+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605541579137970" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 301px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I hope this sign and the pictures below can adequately convey the height and steepness of this bluff</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CqQmpgNM7VMsw9QXZ8DuedRDtRVl8Ikyj2rAeyk8mU21KWdRKeCaAeaSQfF5GKfuaMlPPPS37CEoxWLd9kymqjw71yDTI2t6mwXy6N9J8FlBB3-yttadEE7OdHb-23FUwK2si6u9XyE/s1600/P1050615+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6CqQmpgNM7VMsw9QXZ8DuedRDtRVl8Ikyj2rAeyk8mU21KWdRKeCaAeaSQfF5GKfuaMlPPPS37CEoxWLd9kymqjw71yDTI2t6mwXy6N9J8FlBB3-yttadEE7OdHb-23FUwK2si6u9XyE/s400/P1050615+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605546643674082" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">We talked to one woman whose son was climbing, and she said he does it every day while they're there and he averages about 15 minutes--pretty impressive.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZtTqpNN16kqQ4FWxVXWLbFmKQlpbIUnQq7snNzD-8g_n30tYyueOcNEQiBBE9kcmeC8kSPH6slnZO8LpyMUJdX3X-2oCF6Jcg1CPuAvHW7Aw17vuKkIkRNG9tTGEoD1afge0N-Za3GY/s1600/P1050623+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSZtTqpNN16kqQ4FWxVXWLbFmKQlpbIUnQq7snNzD-8g_n30tYyueOcNEQiBBE9kcmeC8kSPH6slnZO8LpyMUJdX3X-2oCF6Jcg1CPuAvHW7Aw17vuKkIkRNG9tTGEoD1afge0N-Za3GY/s400/P1050623+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605560304263090" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Incredible</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDhgJrAl5T1OB2OFXoQzMIp8gOnbO8zUbEooBeRSb-YAk7hIHFiWZj14cCtUsXzMzgpu4iI-jLG45qSYtCD5rpd1bL8BenRtjtxsYLSv7NOV-Vo6HgHe6iyRYhzzVVyTnFJ2OmkhyFTI/s1600/P1050616+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDhgJrAl5T1OB2OFXoQzMIp8gOnbO8zUbEooBeRSb-YAk7hIHFiWZj14cCtUsXzMzgpu4iI-jLG45qSYtCD5rpd1bL8BenRtjtxsYLSv7NOV-Vo6HgHe6iyRYhzzVVyTnFJ2OmkhyFTI/s400/P1050616+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605555936042290" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking north</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsmb2xx0STc_tCpzhrC5pmqkTy_iyWRAtqYZbl6pCnY9L2WUe4ZisE6vHaKCqJQBfDFzHqpmVhxORwdGsCst1UBpb3AM7JPBGhn5PreG09UVNVAiyabhAReqlmsyV7l2QLeR_XktPQTQ/s1600/P1050642+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjsmb2xx0STc_tCpzhrC5pmqkTy_iyWRAtqYZbl6pCnY9L2WUe4ZisE6vHaKCqJQBfDFzHqpmVhxORwdGsCst1UBpb3AM7JPBGhn5PreG09UVNVAiyabhAReqlmsyV7l2QLeR_XktPQTQ/s400/P1050642+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691605573288502306" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Looking south over North Bar Lake toward Empire</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=999807&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/999807'>here</a> instead.</iframe></div>
JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-15047571878265490042011-12-28T21:59:00.011-05:002012-12-09T21:04:27.615-05:00Sleeping Bear Dunes--Platte Plains<b>Hike</b>: Bass Lake Loop<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Empire, MI<br />
<b>Elevation (Max)</b>: 629'<br />
<b>Elevation Gained</b>: ~62'<br />
<b>Mileage</b>: 3.5<br />
<b>Difficulty</b>: Easy<br />
<b>Trailhead</b>: Go west on Trail's End Rd from M-22 just north of Platte Lake and south of Empire. Follow Trail's End Rd to the parking lot at Bass Lake.<br />
<b>Web Site</b>: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/trailplatteplains.htm">http://www.nps.gov/slbe/planyourvisit/trailplatteplains.htm</a><b></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xj29w5Icn1Q24LJHjRVU76pU1KlThs6pRZqNyaj95-cGaoKLs6ZG_9E9SlT0OrwiI1c2noUd-nGv2HTeG74S87eFioFlpN2pLdtU7gT8JCLJMW90M5vWV3nOgsKbSkF9JhlD_L-emIE/s1600/P1050472+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-xj29w5Icn1Q24LJHjRVU76pU1KlThs6pRZqNyaj95-cGaoKLs6ZG_9E9SlT0OrwiI1c2noUd-nGv2HTeG74S87eFioFlpN2pLdtU7gT8JCLJMW90M5vWV3nOgsKbSkF9JhlD_L-emIE/s400/P1050472+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399160154931698" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Bass Lake at the start</span></div>
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This is a pretty easy hike on the coast of Lake Michigan in the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. Since it's a loop hike, you have two options for the hike, counter-clockwise or clockwise. When I did this hike with my family, we went clockwise which means starting along Bass Lake and returning via the trail by the vault toilet, but looking back I would recommend doing it counter-clockwise since I believe it's always best to leave the best scenery for the end of a hike. Another very important tip I have for this hike is to be prepared for bugs. If at all possible, avoid doing the hike in the evening (which is when my family did it). This hike tied with <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/02/mount-monadnock.html">my hike of Mount Monadnock</a> for the worst bug experience I can remember. Despite that, though, this hike transports you to beautiful pine forest and can truly be enjoyable if you're prepared.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzYfyuLUQ-Tls3YwOy3GGdn0i6XvpbFKZYXT6pwYjm3V2Wfn9fAZr_3aZbVyZ8mKiJ_sexZdS1bKOgWJN16FXGZXP_8nTU1sXf2LrQ4KA_uYa9ovFPP3RXwu2qT-YCo5831o0-8s9l_M/s1600/P1050475+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzYfyuLUQ-Tls3YwOy3GGdn0i6XvpbFKZYXT6pwYjm3V2Wfn9fAZr_3aZbVyZ8mKiJ_sexZdS1bKOgWJN16FXGZXP_8nTU1sXf2LrQ4KA_uYa9ovFPP3RXwu2qT-YCo5831o0-8s9l_M/s400/P1050475+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399163127187890" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Dad walking along the lake</span></div>
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In terms of bug preparedness, if you insist on doing the hike in the evening (which actually is a beautiful time to do it and lends itself to more wildlife sighting opportunities), I would recommend bringing bug spray with you and wearing pants and a long sleeve shirt with a hood. My family did this hike in the middle of summer, but still I resorted to wearing a jacket with the hood up and cinched around my head. We started the hike along Bass Lake which was a beautiful aqua green color at that time of the evening. The hike is in pretty dense pine forest and is mostly flat aside from the occasional ups and downs. Not long into the hike while we were still going at a pretty relaxed pace, the bugs had yet to get under our skin, I spotted an animal I had never seen before just off the trail--a porcupine! The light in the woods was low and the porcupine was on the move so the pictures didn't turn out great, but it was definitely neat to see. We all paused to look at the porcupine, which may have been our undoing because I'm pretty sure that brief time we stood still was all the bugs needed to hone in on us and they didn't relent for the remainder of our hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLojpWa1Cva22exFPzY36UxEtx8xP0n74BRbTvkesP0R_x9x2vtCjJwgWvZmh9NLRU1nMSG4tnKTWyqTFaBJotsc1py01H27nlcgZmCcfFlSoRwmdkJ_UY7FUNiSarF6-nmkVFVYWXI-0/s1600/P1050485+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLojpWa1Cva22exFPzY36UxEtx8xP0n74BRbTvkesP0R_x9x2vtCjJwgWvZmh9NLRU1nMSG4tnKTWyqTFaBJotsc1py01H27nlcgZmCcfFlSoRwmdkJ_UY7FUNiSarF6-nmkVFVYWXI-0/s400/P1050485+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399162395540418" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Porcupine</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuG76-FKsICZhhkcbALv2i_bF-N7a7rTrfv8CwA8jTNdfd1M63_bfDiSjOHgrlcRammTAvpWd6Y_SCaZv_NyUd9rD_hKlchBwueRAFcRgln0D6yc-NxAxjPa8dtLI0Q0vNUoP3QOCEis/s1600/P1050487+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuG76-FKsICZhhkcbALv2i_bF-N7a7rTrfv8CwA8jTNdfd1M63_bfDiSjOHgrlcRammTAvpWd6Y_SCaZv_NyUd9rD_hKlchBwueRAFcRgln0D6yc-NxAxjPa8dtLI0Q0vNUoP3QOCEis/s400/P1050487+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399180218811298" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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From there on, our hiking crew split into two groups. My Dad and aunts went at a more leisurely pace probably because they were all wearing more clothing, and my sisters, Mom and I broke off into a faster group that seemed to make a quick exit from the woods our main goal. The trail is pretty obvious for most of the hike except two junctions. There is one point on the out portion of the hike where you need to turn right to remain on the loop (if my memory serves me, there is a sign at this junction that will direct you). Later in the hike there is a T that surprised us because it's not on the trail map, but you want to go left at this junction and you will soon be back to the parking lot.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xhCTIyGmpX6Q_oUizRLHtkJqlRXbp25u2ab4ThZZxHF7N27wS2-37my4aHhYYpnVTf1-PmClYOHTIbhXyImoMXNRLPUz9M7qeEsvef4113r17VDI7DFsMghlS1RahqvbSbvXI8va0T8/s1600/P1050486+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-xhCTIyGmpX6Q_oUizRLHtkJqlRXbp25u2ab4ThZZxHF7N27wS2-37my4aHhYYpnVTf1-PmClYOHTIbhXyImoMXNRLPUz9M7qeEsvef4113r17VDI7DFsMghlS1RahqvbSbvXI8va0T8/s400/P1050486+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399175662333826" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Most of the hike from the porcupine sighting to the end is a blur in my memory. This is for two reasons. First, whenever my group came to any downhill portion, we would break into a jog to speed up our escape from the bugs. And, as you can see in the photos, this meant that my memory is not that only thing that is blurred. Also, I'm pretty sure part of my coping mechanism was to try to separate my mind from my body so as to not go insane from the bug attack. I remember lots of pine trees, soft ground under foot, and rich green vegetation all around. When we finally got back to Bass Lake the bugs dissipated greatly, and we walked onto the small dock and took in the scenery of the dark woods surrounding the emerald lake with the late evening sun setting the tops of the trees on the far shore ablaze in golden light.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_FDGquXtvjyln0HEHdB75dhbOsUjI6WIf-OpvVU4RTtMlrIRRWFdSvfMpFkxa1WTcAzsxMhhgyIGkgYVRa19CAj9BEnQT2NsxuGTu_AJopskcYUNZ60omQ1uJMhEZSgJ0AP4B0hkJJg/s1600/P1050495+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5_FDGquXtvjyln0HEHdB75dhbOsUjI6WIf-OpvVU4RTtMlrIRRWFdSvfMpFkxa1WTcAzsxMhhgyIGkgYVRa19CAj9BEnQT2NsxuGTu_AJopskcYUNZ60omQ1uJMhEZSgJ0AP4B0hkJJg/s400/P1050495+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399327217195906" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Jogging</span></div>
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In case you've never been to northern Michigan, I feel I should just comment here that you haven't seen much of a sunset until you've seen one there. Not only are they colorful and set against intensely beautiful natural backdrops like towering sand dunes or lakes, but also given the high latitude and location on the western edge of the eastern time zone, the sun doesn't set until about 9:30 and the sky doesn't go completely dark until around 10:30. And as long as I'm bragging about the Sleeping Bear Dunes area (check out an earlier post I did <a href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/03/sleeping-bear-dunes.html">here</a>), I might as well mention that Good Morning America named it the Most Beautiful Place in America earlier this year. You can watch their segment on it <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/best_places_USA/sleeping-bear-dunes-michigan-voted-good-morning-americas/story?id=14319616#.TvvjpnoU6So">here</a>. Check out the GPS-generated map of the hike below.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mfnikUYdR8w2gU1_px5MNXueCLsXi_X0IAyrdXiILkZGFMzwrIdjOUy9fJEZfdF_fokvsXar4tv20sKFc7fJe7d-Nodxf5SR7Ou99gnComJDRHNVVsBlAZp6o_qEQQMmnfd4PyvDaX8/s1600/P1050504+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8mfnikUYdR8w2gU1_px5MNXueCLsXi_X0IAyrdXiILkZGFMzwrIdjOUy9fJEZfdF_fokvsXar4tv20sKFc7fJe7d-Nodxf5SR7Ou99gnComJDRHNVVsBlAZp6o_qEQQMmnfd4PyvDaX8/s400/P1050504+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399329740276914" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=864554588217078800"></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Bass Lake at sunset</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj7cM27CjgobGoRK1IiKwaBVPHEmE99pfSZ9Lrsgor9sEoHMK2ZMBXj9aWqpYnhL933h6r6XSiKuONXdlTFk2FBd1PgqgWEluPaYX7R72LA6tcmSAGgYzZ35gd79zQCPsTx5qejyw3bQ/s1600/P1050506+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmj7cM27CjgobGoRK1IiKwaBVPHEmE99pfSZ9Lrsgor9sEoHMK2ZMBXj9aWqpYnhL933h6r6XSiKuONXdlTFk2FBd1PgqgWEluPaYX7R72LA6tcmSAGgYzZ35gd79zQCPsTx5qejyw3bQ/s400/P1050506+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5691399332514951490" style="cursor: hand; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Beautiful green water</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=999696&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/999696'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-87994148188686010652011-12-19T10:10:00.003-05:002012-12-09T21:03:17.343-05:00Lantern Hill<b>Hike</b>: Lantern Hill<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Ledyard, CT<br />
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<b>Elevation (Max)</b>: 426'<br />
<b>Elevation Gained</b>: ~270'<br />
<b>Mileage</b>: 2.11<br />
<b>Difficulty</b>: Easy to Moderate<br />
<b>Trailhead</b>: Lantern Hill is right next to Foxwoods Resort & Casino. Follow Route 2E just past Foxwoods and the intersection with Rte 214. Take the next right which is Wintechog Hill Rd. You will see a little turn off on the right pretty soon where you can park.<br />
<b>Web Site</b>: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_Hill">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lantern_Hill</a><br />
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Lantern Hill is a classic short hike in southeastern Connecticut. The hike has nice vistas, cliff faces, and some steep climbs. Overall, though, the hike is short, so even though the blood will occasionally get pumping, the hike is pretty easy. You want to start the hike in the pull off from Wintechog Hill Rd., where you will usually see at least one other car parked. Unfortunately, this hike doesn't give you time to warm up, as one of the steepest sections is at the very beginning. Once you get up that hill, the hike more or less flattens out and walks through forest with some small vernal pools scattered about.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2SwE7UgEjQGo3x3FV_4-hSJLdDzNf8VdB60cwhZnOkAOJ6IY__gfI2bJT0ZyWsi5ztZWlTA5PMuafn6Gfso9N8LC-mXpFlF5OX0G2kGKeQbTC7DNVGQch8PsXon7SpHVjmFcw6yQMkM/s1600/DSC01747.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd2SwE7UgEjQGo3x3FV_4-hSJLdDzNf8VdB60cwhZnOkAOJ6IY__gfI2bJT0ZyWsi5ztZWlTA5PMuafn6Gfso9N8LC-mXpFlF5OX0G2kGKeQbTC7DNVGQch8PsXon7SpHVjmFcw6yQMkM/s400/DSC01747.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686942290724977826" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Fall colors</span></div>
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It won't take long before you arrive at a 4-way junction. Going right takes you to the Two Trees Inn at Foxwoods, going left takes you to the top of Lantern Hill (this is the way I had always done the hike prior to this time), and going straight will take you along the western side of Lantern Hill before climbing up the southern end of the hill to the summit. On this hike, to satisfy my curiosity, we went straight.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2i41x_Zff0S5m2387mZF0ZAoodW1MdFzxAikq80QWTb2vVZlUn1TFEW9EFywGM1JuhMSwwDWyj7hLlVUZMf7qEJMmgeKLtg6FZsA4ER0_ueAyyLVotF3W0-CZNt7jP-O1PciKQRRvLQ/s1600/DSC01755+%25282%2529.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN2i41x_Zff0S5m2387mZF0ZAoodW1MdFzxAikq80QWTb2vVZlUn1TFEW9EFywGM1JuhMSwwDWyj7hLlVUZMf7qEJMmgeKLtg6FZsA4ER0_ueAyyLVotF3W0-CZNt7jP-O1PciKQRRvLQ/s400/DSC01755+%25282%2529.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686944807411843442" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Tight squeeze in this section<br /></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1VgaIcjlhWWVtCeCMB-yzTPKPSdoRfO0WuknxmbByy6ifR-TeHsrgltf5H7O4OLzWMF4hOOSzRNryWd1RG48Wj23XDHdwShiIC4roG1o3aNWuSIlEclB4iJBkCLmGzWYLRwfBvSwohM/s1600/DSC01751.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC1VgaIcjlhWWVtCeCMB-yzTPKPSdoRfO0WuknxmbByy6ifR-TeHsrgltf5H7O4OLzWMF4hOOSzRNryWd1RG48Wj23XDHdwShiIC4roG1o3aNWuSIlEclB4iJBkCLmGzWYLRwfBvSwohM/s400/DSC01751.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686947699453755138" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Quarry with the ocean on the horizon</span></div>
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I was very pleased with our choice. Not only is it nice to get a different perspective on a very familiar hike, but this route is also less strenuous than the usual route to the top. The trail skirts the western edge of the hill with cliffs above and steep dropoffs below. The trail then comes to a point where it turns around to head to the summit, but there is a vista point here where you can pause to view the nearby quarry and Lantern Hill Pond below. Then follow the trail north up the hill to reach the rocky summit. You can enjoy views to the west (great spot for sunsets) or views to the east over low wooded hills. The cliff on the west side of the hill is a favorite of vultures for soaring on the updrafts. You can also just barely see the ocean to the south if you have a clear day. If you look north, though, the view is a bit startling. All other directions show more or less uninterrupted woods, but looking north reveals Foxwoods and it's enormous buildings. My preferred spot on the summit is looking east where there's a nice cliff to sit and enjoy the view.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYluvaDTmuy6kRPzJmvGF54idwN7eQ6jd7u4UBAocsKoman7GgMqiuIQMjLt4E09Ww3aKPJ23aV34P09u0sHnGqfBCGa89kmTjODjPpeFHBgeoSR7gFp9J9sS30gLbHepffAHlOrWRMEs/s1600/DSC01758.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYluvaDTmuy6kRPzJmvGF54idwN7eQ6jd7u4UBAocsKoman7GgMqiuIQMjLt4E09Ww3aKPJ23aV34P09u0sHnGqfBCGa89kmTjODjPpeFHBgeoSR7gFp9J9sS30gLbHepffAHlOrWRMEs/s400/DSC01758.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686944808332975714" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 85%;">Foxwoods</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDxqPBM1ILqG7T2bFoS1eSUr3WYkIAXwZuxAjcGeI-oLXAq9HZB3yxsWwhHTMjvFadbUFdP5zEPEU7CISdvk3k_cj2kskngO9NdtYiHjQt4SXX_yS7FZ8jAir2GNOp8ka3i70JE94SU4/s1600/DSC01783.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcDxqPBM1ILqG7T2bFoS1eSUr3WYkIAXwZuxAjcGeI-oLXAq9HZB3yxsWwhHTMjvFadbUFdP5zEPEU7CISdvk3k_cj2kskngO9NdtYiHjQt4SXX_yS7FZ8jAir2GNOp8ka3i70JE94SU4/s400/DSC01783.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686944836862644514" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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Once you're done enjoying the view, follow the trail north down from the summit. This trail will eventually get you to the junction from earlier in the hike. To return to your car, go right, and you'll be there pretty quickly. On this particular hike, though, I kept up the theme of exploring new trails so I went straight toward Two Trees Inn. This part of the hike was not so enjoyable. It goes through buggy woods and eventually arrives at the Two Trees Inn parking lot. On the way, you'll cross a large path. You can go right on this path and it will take you back to Wintechog Hill Rd. where you can turn right and it's just a short walk back to the car. Lantern Hill is always good for a quick hike, and it's one of the best vistas you can get in all of southeastern Connecticut. Below is a GPS-generated map of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTcqTTcBFGj2_NkrPtZwqfJELP3CX0pkdpWSa7PziYemboHF24CQzEH96PJrZcAiHFp7DBMKLkyiXCzrQnnbFnWXibXknnegkgYGBGb4GA57VUciCwZdF0Y0LVDYBQRib8DWmzbQ97Qk/s1600/DSC01782.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieTcqTTcBFGj2_NkrPtZwqfJELP3CX0pkdpWSa7PziYemboHF24CQzEH96PJrZcAiHFp7DBMKLkyiXCzrQnnbFnWXibXknnegkgYGBGb4GA57VUciCwZdF0Y0LVDYBQRib8DWmzbQ97Qk/s400/DSC01782.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686944821105744562" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-46517463864456540612011-11-08T09:35:00.001-05:002012-12-09T21:01:32.198-05:00Devil's Hopyard<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Devil's Hopyard<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: East Haddam, CT<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 435'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~725'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 4.54<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy to Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>:<b> </b>From I-95, take Exit 70 onto Rte 156 N. Turn R on Rte 82 and take immediate Left on Hopyard Road. Turn R on Foxtown Road directly above the waterfall and park in the lot above the falls.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325188">http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325188</a><br />
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This is a loop hike around both sides of Devil's Hopyard State Park. The first half is relatively flat while the second half has some short segments that are steep enough to make use of all four of your limbs. To get started, park in the lot above the falls. Cross the road and walk along the falls on the right side passing by a stone arch on the right.<br />
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The Red Trail breaks off on the right, follow it. It crosses Hopyard Road. Follow the Red Trail to where it comes to a point and switches back. Continue to follow the Red Trail, over a small bridge, and then turn left on the Green Trail. Take another immediate left on the Green Trail, and then follow the trail until it intersects the White Trail. Go right on the White Trail and follow it, crossing the Green Trail a couple times along the way. The White Trail will meet back up with the Red Trail where you should turn right to return to where you first joined the Red Trail. I know that sequence of trails is pretty confusing, and those trails all intersect multiple times, but basically you want to make a lollipop out of the Red and Green trails, and the White trail can be used as a short cut. That concludes the part of the hike on the west side of Hopyard Road.<br />
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The rest of the hike is on the east side of the road along Eightmile River and up on the ridge. Go right at the end of the Red Trail, then go left down some stairs, then right through a picnic area, then left across the covered bridge. At the other side of the covered bridge, go straight to the vista. From here, follow the trail to the vista (there are trail markers that will direct you).<br />
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Initially, the trail follows the river which is really beautiful with lots of moss covered rocks and tall evergreens. A trail marker will direct you on a short detour to Devil's Oven, a small cave in a cliff. This is a strenuous, very steep side trip, but it is fun and the cave is kind of neat, so I would recommend it. You can either continue to follow the trail to the vista, or you can continue along the river until you are even with the vista (you will need to use a map to figure this out), then turn left and climb up the hill. This is a challenging ascent that will get your hands involved.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J1McnK5d8wYCLDarzk7f6lwDyzu_gsB0wJTRWpKbLS9H-um2qo0dCkbKBLyTd_3stDnvE68zJIZLM1bHq7ZC5F0rhqr4d1zyR00h5FHArR8LUl6kSKYw2HDkD3-fHsYfBM5N3RHjSRc/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138502.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7J1McnK5d8wYCLDarzk7f6lwDyzu_gsB0wJTRWpKbLS9H-um2qo0dCkbKBLyTd_3stDnvE68zJIZLM1bHq7ZC5F0rhqr4d1zyR00h5FHArR8LUl6kSKYw2HDkD3-fHsYfBM5N3RHjSRc/s400/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138502.jpeg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668991572787118946" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapcU7b29SkkIz8giY5JgLlNPD4CEV3FhnxfwuT2qzNARsrt_q-8UkqozjilIVFVJX7_7xGV-X2XjEdK6mkJiYBJ2xGPYFdR4Zr8S9gp3m8xOSCJyyKwpdXgBHgDfLr9G2G_u8GjytLKg/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138505.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhapcU7b29SkkIz8giY5JgLlNPD4CEV3FhnxfwuT2qzNARsrt_q-8UkqozjilIVFVJX7_7xGV-X2XjEdK6mkJiYBJ2xGPYFdR4Zr8S9gp3m8xOSCJyyKwpdXgBHgDfLr9G2G_u8GjytLKg/s400/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138505.jpeg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668991583514689618" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
When you come upon the trail, turn right to the overlook over the valley to the south. It is a really beautiful sight so I would recommend bringing a plum or nectarine to enjoy up there. Take the spur back to the Orange Trail loop. Turn right to take the upper half of the Orange Loop back to the parking lot. The trail will split again after a bit, stay right. The trail will hit a small stream and follow that for a bit with a trail branching off to the right. Ignore it, stay straight, and you will arrive at the base of the falls. Climb up the rocks (not the steep rocks in sight of the falls but the ones a little tucked away that look more used by hikers), and turn left to return to the car.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYhSyUw_AIsYdtrBtYRrPz8XBg3np6vxgcfn1OKvXprb_Tx8MYu9DlFMDXz0TJiO-wWv5z8nJKvoyWNAClqgvf6JOBTp-SrmY-FYrTyqO8aTZEZ-hXzqLcMvYGrxX4lDqq1YsJrJyhz0/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138507.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYYhSyUw_AIsYdtrBtYRrPz8XBg3np6vxgcfn1OKvXprb_Tx8MYu9DlFMDXz0TJiO-wWv5z8nJKvoyWNAClqgvf6JOBTp-SrmY-FYrTyqO8aTZEZ-hXzqLcMvYGrxX4lDqq1YsJrJyhz0/s400/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138507.jpeg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668992769137216978" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr7ioDNreuXidHFPiePwdZ3CoiyyryGWUpPk1y0Pa1BF9GiPum38fFFQYTcPL9GWMn-i_I_f5cD1Ddj_hQ3iiW_MjdE4wE1YV-i5YCB00YDLpLI3MnGHaZJJEQFVbVO80u6UbA4FBFOY/s1600/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138510.jpeg"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggr7ioDNreuXidHFPiePwdZ3CoiyyryGWUpPk1y0Pa1BF9GiPum38fFFQYTcPL9GWMn-i_I_f5cD1Ddj_hQ3iiW_MjdE4wE1YV-i5YCB00YDLpLI3MnGHaZJJEQFVbVO80u6UbA4FBFOY/s400/Trimble+Outdoors+-+138510.jpeg" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668992772504831122" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
Below is a GPS-generated map of this hike.<br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=829292&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/829292'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-7411576074027287092011-10-28T13:20:00.000-04:002012-12-09T20:59:32.853-05:00Lincoln and Lafayette<span style="font-style: italic;">Guest Post: My friend Eric has recently been dominating the mountains of New England and he wrote this report of a loop hike of Little Haystack Mountain and Mounts Lincoln and Lafayette in New Hampshire.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgQQRgcy8IeXMfQ3Bc7h68B4GprWi6hhW3A7d4LH5iZJt5EMKGBMpeOfqrLeQRmUO0x2EmMY-tMGFa7v7Ti6yP7dRgUFFjfuViCTCCCQ_obNyLUDitjBP4U1b1RalS2fB_HsHrNBVeZU/s1600/PA080102.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicgQQRgcy8IeXMfQ3Bc7h68B4GprWi6hhW3A7d4LH5iZJt5EMKGBMpeOfqrLeQRmUO0x2EmMY-tMGFa7v7Ti6yP7dRgUFFjfuViCTCCCQ_obNyLUDitjBP4U1b1RalS2fB_HsHrNBVeZU/s400/PA080102.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668955888136011538" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
After hiking Mount Washington and being confident that I would’ve had energy for the drive home, I decided to do a day trip to the Whites. I planned to go a few weeks ago, but failed to wake up early enough. But on October 8th I got up a little after <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_5">3:30</span> and was out the door at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_6">4:00</span>. I drove up 91 North about 130 miles into <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_7">Vermont</span> and turned down 93 South. My destination was <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_8">Franconia</span> Ridge. I am far from done with the Presidentials, but wanted to check out a new area. Franconia is home to the two tallest peaks in the Whites outside of the Presidentials, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_9">Lafayette</span> and Liberty (my targets). It also has two other big advantages: it is directly off 93 and it does not require a parking pass. Unfortunately, there are multiple parking areas, and this led to a slightly later start than planned. <br />I knew how to get to Franconia Notch but wasn’t sure which parking area I wanted. I thought I wanted the first sign for trailhead parking after Exit 34B (spoiler alert: I was wrong). I pulled into the parking lot at about <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_10">7:30</span> and there were already ten or fifteen cars. I put on my boots, grabbed my backpack and started looking for the tunnel underneath the highway. Not sure of which direction to go, I headed south. The person I tried asking didn’t know, but he also looked like he’d been stoned since <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_11">Woodstock</span>, so I didn’t put too much into his opinion. I walked for a few minutes before deciding that I must be headed in the wrong direction. I have the AMC Guide maps, which are great, but the scale on the Franconia map is smaller than the Presidential map and I couldn’t decipher the parking area. As I passed back through the parking lot I noticed that everyone in sight had rock climbing gear and not hiking gear. This was alarming, but didn’t necessarily prove anything, so I proceeded to the north end of the lot, where I immediately found the tunnel. Now sure of myself, I crossed under the highway and texted my girlfriend that I was at the trailhead. The only problem was I didn’t see a trail. I walked for a few minutes on the paved bike path until I looked across the highway and could see a decent sized body of water. This was on my map and it allowed me to determine that I was too far north. So I went back to the parking lot, drove down 93, and quickly saw signs for trailhead parking at <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_12">Lafayette Place</span> Campground. I got off that exit, drove around the little parking lot, and found that all of the parking spaces were filled. I pulled over in front of the hiker information shack to ask if there was anywhere else to park. The woman inside told me that I could where I had pulled over, so I crossed under the highway and was off.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT02rEjrD6odlHecTenRVV1LjpEKc9dnXJGF_KV5IqESmtsb6f2EJhJOOOmU2-0JzI35XARUE57aHO_qaXSXKKE-GIOeiNullyW1e8HpJ6nBicrHeQdlez_cehcJmzKqfQyNrBMrJ_cR0/s1600/PA080187.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjT02rEjrD6odlHecTenRVV1LjpEKc9dnXJGF_KV5IqESmtsb6f2EJhJOOOmU2-0JzI35XARUE57aHO_qaXSXKKE-GIOeiNullyW1e8HpJ6nBicrHeQdlez_cehcJmzKqfQyNrBMrJ_cR0/s400/PA080187.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668956410888720322" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
My route was a counterclockwise loop. I started with Old Bridle Path for a couple tenths of a mile before turning onto Falling Waters Trail for the ascent to Little Haystack Mountain and the intersection with Franconia Ridge Trail. I turned left (north), to cross over <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_13">Lincoln</span>, then Lafayette. I descended via the Greenleaf Trail and Old Bridle Path. This loop (in either direction) is considered one of the classic day hikes of the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_14">White Mountains</span>. Falling Waters Trail was appropriately named. It crossed over brooks multiple times and had excellent views of waterfalls. The first and largest brook crossing had a bridge but the rest did not. While they were easily manageable now, I imagine they would be challenging with higher waters.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGUB8ZNUEQhW61RWFW19tdFvsQ1CwZBljBJpkKd_NS1xNAi8FFvk1jA9tAPTcmukprGXhGqkW4-SP6y6cAf2bBjIhl9fcGWa0GhyphenhyphenYqLKG_4Y4R_p0dIq2tpJRrbeBSFAnTJx2QFqHGcg/s1600/PA080039.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGGUB8ZNUEQhW61RWFW19tdFvsQ1CwZBljBJpkKd_NS1xNAi8FFvk1jA9tAPTcmukprGXhGqkW4-SP6y6cAf2bBjIhl9fcGWa0GhyphenhyphenYqLKG_4Y4R_p0dIq2tpJRrbeBSFAnTJx2QFqHGcg/s400/PA080039.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668956845273875362" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
After the brook crossings, the trail became somewhat non-descript. This wasn’t a bad thing, it had generally good footing and was reasonably graded, but nothing really stood out besides a couple switchbacks to ease the grade. There were no great views until breaking treeline slightly below Little Haystack Mountain (which lacks the prominence to be an official AMC 4000-footer). At this point the views became fantastic, as I could see back across to the other side of the notch. Upon reaching the top of Little Haystack, I had 360° views: Franconia Notch, up and down Franconia Ridge, and east into the Pemi.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DHLhBjytmOGun9s_qkaliTAXcNDahaol54Rh3vFtAq0Dq3Tt93VEQtA9SZfbjoBuV76rNzxd8utjvfGAWSk37iXBW-ya9OH8fg0ZCAEGe-Zdh6cZndt53b_1pOk2rkEVPvtq9jtzTr8/s1600/PA080051.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3DHLhBjytmOGun9s_qkaliTAXcNDahaol54Rh3vFtAq0Dq3Tt93VEQtA9SZfbjoBuV76rNzxd8utjvfGAWSk37iXBW-ya9OH8fg0ZCAEGe-Zdh6cZndt53b_1pOk2rkEVPvtq9jtzTr8/s400/PA080051.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668956853032861714" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY20iz-uk5QW-3_H6kMkGU6Ctuf7QSiDIqxDAhXBAnBYtfQkWgi37bavXHOSFoBUIeew6WOGB6gHee6EvCXkWXKotm-G5Q7UCTx6C5T4gEWNcxc7aQKhM6QGq0NpzkkS5H3cOhbroOaI/s1600/PA080058.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaY20iz-uk5QW-3_H6kMkGU6Ctuf7QSiDIqxDAhXBAnBYtfQkWgi37bavXHOSFoBUIeew6WOGB6gHee6EvCXkWXKotm-G5Q7UCTx6C5T4gEWNcxc7aQKhM6QGq0NpzkkS5H3cOhbroOaI/s400/PA080058.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668957470838111426" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeFCyi-Sbvw_KA2RlWnsSOx9fWD7sSr6QwelhTEkr_yEFkSM8Vnn_Wyd6_JKfblFZOYduAsgpJNJMTBedjCzHgJcKLYFMq8GxIIq_hNCStb2_0bdELhTi4jRAkFHthKok-AjM4MAO8Ew/s1600/PA080066.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeFCyi-Sbvw_KA2RlWnsSOx9fWD7sSr6QwelhTEkr_yEFkSM8Vnn_Wyd6_JKfblFZOYduAsgpJNJMTBedjCzHgJcKLYFMq8GxIIq_hNCStb2_0bdELhTi4jRAkFHthKok-AjM4MAO8Ew/s400/PA080066.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668957477105033282" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I went north toward Lincoln, fighting some strong wind coming from the west. Every time the trail dipped down to the east side of the ridge was a welcome relief. I took a lot of pictures, but none of them really do the views justice; it felt like the pictures would all come out the same despite the views seeming to change drastically as I moved just a short distance. There was still a bit of haze, but still a better than average day for visibility. Because there’s no trail that ascends directly to Lincoln, it seemed like a midpoint more than a destination and I did not stop.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M7XTdhbl1o2UThUn4te0UDcUbTmMqll8-fKJQVG_fjVy4jWz7LSR-XSxRTgRM-I0UIs_MKAQfBCIvs9_wbIS6EBtlDgW57Jv8wlXQITuwSBLgJ4k08bZ3gNgS7-VhFt4DKk5U1AxmPY/s1600/PA080073.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1M7XTdhbl1o2UThUn4te0UDcUbTmMqll8-fKJQVG_fjVy4jWz7LSR-XSxRTgRM-I0UIs_MKAQfBCIvs9_wbIS6EBtlDgW57Jv8wlXQITuwSBLgJ4k08bZ3gNgS7-VhFt4DKk5U1AxmPY/s400/PA080073.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668958977080081970" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7gv7E6u9tF0J_gPPGB9yt1swnExsf6BF6jRXFHNQAhMUkAb0iUIBkQkoR1ogR4Pmdkukz1lTzVn78FtOZRtLDe2vh1Xo6PaghoMB-UJbLjY_2mvamQW4-zT4bRZbUTAYWRX9_LoNjqY/s1600/PA080091.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw7gv7E6u9tF0J_gPPGB9yt1swnExsf6BF6jRXFHNQAhMUkAb0iUIBkQkoR1ogR4Pmdkukz1lTzVn78FtOZRtLDe2vh1Xo6PaghoMB-UJbLjY_2mvamQW4-zT4bRZbUTAYWRX9_LoNjqY/s400/PA080091.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668958987428239586" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
Moving onward, I quickly reached Lafayette, where I sat for a few minutes taking in the views of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_15">Owl’s Head</span> and the Pemi. I also checked out my new views to the north of <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_16">Garfield Ridge</span> and back south toward Lincoln. The summit, while not loud, had a few groups on it, so I didn’t stay long.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKofDbkM3JKBzpRDv3vcv-RCRqtx15IbHcQGDWNHU_g1M-qHntXRrOpQ3DWNneemvj3sQDlO79dXRaIr_rEVakz3LBhW1l_x8lamWj21M7I1cJgdYaiO9DlOeCVJsOiLEpttru_lt_yk/s1600/PA080137.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiKofDbkM3JKBzpRDv3vcv-RCRqtx15IbHcQGDWNHU_g1M-qHntXRrOpQ3DWNneemvj3sQDlO79dXRaIr_rEVakz3LBhW1l_x8lamWj21M7I1cJgdYaiO9DlOeCVJsOiLEpttru_lt_yk/s400/PA080137.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668959677792014786" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
I began my descent down the Greenleaf Trail. This trail was above treeline for quite some time so I had excellent views to the west. I was now encountering a lot of people coming up, so I frequently had to yield. I saw an older group of three approaching and one of the men was wearing a shirt from a road race with the L&M Hospital logo on it. As he neared, I also noticed that he was wearing a Conn College hat. I asked if he was from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_17">Connecticut</span> and when he said yes, I asked where. He said from the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_18">New London</span> area and I responded that I was from <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1319905485_19">Ledyard</span>. The woman then replied that the second man was from Ledyard. I didn’t know him, but he lives on Whalehead, so that was my “small world” interaction for the day. <br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7miLZeZPPPIe44DzoiGR4tROwESIdG3TzM2iQxkh20kt1RWP9NR4hM45DfKwxhFHkRPv-_ArX9UP_seZ46wt8q_XwCJaADJlUA4sQkRE6VboXHqv6ZvRtRq2CBGym7TQOkWKIP6vV48/s1600/PA080173.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK7miLZeZPPPIe44DzoiGR4tROwESIdG3TzM2iQxkh20kt1RWP9NR4hM45DfKwxhFHkRPv-_ArX9UP_seZ46wt8q_XwCJaADJlUA4sQkRE6VboXHqv6ZvRtRq2CBGym7TQOkWKIP6vV48/s400/PA080173.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668959691210080546" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pb8mH1kYFs-gUxOJC_uCRBfzNEjdWmHpdR4vLaMS5yQ5C4BrmIQ6FlVdUZ5LlbBkVf8Xh0sReBkv3OcJ0D3kEIJNQTGQwuk339g68zx__i2_VdxkcNDY7hs-BxysJWhGB-el7EaEYqQ/s1600/PA080147.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8pb8mH1kYFs-gUxOJC_uCRBfzNEjdWmHpdR4vLaMS5yQ5C4BrmIQ6FlVdUZ5LlbBkVf8Xh0sReBkv3OcJ0D3kEIJNQTGQwuk339g68zx__i2_VdxkcNDY7hs-BxysJWhGB-el7EaEYqQ/s400/PA080147.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668959681932930130" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
The last thing I’ll note about the descent was the incredible number of French Canadian people that I encountered. I suppose I shouldn’t have been too surprised since many of them likely had shorter drives than I did, but it was a little jarring for the proportion to be about 50%. Everyone was nice, although I did receive some blank stares back when I replaced “hi” with a more casual “how’s it going”. At one point I came across a young boy who could not have been more than 8 and we said hi to each other. It then occurred to me that I hadn’t passed anyone in a few minutes and I didn’t see anyone else coming. I turned back to him and asked if he knew where his parents were, but he just pointed at himself and said “me French”, so that was the end of that conversation. I passed several more people in the next couple minutes so I’m sure he was fine. Mount Lafayette must be one of the most popular destinations in the Whites, but it is amusing to wonder if French Canadians like to hike this peak to honor its namesake. <br />I enjoyed the views on Old Bridle Path, which had a few lookout areas below treeline. I soon reached the brook where Falling Waters Trail had initially diverged, and a few minutes later I was at my car. There is no access to 93 North from where I parked, so I hopped on South. I immediately learned that I did not understand the parking situation up there: there were cars parked on both the north and south sides on 93 for almost half a mile. Since I was the first car to not get a spot in the morning, I didn’t get to see this as an example, but it’s good to know for the future. Overall, this was a great hike, and a highly recommended route for a day with good weather. <br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJgd4JroQl5JjW0vCiAUGoKr43Kn9wBSPvhqTEGenlBIDhOh25p-d38HnlXQWlrCDHlxBZqN1sj6Fv66Ghl1gJhDs9aZ5x-Smjm8z8Dmb40q6b6XN-0Vhav8RRXZuvlE_g0-OcyzHmjY/s1600/PA080181.JPG"><br /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJgd4JroQl5JjW0vCiAUGoKr43Kn9wBSPvhqTEGenlBIDhOh25p-d38HnlXQWlrCDHlxBZqN1sj6Fv66Ghl1gJhDs9aZ5x-Smjm8z8Dmb40q6b6XN-0Vhav8RRXZuvlE_g0-OcyzHmjY/s1600/PA080181.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfJgd4JroQl5JjW0vCiAUGoKr43Kn9wBSPvhqTEGenlBIDhOh25p-d38HnlXQWlrCDHlxBZqN1sj6Fv66Ghl1gJhDs9aZ5x-Smjm8z8Dmb40q6b6XN-0Vhav8RRXZuvlE_g0-OcyzHmjY/s400/PA080181.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5668961802635500498" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<br />JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-11147085766739002222011-03-11T11:10:00.009-05:002012-12-09T20:54:11.288-05:00Art Loeb Trail/Graveyard Fields<span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Hike</span>: Graveyard Fields/Black Balsam Knob Circuit<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Nearby Town</span>: Brevard, NC<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Elevation (Max)</span>: 6,214'<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Elevation Gained</span>: ~1500'<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Mileage</span>: 10.75<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Difficulty</span>: Strenuous<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>:<strong> </strong>Park at the Graveyard Fields Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway around milepost 419. The trailhead is the Graveyard Fields Loop trail that leaves the parking lot (there are two trails, use the one on the right).<br /><span style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/index.html">http://www.hikewnc.info/trailheads/pisgah/index.html</a><br /><br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GOO6ej_hMq8US38-aXFRKIH5xKjiimmXVFnke8WiTribadGbIajrCNj6g1y9KzWpKZZM8jpo4OswOVgi9A8fgav7b5uWHEccLaI3ucimnPw5CNNhbX6iWa5bEzrREeDlrUrlkN3d_Vw/s1600/P1040143.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583743507797311650" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9GOO6ej_hMq8US38-aXFRKIH5xKjiimmXVFnke8WiTribadGbIajrCNj6g1y9KzWpKZZM8jpo4OswOVgi9A8fgav7b5uWHEccLaI3ucimnPw5CNNhbX6iWa5bEzrREeDlrUrlkN3d_Vw/s400/P1040143.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Graveyard Fields from the Blue Ridge Parkway overlook</span><br /></div><br />Park at the Graveyard Fields Overlook off the Blue Ridge Parkway. This is one of the most popular overlooks, and the lot can sometimes fill up (though, if it does, people just park on the grass). From the overlook, head down the Graveyard Fields Loop trail on the right which is a paved path through dense rhodedendreon. The path reaches the Yellowstone Prong, a beautiful rocky river. Cross the bridge and turn left on the Graveyard Fields Loop (blue blaze). Enjoy this walk through a rare and beautiful mountain meadow with views up to all the mountains and ridges around you. The trail then turns right onto the Graveyard Ridge Connector (yellow blaze) which will take you up from Graveyard Fields to Graveyard Ridge. This trail can occasionally be confusing (as can several of the trails on this hike as they are not very well marked nor heavily used), but as long as you remember where you are coming from and where you are going, you should be ok. For example, trails zig-zag across the Graveyard Ridge Connector (these trails mostly just go around some obstacles on the trail), but as long as you continue going away from your car and up Graveyard Ridge, you will be ok.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX13z36HgIqr-y2QhcWD-CShx2EuMmfapB17LUB1XD7q4Tx5hi4dscK4vJjxrWpwsRfkXSyiJob_SaoEX4VvDksjdeDrO8w-joQ5BwPKj0-ydf6H1SmFUngipfQsF4xGjqPY0OzYNt4g/s1600/P1040147.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583743505973475090" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTX13z36HgIqr-y2QhcWD-CShx2EuMmfapB17LUB1XD7q4Tx5hi4dscK4vJjxrWpwsRfkXSyiJob_SaoEX4VvDksjdeDrO8w-joQ5BwPKj0-ydf6H1SmFUngipfQsF4xGjqPY0OzYNt4g/s400/P1040147.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Yellowstone Prong</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggooiUzUThXnIyfGT_6yGWsA3xIIzfWfGb6N2IOBESiStGMnbc8Ix_0ss0epJwS19J91c_8Id_ZcQFO0xagOapmmcukGFM5YCtecaVlx1N8_-dGmlJYhVNraUkGzKx11LbC44RV8yscXM/s1600/P1040153.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583743509285472882" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggooiUzUThXnIyfGT_6yGWsA3xIIzfWfGb6N2IOBESiStGMnbc8Ix_0ss0epJwS19J91c_8Id_ZcQFO0xagOapmmcukGFM5YCtecaVlx1N8_-dGmlJYhVNraUkGzKx11LbC44RV8yscXM/s400/P1040153.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Heading into Graveyard Fields</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0-77jcJM6VDF0S9ed729ww-sjt2INTVoYEF_e5ATuYXEx6wlSqW87X3obeOoFlcgj3DiLlvoLLuDDnFmcAdVJ-6McM2ypr9c5BCQnBfPcStAfeeatFp1QW4-M0w_cwS5sY5xhU2ayxw/s1600/P1040156.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583743516099091890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0-77jcJM6VDF0S9ed729ww-sjt2INTVoYEF_e5ATuYXEx6wlSqW87X3obeOoFlcgj3DiLlvoLLuDDnFmcAdVJ-6McM2ypr9c5BCQnBfPcStAfeeatFp1QW4-M0w_cwS5sY5xhU2ayxw/s400/P1040156.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">On to Graveyard Ridge</span><br /><br /></div>The trail will reach the Graveyard Ridge Trail (orange blaze) onto which you want to turn left. This is a mostly flat and easy trail that walks along the side of the ridge with beautiful views over Graveyard Fields and up to Black Balsam Knob. The trail will eventually come to a 4-way junction. The trail on the left is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail (MST) ascending Black Balsam Knob, the trail straight ahead is the Graveyard Ridge Trail heading to Ivestor Gap, and the trail on the right is the Mountains-to-Sea Trail and Graveyard Ridge Trail (Graveyard Ridge is a loop). You want to go left on the MST up Black Balsam Knob (on the return side of the loop, you will be coming back on the Graveyard Ridge Trail from Ivestor Gap).<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYU7s9g5LecRkAgoFRdtBuX_RtyZXmtrvYM9iS78LRRFDdRZe79QyEzaDiJ3ew_5OnOu2JMCY37hENAn6G2nOe8BeZmQKYU8imjy8DMtL3QTAgv4Sh-R-twzDhyphenhyphennxgMCfBqLSirolz1E/s1600/P1040163.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583743516458228802" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYU7s9g5LecRkAgoFRdtBuX_RtyZXmtrvYM9iS78LRRFDdRZe79QyEzaDiJ3ew_5OnOu2JMCY37hENAn6G2nOe8BeZmQKYU8imjy8DMtL3QTAgv4Sh-R-twzDhyphenhyphennxgMCfBqLSirolz1E/s400/P1040163.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">On the Graveyard Ridge Trail</span><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsMDxHIZRN38wCQkLmtv2LZuTCjq9fB9mJCa7F3HDHLmO6hbcLtYCL7A7VZDnZfY8EuczW4g8jyp_JTmjBL56CQC3t1z0hyrUotCjzMB0t4U5rSzHNkY_jESUpcJWPOz-S-OmLAPSo-Y/s1600/P1040170.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744194008982114" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdsMDxHIZRN38wCQkLmtv2LZuTCjq9fB9mJCa7F3HDHLmO6hbcLtYCL7A7VZDnZfY8EuczW4g8jyp_JTmjBL56CQC3t1z0hyrUotCjzMB0t4U5rSzHNkY_jESUpcJWPOz-S-OmLAPSo-Y/s400/P1040170.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Head to Black Balsam and Fire Road 816</span><br /><br /></div>We dubbed this trail the Mountainous Sea of Grass Trail as the trail is clearly not heavily used and is pretty overgrown with grasses and bushes. This is by far the most strenuous part of the hike with the majority of the elevation gain coming here. The views really begin to open up on this trail with Mount Pisgah to the northeast and Looking Glass Rock (and, believe it or not, your car) to the southeast. The trail descends a bit from a rocky overlook to the headwaters of Yellowstone Prong before climbing to near Fire Road 816 which the trail parallels a bit before connecting with the Art Loeb Trail. Parking along this road is popular for going into the Shining Rock Wilderness or taking a quick hike up Black Balsam Knob. This is where we first saw other people on the trail.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTr9az0WoPOT4Ath19Xv_-__a714lq5WiWoUQ35kwbPo6a06xhrWQf5tUM06TNn6bw8n0kVzZ5gwZzqjbIcbkUYkhNfGwy2vU8dtKKYcyvtV-d6z9MmnXzmQ3nbVeo-Yk-n5icVEmvpxI/s1600/P1040180.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744195701820130" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTr9az0WoPOT4Ath19Xv_-__a714lq5WiWoUQ35kwbPo6a06xhrWQf5tUM06TNn6bw8n0kVzZ5gwZzqjbIcbkUYkhNfGwy2vU8dtKKYcyvtV-d6z9MmnXzmQ3nbVeo-Yk-n5icVEmvpxI/s400/P1040180.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Not much of a trail</span><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjON3jUVRaSQjE5-b9kMe1SlZ0WbzOd8ydxo4pwDRDI5UzQYvFrqjQ_-w15qhL1GcMgKFJuUY-ufnGud_-bGZ49Fg1WhQCUVcj2g-Kb78UVhTi_fzS-Jdm91-eSKG7m3cB5vK_dDEXXHQ/s1600/P1040200.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744202507888546" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjON3jUVRaSQjE5-b9kMe1SlZ0WbzOd8ydxo4pwDRDI5UzQYvFrqjQ_-w15qhL1GcMgKFJuUY-ufnGud_-bGZ49Fg1WhQCUVcj2g-Kb78UVhTi_fzS-Jdm91-eSKG7m3cB5vK_dDEXXHQ/s400/P1040200.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Headwaters of Yellowstone Prong</span><br /><br /></div>Join the Art Loeb Trail (white blaze) and begin the balds portion of the hike. The first bald is Black Balsam Knob (6,214') where the views open up on a grand scale in all directions with the Smokies to the west and countless mountains of Pisgah National Forest all around (and you can still, amazingly, see your car if you have binoculars). The balds are a unique feature of the southern Appalacchians where the latitudes are too low for an alpine zone but nevertheless the mountain summits are treeless. Theories for why this is so range from livestock grazing to forest fires. Whatever the reason, they provide beautiful, wide views. The Art Loeb Trail is a lot like the MST, though, with lots of overgrown grass, which, unfortunately, soon got soaked making for a very, very wet hike for the rest of the day.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGWdBpcR9qrAJMAkT7i4btkHY8PRP7BANCvSDYmICroOZ3ZAZhOq5es0fAjmeJmmcqSt_cGFXDFegWwaZo6gqkC3c9aYu-YmPwrcUyBAsU-i7UkLNgj-VDYmoHA4UXn6hAyq9mct1cFA/s1600/P1040203.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744201688407538" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGWdBpcR9qrAJMAkT7i4btkHY8PRP7BANCvSDYmICroOZ3ZAZhOq5es0fAjmeJmmcqSt_cGFXDFegWwaZo6gqkC3c9aYu-YmPwrcUyBAsU-i7UkLNgj-VDYmoHA4UXn6hAyq9mct1cFA/s400/P1040203.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Joining the Art Loeb Trail</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqTuk2hNpH-ebjhP3W10GoN7GgSmrobpAasxm_Y1k61Xkn9lgYdJtQsQyncZRjpv_2F3xhwLwf_U5k8mxSgAugCpbWtd0MBr00vQJjFnFbm72VU1i3dieFMnRh6DSDDQPs_V3RGpAMs0/s1600/P1040211.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744962679331522" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 286px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 400px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqTuk2hNpH-ebjhP3W10GoN7GgSmrobpAasxm_Y1k61Xkn9lgYdJtQsQyncZRjpv_2F3xhwLwf_U5k8mxSgAugCpbWtd0MBr00vQJjFnFbm72VU1i3dieFMnRh6DSDDQPs_V3RGpAMs0/s400/P1040211.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The final ascent of Black Balsam Knob</span><br /><br /></div>Something you really have to be prepared for when doing this hike is rain. The mountains of western North Carolina are a temperate rainforest, and thunderstorms can pop up suddenly on any day. When we did this hike, we started with beautiful, sunny skies, but only a couple hours later clouds had filled in, and as we approached Black Balsam Knob, thunder started rumbling all around. Being on top of a bald in the middle of a thunderstorm wasn't something we were very interested in. Luckily, we were only a few minutes away from the treeline so we just retreated back down the way we came into the trees to wait out the lightning and heavy rain. We ended up waiting about an hour or more just sitting around under the trees trying to stay dry. This waiting made our goal of reaching Shining Rock essentially impossible. The really great thing about the Graveyard Fields/Shining Rock Wilderness area, though, is that there are lots of trails that come in from the east and west connecting to the central Art Loeb Trail, which makes revising hiking plans easy.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XP_ws_g68220_skdWkHeeWnTaTI4M-vgIxxxY7D9RzpHleOS56FLGpkwAjemTnhy9aeYRiWohqgfVwyuQRrvcR14d2BDjiEvgVMhTLyzT0366PCpD765X1voMKnsamklyRT_39OQx8g/s1600/P1040206.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744212274588642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1XP_ws_g68220_skdWkHeeWnTaTI4M-vgIxxxY7D9RzpHleOS56FLGpkwAjemTnhy9aeYRiWohqgfVwyuQRrvcR14d2BDjiEvgVMhTLyzT0366PCpD765X1voMKnsamklyRT_39OQx8g/s400/P1040206.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Storm clouds approaching</span><br /><br /></div><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlMVBCzl-D1PIIVtNN2FN_Bz3LWVqE_1w8A9rGXfKOIoleqOyJ4JCeM1CM8hdEqV2T9xks5T3JZIyaKJXQtIoPLkoLi1rfPbX0s_sZFfBo8mIzsQ8qm6QcnvMEbY41blNd2oLWoyHl5Y/s1600/P1040212.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744964906553794" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPlMVBCzl-D1PIIVtNN2FN_Bz3LWVqE_1w8A9rGXfKOIoleqOyJ4JCeM1CM8hdEqV2T9xks5T3JZIyaKJXQtIoPLkoLi1rfPbX0s_sZFfBo8mIzsQ8qm6QcnvMEbY41blNd2oLWoyHl5Y/s400/P1040212.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Waiting out the rain (Don't worry, E is not crying--just bored)</span><br /><br /></div><br />After Black Balsam Knob, the next peak we came to was Tennent Mountain (6,040'), which provides even more incredible views (since the entire hike along the balds is exposed, the views are basically never ending). The trail curls along the east side of Tennent Mountain before descending toward Ivestor Gap with only one more small hill in between. Water supply is the biggest challenge of a hike across the balds as you are entirely on the ridge. Luckily for us, the thunderstorms that rolled through earlier left plenty of puddles around and we filtered from a large puddle between Tennent and this small hill.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaI3KhWGYQm9WfQRyshWdfquS3mZpMVoiWTnGbNhxV2LdhsyhC_gaW2gPDuTF2QHiwixHB1CXG67dBxh7zqf4l8bBGT6WuawUVn8T06dsUtZt_6cGQBCRfSuT9ZtZvY5GyU3d0_xKSBL4/s1600/P1040216.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744967904944626" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaI3KhWGYQm9WfQRyshWdfquS3mZpMVoiWTnGbNhxV2LdhsyhC_gaW2gPDuTF2QHiwixHB1CXG67dBxh7zqf4l8bBGT6WuawUVn8T06dsUtZt_6cGQBCRfSuT9ZtZvY5GyU3d0_xKSBL4/s400/P1040216.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The trail up Tennent Mountain</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuy8AtrEbOT8GFcceeQxUHw7c-0vTuftMllc5O88Wsa9wsrtKiigSGQ7FyQCBho93-15GW-LkZmJFEh9sx7T26gE46HWQ67JukRzPhAH4KEXJbSuWsxKRBy_gNNzrivxLY1kASxinfRo/s1600/P1040217.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744970512498610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwuy8AtrEbOT8GFcceeQxUHw7c-0vTuftMllc5O88Wsa9wsrtKiigSGQ7FyQCBho93-15GW-LkZmJFEh9sx7T26gE46HWQ67JukRzPhAH4KEXJbSuWsxKRBy_gNNzrivxLY1kASxinfRo/s400/P1040217.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Looking back along the Art Loeb Trail</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT3zMmbAyGljU8xGKP3COgHMPqMVvI2EvtBYwl65U7I2UTNKgsmEy0VvmTCg0ByLva_ADMKJQ5Ymc-Vadwea7Cu_DJeFwgdh5oE4GPcVJMf6yJavHkeLA5tPcjbvVOoBpRHKVnvJsits/s1600/P1040234.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583744969318449058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxT3zMmbAyGljU8xGKP3COgHMPqMVvI2EvtBYwl65U7I2UTNKgsmEy0VvmTCg0ByLva_ADMKJQ5Ymc-Vadwea7Cu_DJeFwgdh5oE4GPcVJMf6yJavHkeLA5tPcjbvVOoBpRHKVnvJsits/s400/P1040234.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">On Tennent</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW1a2A-mer5Q1OCAlfs3rcz3YUavJ4cq0hMo16V81b6TDtzakZzkne8fQ97hM2puf2c14hgepE_Qe-o5EdLITwTZAe7QZxZqEOT1vX3JXmVWZODPPWg1Hj8l0vOFvn27U1ndFR_E4TbM/s1600/P1040246.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583745634048834642" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaW1a2A-mer5Q1OCAlfs3rcz3YUavJ4cq0hMo16V81b6TDtzakZzkne8fQ97hM2puf2c14hgepE_Qe-o5EdLITwTZAe7QZxZqEOT1vX3JXmVWZODPPWg1Hj8l0vOFvn27U1ndFR_E4TbM/s400/P1040246.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Descending to Ivestor Gap through wet, waist-high vegetation</span><br /><br /></div>We decided to start looking for a site to camp for our two-day hike. We saw three other tents already set up including an amazingly beautiful spot in a field in Ivestor Gap with views both east and west. Sadly, we didn't get this spot, but ours was pretty cool too. We camped right off the trail on a thick bed of grass on top of the hill between Tennent and Ivestor Gap with great views to the east and of Tennent Mountain. There was also a stand of large-ish trees nearby which we used to hang our bear bag. Camping is allowed anywhere in Pisgah National Forest, so it's really a finders-keepers sort of thing.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywu9gfiqHHkDI5ChvDl8vKJPk5_EPN4F34_NFP0GIuINPe23azrC6vPgIGcSn-cI4ACD6vJetzyhgwdxmNNuYGdDfuGI3La0ADENJz5NjgPeeQy9CO1U_8A_SKeRqFExks04brJlXBsU/s1600/P1040255.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583745639497503058" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiywu9gfiqHHkDI5ChvDl8vKJPk5_EPN4F34_NFP0GIuINPe23azrC6vPgIGcSn-cI4ACD6vJetzyhgwdxmNNuYGdDfuGI3La0ADENJz5NjgPeeQy9CO1U_8A_SKeRqFExks04brJlXBsU/s400/P1040255.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A lovely camping spot</span><br /><br /></div>The night got pretty cold--despite the 85 degree day, but I was comfortable in the 25 degree rated bag. E, on the other hand, slept wrapped in a blanket because she didn't have a lightweight sleeping bag and because we figured late June would be plenty warm. Well, that did not turn out to be quite correct, and she had a rather uncomfortable, cold night. We hit the trail at about 7 the next morning and began the last part of the hike through dewy grass that quickly soaked our socks (again).<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOg07xmsSx981h_ezFaDerDGpal2ssnq-Bx3UUf7I2d_uD0pGEVbWvXUmZXzGWwMcIFXNyIEqR7yYnMqHIOVuKIGFjnbH1pvX7S9VlujBTsgPbrzr6yM-60KpQSGjd8Mmft5nvSl-YPQ/s1600/P1040270.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583746087839959394" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwOg07xmsSx981h_ezFaDerDGpal2ssnq-Bx3UUf7I2d_uD0pGEVbWvXUmZXzGWwMcIFXNyIEqR7yYnMqHIOVuKIGFjnbH1pvX7S9VlujBTsgPbrzr6yM-60KpQSGjd8Mmft5nvSl-YPQ/s400/P1040270.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The next morning with dew on my lens<br /></span><br /></div>When you arrive in Ivestor Gap, several trails come together. First, take a moment to enjoy the view to the west one last time before descending the east side of the ridge. Then take the wide dirt trial on the right heading east. This is the Graveyard Ridge Trail again. This trail is pretty wide as it is supposedly for multiple use like horses, though I cannot imagine a horse walking on this trail covered with loose, small rocks. the trail winds around the east edges on the mountains before crossing Dark Prong, which is a beautiful, cold stream which we filtered to replenish our bottles. The trail continues and pretty quickly returns to the 4-way junction from yesterday. You want to go to the trail from which you came yesterday so go straight on the Graveyard Ridge Trail (right goes back up Black Balsam and left is the MST along Graveyard Ridge). From here just retrace your steps back to your car.<br /><br />Or, you could enjoy a quick side adventure to the base of Second Falls along Yellowstone prong. To get there, instead of going right across the bridge back to your car, go straight down the hill and you will eventually get to some stairs that take you to the base of the falls. It's a pretty impressive sight.<br /><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vlhF8wk8JuMcfIvvMDYqPCh45j40Jju38cqXi47BF6IQsI-1FnDEgj70LlT6KYCNoqMpgurXo4-PoKR9Y6CY_YXjQOBUrwQFWbKFmyVIdSYZZEJ0-uzl94e1qpAYOWTGydRmFr6Y7Dg/s1600/P1040320.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583746085528401122" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_vlhF8wk8JuMcfIvvMDYqPCh45j40Jju38cqXi47BF6IQsI-1FnDEgj70LlT6KYCNoqMpgurXo4-PoKR9Y6CY_YXjQOBUrwQFWbKFmyVIdSYZZEJ0-uzl94e1qpAYOWTGydRmFr6Y7Dg/s400/P1040320.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Second Falls</span><br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQVBL0vg22_IE54B06z-w9VGtrRgx6mJmTq9rFBTJTOTGYC0TBSX5AZQCNrtzCdOHrC3XV35QRNmH_aBBl9qvLuPGHN5FxQfmx_gATiuOb1Uj-7uJgCUZkNQulLqYpgMT-JFG-PvwE1s/s1600/P1040324.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5583746097372000018" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; CURSOR: pointer; HEIGHT: 286px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSQVBL0vg22_IE54B06z-w9VGtrRgx6mJmTq9rFBTJTOTGYC0TBSX5AZQCNrtzCdOHrC3XV35QRNmH_aBBl9qvLuPGHN5FxQfmx_gATiuOb1Uj-7uJgCUZkNQulLqYpgMT-JFG-PvwE1s/s400/P1040324.JPG" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">A beautiful and very cold-looking pool at the base of the falls</span><br /></div><br />This hike can be done in one day as long as you get an early enough start. Thunderstorms pop up pretty frequently in the mountains in summer, though, so be ready to revise your plans. This is easily my favorite hike in North Carolina so far. I hope to get back to the Art Loeb Trail again some day to hike its entire length. Below is a GPS-generated map of the hike.<br /><br /><br /><iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=787354&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/787354'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-55677058139292024692011-02-14T21:39:00.006-05:002012-12-09T20:52:21.715-05:00Lake Crabtree<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: The Lake Trail<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Cary, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: ~300'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: ~160'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 6.06<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: Take Exit 285 off I-40. Turn west on Aviation Pkwy (away from the airport). Entrance to the park will be on the left across from Gateway Centre. Park in the last parking lot and the trailhead is off the driveway connecting the lot to the park road.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree/default.htm"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://www.wakegov.com/parks/lakecrabtree/default.htm</span></a><br />
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If you're looking for an escape from the subdivisions and office parks of Cary and Morrisville, greenways are great options, but an even better one may be Lake Crabtree park. The blue-blazed Lake Trail hikes around the entire perimeter of Lake Crabtree negotiating trails in the woods, boardwalks over low lying areas, and paths along some busy roads and behind office parks in Cary and Morrisville. The first part of the trail is also a mountain biking trail so watch out for bikers especially around the hills near the beginning. The trail splits a couple times, but you can keep from getting lost if you stay right at all splits to remain along the lake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kWYptOKAq6UkUcxDlu85ag_2KDccPfTObJqTn2zL6ShBxYrrusN8GtlqtNcW1VNEN4KQkJ9Vg7vPWYPqNZEtmENZbQ0gxZdHtbMLzA_xRprDCZDP0nFOreqJf97dHRlPU6GifSBGoYs/s1600/P1040004.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7kWYptOKAq6UkUcxDlu85ag_2KDccPfTObJqTn2zL6ShBxYrrusN8GtlqtNcW1VNEN4KQkJ9Vg7vPWYPqNZEtmENZbQ0gxZdHtbMLzA_xRprDCZDP0nFOreqJf97dHRlPU6GifSBGoYs/s400/P1040004.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573747895236748530" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih7Bu5xk05AUK3KEkG4GNEFnqgBBihsu3w1w-hcavXoUJxO8sUyA5ZDZeo9kaC5HJYC3tv2s0lpkPnasS16fcc_2thwXM8yNP8ry2mhAo5rFDLrE-Gu-9jWVol8kQ_H0K2dPOpRsU0nM/s1600/P1040009.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgih7Bu5xk05AUK3KEkG4GNEFnqgBBihsu3w1w-hcavXoUJxO8sUyA5ZDZeo9kaC5HJYC3tv2s0lpkPnasS16fcc_2thwXM8yNP8ry2mhAo5rFDLrE-Gu-9jWVol8kQ_H0K2dPOpRsU0nM/s400/P1040009.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573747901992549058" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">A view toward the dam</span></div>
Not long after descending the hills at the beginning, the trail comes to the Heather Carr Memorial Overlook which provides a place to sit and observe the lake--Heather Carr was essential in creating the Lake Trail. The trail then curves along the lakeshore, right next to I-40, and then up the dam that creates Lake Crabtree. At this point, the trail joins Cary's Black Creek Greenway which is a paved path.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeiQVeaMllejDx-WRxfe2AN1Yn2rnFfIuGqZwrnD4RVtaRdKXyrTqmz8BmJZIP56F5OjZL1L1B73YCB6NrZtQs3U3G82GmzJAx2atHWPaV09pANmp4EtK1Jl6nrwAtQBdvcWTrTD9_vk/s1600/P1040015.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzeiQVeaMllejDx-WRxfe2AN1Yn2rnFfIuGqZwrnD4RVtaRdKXyrTqmz8BmJZIP56F5OjZL1L1B73YCB6NrZtQs3U3G82GmzJAx2atHWPaV09pANmp4EtK1Jl6nrwAtQBdvcWTrTD9_vk/s400/P1040015.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573747906456015138" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47Ez6IlPOiw8ItLYEDlo1tOWt3eynzyywTcVfZ3k1nX9jusL98APZXCwjz5jv4XFJyvwVEQLQmZDVSuGqRh_i8cddSNEVcD72R9oFDXu3a3MyrDDtesxOdBgz9DZ3pNmA1N1H65ww4vA/s1600/P1040018.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg47Ez6IlPOiw8ItLYEDlo1tOWt3eynzyywTcVfZ3k1nX9jusL98APZXCwjz5jv4XFJyvwVEQLQmZDVSuGqRh_i8cddSNEVcD72R9oFDXu3a3MyrDDtesxOdBgz9DZ3pNmA1N1H65ww4vA/s400/P1040018.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573747909703369170" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Dam outflow</span><br />
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Another observation deck/gazebo is on the greenway with a water fountain (and doggy water fountain). When the greenway reaches Weston Parkway (it's the bridge above), the Lake Trail splits off on a bridge over Black Creek on the right. From this point onward, the trail can be poorly marked, yet I never got lost just using my gut, and I trust most people will have the same luck. Like I mentioned before, as a general rule, go toward the lake at junctions and Ys ,and you will be okay.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaPj4QnN32ujt_aZPqI0E4sIa7dob4zie5X7TyYNaBtSY2B73DRoFLzhzNPo_kS0edQXk5peTjzrGGQakOyrqUIkZvrPq_Iopr0e5F0oyEkO15jOPhEKP7a8kuKP3Qvom0aHMSLlne1I/s1600/P1040021.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBaPj4QnN32ujt_aZPqI0E4sIa7dob4zie5X7TyYNaBtSY2B73DRoFLzhzNPo_kS0edQXk5peTjzrGGQakOyrqUIkZvrPq_Iopr0e5F0oyEkO15jOPhEKP7a8kuKP3Qvom0aHMSLlne1I/s400/P1040021.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573747916154272466" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Black Creek</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0_lVtEm_gBuID1tk5_K5spz-LEk6YQFHDHEEq897MkWZ8ytSLzy784Yf2eeB4dkdLlutscN_bHi5BI4p0uqudgcyMfu46iYV9m8TYfDhnonM6sMxvz8OfYUnJiKshfwpdpzXuZctkq0/s1600/P1040022.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid0_lVtEm_gBuID1tk5_K5spz-LEk6YQFHDHEEq897MkWZ8ytSLzy784Yf2eeB4dkdLlutscN_bHi5BI4p0uqudgcyMfu46iYV9m8TYfDhnonM6sMxvz8OfYUnJiKshfwpdpzXuZctkq0/s400/P1040022.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573748284422705634" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KMS7Osbbkp6OY74yK_fbIhQcoXcwjQ27lbxhZ22xO16UhHsywjYN8Srh5JAQ0-gRtauL_SmZwXuWKU0wuKb-FOYieWjw6Y5ugINjkFpAEzro8erDUefB6CKNl17gwFDDWTpXoMJqQs8/s1600/P1040025.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7KMS7Osbbkp6OY74yK_fbIhQcoXcwjQ27lbxhZ22xO16UhHsywjYN8Srh5JAQ0-gRtauL_SmZwXuWKU0wuKb-FOYieWjw6Y5ugINjkFpAEzro8erDUefB6CKNl17gwFDDWTpXoMJqQs8/s400/P1040025.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573748289398917234" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Low-lying area</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueIVchPJULwLYFEgyYoP-CRgvTem-4mJIcmu08WBbizaSIvsCYIfGovdGX0UtMnrz77Bk-JEEHEPILyLwxeXyxSZ_7aThnyi1aj0kSS4Z0bJbEBkVWKvSbtXirUzMFfN4g91gKdZFLxg/s1600/P1040026.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgueIVchPJULwLYFEgyYoP-CRgvTem-4mJIcmu08WBbizaSIvsCYIfGovdGX0UtMnrz77Bk-JEEHEPILyLwxeXyxSZ_7aThnyi1aj0kSS4Z0bJbEBkVWKvSbtXirUzMFfN4g91gKdZFLxg/s400/P1040026.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573748289786993858" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Hidden trail directly next to Evans Road</span><br />
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The trail winds through low lying areas that would probably be wet during rainy times but were completely dry when I went through. The trail then walks along Evans Road on a path tucked in some small trees before emerging to cross Crabtree Creek over a bridge. Next, the trail walks between the offices at Southport and the Lake for a little while before turning into the woods and emerging to walk along Aviation Parkway. Unlike Evans Road, the trail along Aviation Parkway is exposed with no tree cover and was extremely hot when I did the hike in the middle of summer. The trail then turns right into the woods and soon emerges into an open field which leads to a parking lot. If you parked here, then congratulations, you've completed the Lake Trail. If you parked by the trailhead, though, you need to walk right along the park road a bit to return to your car. A hike around Lake Crabtree is an interesting mix of urban and natural, and it provides a nice, new perspective of some areas that many of us drive by everyday. Below are several pictures and a GPS-generated map of the hike.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1T8uYn_AbUuyvHMTlIfpwZHj8laFZtG64KQgD61B93F9hfZRwhOmPxG6OHIVVw1nZ2UPVFigxliNdFc-k8Dwm8gu7MN9GpmROq4SPK53Q8LwOHkWUvAwVTbDoHxhHz55PsaZh8fPW2Mg/s1600/P1040027.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1T8uYn_AbUuyvHMTlIfpwZHj8laFZtG64KQgD61B93F9hfZRwhOmPxG6OHIVVw1nZ2UPVFigxliNdFc-k8Dwm8gu7MN9GpmROq4SPK53Q8LwOHkWUvAwVTbDoHxhHz55PsaZh8fPW2Mg/s400/P1040027.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573748294546333618" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Bridge (above) over Crabtree Creek (below)</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQTHyBeNluxDHqYTnxdZ2KfEluKrEyVEefwZ21cVIZ5LyMqf1UwZ90Y6ErwDSVHupVBxNqnzQR4wUaqfRBmgLCHIAg1vpr7gEluG_Vo4s00xZQFaRxzc9UMqifOrH1Y0tjb5GoNzhw14/s1600/P1040028.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTQTHyBeNluxDHqYTnxdZ2KfEluKrEyVEefwZ21cVIZ5LyMqf1UwZ90Y6ErwDSVHupVBxNqnzQR4wUaqfRBmgLCHIAg1vpr7gEluG_Vo4s00xZQFaRxzc9UMqifOrH1Y0tjb5GoNzhw14/s400/P1040028.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573748300628383890" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkecKn_DetPLlk99-wYnATAktRzC639RKKWSNdXvHB-G2Sja74DW_9LPqmbWyNcTA0ajhvX8klMECaS8vBh37nREJYA1enmg5tEDGFAXaGNdqs1K-3FvOJF5x5NsJRSQw8hNbmUHvZ2k/s1600/P1040033.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVkecKn_DetPLlk99-wYnATAktRzC639RKKWSNdXvHB-G2Sja74DW_9LPqmbWyNcTA0ajhvX8klMECaS8vBh37nREJYA1enmg5tEDGFAXaGNdqs1K-3FvOJF5x5NsJRSQw8hNbmUHvZ2k/s400/P1040033.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573753238117397538" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 286px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Boardwalk leading to Aviation Parkway</span><br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=778043&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/778043'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-497177599830858622011-01-31T20:49:00.006-05:002011-01-31T22:37:57.091-05:00Goals--UpdateWell I've gone about 10 months without providing an update on the progress I've made on my goals. So here it is (green=complete, blue=in progress, red=incomplete):<br /><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">33. Submit to a photo contest</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">54. Maintain hiking log and blog</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">55. Hike another 100 miles (starting distance: 96.25 miles)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">56. Buy new hiking boots (lighter, better fitting)</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">57. Buy new sleeping pad or tent</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">58. Go to </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Crabtree</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> Creek in </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Umstead</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> after a heavy rain when the creek is high</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo1eqU1qjmqYWl7Vcf2oFmKyq_EkTpsR3_yUuErPFSM9_QmhLyCKID-vQCkFr_aJRwKDBU93jdHdz_eBXzAfL01puxI1_fwrsm6QnTXlJNNZ26MsjM49DqeFA4rJoB9TTHj7V0pOfHaU/s1600/P1100904.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeo1eqU1qjmqYWl7Vcf2oFmKyq_EkTpsR3_yUuErPFSM9_QmhLyCKID-vQCkFr_aJRwKDBU93jdHdz_eBXzAfL01puxI1_fwrsm6QnTXlJNNZ26MsjM49DqeFA4rJoB9TTHj7V0pOfHaU/s400/P1100904.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547694124779202" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit63SR6RxRdqi-C3xpdyg3jUSa6FnAgQqacyaz37VKZYeHZK-svdwcp47iCcHUanklPuvLhMY1imfQEETD1DO4050iIL0xDgwxmDItpk0HbYiPnDBif1_qwdw04o982qpHhtUy3mYUfZY/s1600/P1100908.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit63SR6RxRdqi-C3xpdyg3jUSa6FnAgQqacyaz37VKZYeHZK-svdwcp47iCcHUanklPuvLhMY1imfQEETD1DO4050iIL0xDgwxmDItpk0HbYiPnDBif1_qwdw04o982qpHhtUy3mYUfZY/s400/P1100908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547696620109106" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2L8Qp8hiFutxVOhLIv3w-SSFZWxhX6XgvUfuCAbyC5u_FM2a1HB2-NmYl9Syfdf5ZcpZro9jOHwZoKINUkPEC6uy7yf9vrNSoE3Fe1HX61edhVzUfcJOFLVwvBixsHpuAb99Xaa1iMAQ/s1600/P1100934.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2L8Qp8hiFutxVOhLIv3w-SSFZWxhX6XgvUfuCAbyC5u_FM2a1HB2-NmYl9Syfdf5ZcpZro9jOHwZoKINUkPEC6uy7yf9vrNSoE3Fe1HX61edhVzUfcJOFLVwvBixsHpuAb99Xaa1iMAQ/s400/P1100934.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547707451430114" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49bKBIIDkdxmPNu2av5G75zwKvIVrP5zM03_p8ESogrHVptn7uhgAEvvZiG1P-cBxJJi-aUGkXgqnI23nCROHCZBxBUglji4MPgXykREvMrBL5e10uoOxj6V5Dcda2eWAkabXt8A3Yfo/s1600/P1100965.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg49bKBIIDkdxmPNu2av5G75zwKvIVrP5zM03_p8ESogrHVptn7uhgAEvvZiG1P-cBxJJi-aUGkXgqnI23nCROHCZBxBUglji4MPgXykREvMrBL5e10uoOxj6V5Dcda2eWAkabXt8A3Yfo/s400/P1100965.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568547716074338082" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">59. Go winter camping--in the snow</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">60. Traverse the </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Tobacco_Trail">American Tobacco Trail</a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> (can be in sections)</span><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuh9aa3ocCjrV5iuHQc7YMixzPVIcSFl4ZR9cgK-5BKtrvkPjqtsZ49knm8hYMgQPqsw7cdLhLgakpjCEOMleIONTN3BXvlr4-XjsHhJFM4_XdwKlG0CCuIFsd68Lp6h0KpJXqhJS9eA8/s1600/photo%25285%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuh9aa3ocCjrV5iuHQc7YMixzPVIcSFl4ZR9cgK-5BKtrvkPjqtsZ49knm8hYMgQPqsw7cdLhLgakpjCEOMleIONTN3BXvlr4-XjsHhJFM4_XdwKlG0CCuIFsd68Lp6h0KpJXqhJS9eA8/s400/photo%25285%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568553813711654258" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-31DIdFBMiYFaUsMyCDqMtu9t3RsPK3JT_eKMyGQQywDC1MS_cNdh-izT-47gO4xX3o2i1vGPVgNmgxyW4T7E_ot2mGEJ-HzjQfUqrDq1BSG4Zi77NCAfJNiV89MnsGQ5xYRt0lW5xn8/s1600/photo%25286%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-31DIdFBMiYFaUsMyCDqMtu9t3RsPK3JT_eKMyGQQywDC1MS_cNdh-izT-47gO4xX3o2i1vGPVgNmgxyW4T7E_ot2mGEJ-HzjQfUqrDq1BSG4Zi77NCAfJNiV89MnsGQ5xYRt0lW5xn8/s400/photo%25286%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568553813410275634" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">61. Bike the paved portion of the </span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">ATT</span><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> with E</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">62. Backpack for three nights in a row or more</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">63. Kayak at least once per year</span> (below pictures from Platte River in Michigan)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zYsBzWIYEFQlpUCZ5StCR-HTvaK3KS3fHNlI2FphkcnXADvFvZev-tIr5cTMi-Wb2eDrVLYO3IGK0-y6R2Vw692_I7SOtbFBbed9SJ0AIIbfr5e14Qh38micxEeYzBAjdbt9tr6Xfmg/s1600/P1050425.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0zYsBzWIYEFQlpUCZ5StCR-HTvaK3KS3fHNlI2FphkcnXADvFvZev-tIr5cTMi-Wb2eDrVLYO3IGK0-y6R2Vw692_I7SOtbFBbed9SJ0AIIbfr5e14Qh38micxEeYzBAjdbt9tr6Xfmg/s400/P1050425.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568553818215671922" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9JGTJGQeUoxhPU-V4bpgcPoiUNrgiVitUA8LWk2fLnfSk-Uv3M6_ndp6gR8F2bhFecShiJiHr99O9ap6BOH0Qm0UkdEsJzE4xzS1l0lwqC42I4dkOkZdkiq7c-SdNZqCp_UyoZWN2IM/s1600/P1050457.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf9JGTJGQeUoxhPU-V4bpgcPoiUNrgiVitUA8LWk2fLnfSk-Uv3M6_ndp6gR8F2bhFecShiJiHr99O9ap6BOH0Qm0UkdEsJzE4xzS1l0lwqC42I4dkOkZdkiq7c-SdNZqCp_UyoZWN2IM/s400/P1050457.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568553818342710834" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">64. Camp in three seasons</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">65. Go on a </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://johntakesahike.blogspot.com/2010/02/northern-presidentials-pre-planning-and.html"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Presidentials</span></a><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);"> crew reunion hike each year</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">66. Summit a greater than 10,000 foot peak</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">67. Visit two of the following parks: Yosemite, Zion, Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Glacier, Grand Tetons, Rocky Mountain, Bryce Canyon</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">70. Begin section-hiking the </span><a style="color: rgb(255, 0, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_Trail">AT</a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">76. Hike a </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Appalachian_balds">southern bald</a> (below pictures at Black Balsam Knob and Tennent Mountain in Pisgah National Forest in western NC--full post on this amazing trip coming soon!)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsCZCVsEYs0wF8IZLm_JPtAKaaHbrcJ3UL-2byWP8YmDn4gxiQe64_f3f7N237CVdYQjAy-RMEgBib0iBqt1Xzj7y9cR8d2h-aGtVSutGpUAP8NpQfW-KDW2dBjjUgLKkbu9VtfioGvI/s1600/P1040216.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOsCZCVsEYs0wF8IZLm_JPtAKaaHbrcJ3UL-2byWP8YmDn4gxiQe64_f3f7N237CVdYQjAy-RMEgBib0iBqt1Xzj7y9cR8d2h-aGtVSutGpUAP8NpQfW-KDW2dBjjUgLKkbu9VtfioGvI/s400/P1040216.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568558088827347186" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2WWZ9BtiMFCumT242WVPF8MpvhtzMkIPfQS7fIFOJF2-PtJ6s4c1NkD1hDzeq0hBddz3iFedl7IcuYVbxljBfWG7v_A22r64freOI-OmXiilH6Wi6BcF2USSEnQC7qiGYZF20_dTxiI/s1600/P1040217.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH2WWZ9BtiMFCumT242WVPF8MpvhtzMkIPfQS7fIFOJF2-PtJ6s4c1NkD1hDzeq0hBddz3iFedl7IcuYVbxljBfWG7v_A22r64freOI-OmXiilH6Wi6BcF2USSEnQC7qiGYZF20_dTxiI/s400/P1040217.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568558093672584658" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdVnhJbebe8hXzZdM1Yb8WArlEv3Fd8ShQGoNn0dJD30v6d7EMJkxzlOHBS3WqgPF0MyRCK-tKnruwqM8d6wurgU1ex_bjJj2ywJJIQKopY8h9pKcj5jN3d4LlR62Rzibx40jSN8wTYc/s1600/P1040235.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqdVnhJbebe8hXzZdM1Yb8WArlEv3Fd8ShQGoNn0dJD30v6d7EMJkxzlOHBS3WqgPF0MyRCK-tKnruwqM8d6wurgU1ex_bjJj2ywJJIQKopY8h9pKcj5jN3d4LlR62Rzibx40jSN8wTYc/s400/P1040235.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568558093009225698" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">98. Walk every </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">greenway</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);"> that is a mile or longer in </span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);" class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Morrisville</span><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 255);">, Cary, and Raleigh</span><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">100. Compete in a </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://backwoodsok.org/">Backwoods Orienteering <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Klub</span></a><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);"> race</span> (BOK race in Umstead State Park)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wJeoCbOBKFxcblDakftC9Ega1NsPFLFA5hM0taPi9XL0Nbl1vfy79uKQOX8Vibt-cw9ggbus5TYp1CYAnXntC-zl7Rql-7oKHsnuBJEdQfh6OlyTd3by5IZdpM34zGNjL6_jUtCWBfY/s1600/photo%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wJeoCbOBKFxcblDakftC9Ega1NsPFLFA5hM0taPi9XL0Nbl1vfy79uKQOX8Vibt-cw9ggbus5TYp1CYAnXntC-zl7Rql-7oKHsnuBJEdQfh6OlyTd3by5IZdpM34zGNjL6_jUtCWBfY/s400/photo%25282%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568555168275894514" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mJfV2m5es0rITMRrg2SwZKEvkLI8p-7NyoHA6SA9TZfEDP4WrWcm9spJe7vKAMMcXx2T3bPBMgITQ4VdHysT1JEr_oZpQUICcJayiYy8HsIEU7zTwkhEronPrG2WbDOzfGb7q5QItfw/s1600/photo%25283%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2mJfV2m5es0rITMRrg2SwZKEvkLI8p-7NyoHA6SA9TZfEDP4WrWcm9spJe7vKAMMcXx2T3bPBMgITQ4VdHysT1JEr_oZpQUICcJayiYy8HsIEU7zTwkhEronPrG2WbDOzfGb7q5QItfw/s400/photo%25283%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568555173273028642" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);">101. Compete in a </span><a style="color: rgb(0, 153, 0);" href="http://www.greaturbanrace.com/">Great Urban Race</a> (Charlotte GUR--we came in about 250th out of 500 teams)<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_n-5LAqRlaBGZoUr0OOiusgIzpOnNh0KdBg7vVoVF4mEbrpcTPtLor4RJfPI1O3URPbCsU_TO5-VXJ3Jix0q8xDfIly4kVs8_HHpFVLmkiwywPfL90mKviiUlrzOu6maYr0f1uJZ9Fo/s1600/photo%25287%2529.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhB_n-5LAqRlaBGZoUr0OOiusgIzpOnNh0KdBg7vVoVF4mEbrpcTPtLor4RJfPI1O3URPbCsU_TO5-VXJ3Jix0q8xDfIly4kVs8_HHpFVLmkiwywPfL90mKviiUlrzOu6maYr0f1uJZ9Fo/s400/photo%25287%2529.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568555179009133746" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7m1V6RtftQpXaND7oheo-Zz1BhVFluxmQUasm7JDaYYXWUEea9zDjCNggureQH3vVdr9K_iBlqAdCkRAzq1iA23G3SqxJAzUyBC42uXXQQUWyBx0g3VLFfxCT-zs0uqc_dsqwxJ5Q0I/s1600/DSC04068.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd7m1V6RtftQpXaND7oheo-Zz1BhVFluxmQUasm7JDaYYXWUEea9zDjCNggureQH3vVdr9K_iBlqAdCkRAzq1iA23G3SqxJAzUyBC42uXXQQUWyBx0g3VLFfxCT-zs0uqc_dsqwxJ5Q0I/s400/DSC04068.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5568555184664315554" border="0" /></a>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-77021018444327010112011-01-25T13:00:00.000-05:002012-12-09T20:50:40.911-05:00Eno River-Buckquarter Creek/Holden's Mill<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Buckquarter Creek/Holden's Mill Circuit<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Eno River State Park<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Durham<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 669'<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 465'<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 3.9<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: <strong></strong><strong> </strong>Take Exit 170 from I-85 onto US-70 W. Take first right onto Pleasant Green Rd. Turn left on Cole Mill Rd and follow to the parking at Piper Cox House.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php</a><br /><br />This circuit connects two loop trails that meet at Buckquarter Creek. The hike begins next to the Piper Cox House. Trail maps are available at the trailhead. It is a short walk down to Fews Ford on the river where Buckquarter Creek goes right. Quickly the loop begins. Going right takes you up on a hill above the river, going left walks right along a path on the side of the bluff above the Eno. I went right to save the better scenery for later.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYq_G1NHzydCdLKfBpzM2P5TDgTbFJFy7aXJLSMuZytMGRMP_Vy8vWkU-jIM-2Okf83JT2KYFNXjEPQuuCXReYg_SOj0_fqfmW_W62GAZAS1-b8jNW4ojU0b512IJyE7fRgi17BpXOyfk/s1600/P1030917.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYq_G1NHzydCdLKfBpzM2P5TDgTbFJFy7aXJLSMuZytMGRMP_Vy8vWkU-jIM-2Okf83JT2KYFNXjEPQuuCXReYg_SOj0_fqfmW_W62GAZAS1-b8jNW4ojU0b512IJyE7fRgi17BpXOyfk/s400/P1030917.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565958892414612418" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The start of the hike</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdmld_asK-9beXF3xCkHjA9Xb47RFei4t1MPJgN8bPmeGKvKtX4XgWEbwTPuMyN02XFCH-bGKsUMobp39jiNXIJoO39hdo55OpHuNO5SzBI-s4_19uiJV3v-7COq90bAH2GclmtjHtTw/s1600/P1030861.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHdmld_asK-9beXF3xCkHjA9Xb47RFei4t1MPJgN8bPmeGKvKtX4XgWEbwTPuMyN02XFCH-bGKsUMobp39jiNXIJoO39hdo55OpHuNO5SzBI-s4_19uiJV3v-7COq90bAH2GclmtjHtTw/s400/P1030861.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565958899487147970" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Lots of green</span><br /><br /></div><br />The trail meets a Y, where you should stay left to reach the farthest point of the loop. Here, you can either continue for a shorter loop, or cross the bridge over Buckquarter Creek to add in the Holden's Mill Trail. The loop for Holden's Mill begins immediately after crossing the bridge. Again, you can go either way, but I chose right first to come back along the river. The trail then begins a long, but not-too-steep climb up a ridge to the top of a hill above the Eno. Unfortunately, at least in the summer, there are no views although I did spot a deer hightailing it in the other direction. The trail emerges in a power line cut that provides some views, then descends to a small creek. At this creek, you can either cross for a quick loop out to the ruins of Holden's Mill or continue on this side of the creek for a shorter hike.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qyyI2DTvJLMySdlW_kytrORxHNWWhtHtTl5Bk216gUkgCDIrEaoR_q916Yy1-0qb-UhTmJ90_PpunWRpaLy1LJR4Xfiwl1G90FnvZ-8AbX6ZuDKVh-qFJcUleOFN5FLNWDon_COF9fU/s1600/P1030863.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0qyyI2DTvJLMySdlW_kytrORxHNWWhtHtTl5Bk216gUkgCDIrEaoR_q916Yy1-0qb-UhTmJ90_PpunWRpaLy1LJR4Xfiwl1G90FnvZ-8AbX6ZuDKVh-qFJcUleOFN5FLNWDon_COF9fU/s400/P1030863.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565958906729297330" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Crossing Buckquarter Creek to the Holden's Mill Trail</span><br /><br /></div><br />I crossed the stream to go to the mill. The trail splits for another loop, and I, again, went right. The trail rises up a small hill and then looks down on the mill. There are three large stone walls visible, which seem to have been the mill and the water wheel canal. Also visible down next to the river are the remains of a dam. Continue along the trail and it will drop you down to the river, along which you will hike all the way back to your car. The lower side of the loop takes you to the remains of the dam. The trail down here is sometimes hard to distinguish as it climbs over boulders, and even where it is obvious, it is narrower and a little more overgrown with grasses, but just stay along the river, and you are sure not to get lost. Just use your common sense on where the trail should go and you'll be fine--I never got lost with this method. At the point where it seems like the trail goes down the mill canal, stay right to walk along the river and not in the mill canal. This trail will eventually take you right up to the ruins where you could explore them, if you wanted, but I didn't because I'm sure snakes just love hiding out in all those rocks.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS41DIpPbXiTDYn50sbau3byOjMDd6S5FZzZhIOQkQxp9bfOcOMSNXZQyT9XQ2RIpupGih2Qokd0752qNU8rfgNjSKv5IzsE5fUjZh6ebazfjRLl1M9zlVD50ri7p_5CBELhLdBffyy4/s1600/P1030886.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqS41DIpPbXiTDYn50sbau3byOjMDd6S5FZzZhIOQkQxp9bfOcOMSNXZQyT9XQ2RIpupGih2Qokd0752qNU8rfgNjSKv5IzsE5fUjZh6ebazfjRLl1M9zlVD50ri7p_5CBELhLdBffyy4/s400/P1030886.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565961282914847618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">I love the Eno</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaftWwFq5C76zRZyFiBx2BuWkyPOf3WlDdGoLvWG1TrzGPdWyLbSNnQlqU3qtUZyFaV3SCHkx4Dzp0VSEYNVhH-SeERhZq-QevfCSVYHhg7xcitxLeKxBnjcQAxBiswmodLxaQ1kOsvZU/s1600/P1030891.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaftWwFq5C76zRZyFiBx2BuWkyPOf3WlDdGoLvWG1TrzGPdWyLbSNnQlqU3qtUZyFaV3SCHkx4Dzp0VSEYNVhH-SeERhZq-QevfCSVYHhg7xcitxLeKxBnjcQAxBiswmodLxaQ1kOsvZU/s400/P1030891.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565961288867758722" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Holden's Mill</span><br /><br /></div><br />Continue along the river in a really neat section with lots of boulders that reminds me a lot of rivers in New England. The trail returns to the small creek where you should go right to finish the Holden's Mill Loop. The trail continues over large boulders, crosses under power lines, then turns up Buckquarter Creek to cross back over the bridge to return to Buckquarter Creek Trail (go right to finish the loop), which follows the river. The trail here is exposed and can get quite hot on a sunny summer day, but it is pretty scenic too as it rises right above the river climbing over stone stairs, walking along a beautiful cascade, and over wooden stairs before returning to Fews Ford, from where it is a short walk to your car.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiock8aW-A0WC0unCCIKwjRT0OF7GEg0QAdGWTJNcz62idutzFuzvNvszyWausXULqJ9uYARsoHxtibG7TxVV5-GQLr3jXH6xTI6qZ3ZWdREJxfA7WMy1T8W4h2JePzGAc06hBuHG_liXw/s1600/P1030900.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiock8aW-A0WC0unCCIKwjRT0OF7GEg0QAdGWTJNcz62idutzFuzvNvszyWausXULqJ9uYARsoHxtibG7TxVV5-GQLr3jXH6xTI6qZ3ZWdREJxfA7WMy1T8W4h2JePzGAc06hBuHG_liXw/s400/P1030900.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565961293180035826" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Big rocks on the Eno</span><br /><br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhML4MwgNPMLwnqpbSXD_tnY6WDspcK54ep51WGBG8MaZQBmJtr2LRaeJ4e0Cik_Rehp6rq-rIqXnn0owAZNo3UWD17aiKF2BtkQmZKYNMXDWqqQ3AZEmOG3ms4iykgNWBKXN_ZDLHZ0IE/s1600/P1030908.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhML4MwgNPMLwnqpbSXD_tnY6WDspcK54ep51WGBG8MaZQBmJtr2LRaeJ4e0Cik_Rehp6rq-rIqXnn0owAZNo3UWD17aiKF2BtkQmZKYNMXDWqqQ3AZEmOG3ms4iykgNWBKXN_ZDLHZ0IE/s400/P1030908.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565963143107932482" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xg1lVzy7EyHKo683444c3jTNOXfFKs2pGaud86ITB-Sod8OT5dSbqmdRZGi2O9Crjd606qobal1zeRc2XyHNG5U4704TIPXACLaH6i6nPRwy7EqC9OrpCl4hCBMcIlknfsvu58FhgHU/s1600/P1030911.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1Xg1lVzy7EyHKo683444c3jTNOXfFKs2pGaud86ITB-Sod8OT5dSbqmdRZGi2O9Crjd606qobal1zeRc2XyHNG5U4704TIPXACLaH6i6nPRwy7EqC9OrpCl4hCBMcIlknfsvu58FhgHU/s400/P1030911.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565963150787630370" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Buckquarter Creek Trail rising above the Eno</span><br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZCon_I7u4kpX4uFdXNdO64IUT51PpAuOdxgREpl3fpei-EkrUZb4rsN4EWgZrU8UjYYpu6GBHoUFaM71xTENdEI2ZDcTcrEpJ1QsF3lU0x1vfFF1SHgUYcmRhmPUAiodr1qpAeyd9LE/s1600/P1030914.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimZCon_I7u4kpX4uFdXNdO64IUT51PpAuOdxgREpl3fpei-EkrUZb4rsN4EWgZrU8UjYYpu6GBHoUFaM71xTENdEI2ZDcTcrEpJ1QsF3lU0x1vfFF1SHgUYcmRhmPUAiodr1qpAeyd9LE/s400/P1030914.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565963151805951842" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The great swimming spot on the Eno</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">Below is a GPS-generated map of this hike.<br /><br /></div><br /></div>
<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=766833&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/766833'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-40336141702505233572011-01-24T21:20:00.004-05:002012-12-09T20:48:31.675-05:00Occoneechee Mountain<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Occoneechee Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Occoneechee Mountain State Natural Area<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Hillsborough<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 867'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 455'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 3.2<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: <b></b><b> </b>Take either Exit 261 from I-40 or Exit 164 from I-85. Head north on Old North Carolina 86. Turn L on Orange Grove Rd. Turn R on Virginia Cates Rd, park in the dirt lot.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/ocmo/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/ocmo/main.php</a><br />
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At 867 feet, Occoneechee Mountain is the highest point in the Triangle. It provides a nice workout compared to relative flatness of many Triangle hikes. There are trail maps at the trailhead along with a pit toilet. The trail is mostly dirt with occasional gravel.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVgZ-JIdMyVgOoENdU23d7rNoKina8fuJhs9Ks6TruGjDVT3LKsBBEMJ7ezynQRINwnJbGAzSbcEiQ2nsdjkyu6EEH4lD_My7C5Usss4O562GY11MUxOGvVBHEthUS_R3sqrSPctzP-Y/s1600/P1030825.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAVgZ-JIdMyVgOoENdU23d7rNoKina8fuJhs9Ks6TruGjDVT3LKsBBEMJ7ezynQRINwnJbGAzSbcEiQ2nsdjkyu6EEH4lD_My7C5Usss4O562GY11MUxOGvVBHEthUS_R3sqrSPctzP-Y/s400/P1030825.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565946055173349458" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The trail skirting around the mountain</span><br />
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The trail leaves the parking lot going up and eventually skirting around the summit. It then curves around the far side of the mountain along the Eno River before arriving at an imposing view of the old quarry that was here.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUqzpnsI7UYNoSsmLpLXeAbvRuT0n6jRym8Jn0OSaMcZjNmAMPqqhiYzejHqFtXHsSsXkvDWsVW9z3MWPOE9XWJiB6wORkU49KzH4RiAzW6LqnZ9cduH50ktx1zDNFhW4z6BXrgJJBd4/s1600/P1030842.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUqzpnsI7UYNoSsmLpLXeAbvRuT0n6jRym8Jn0OSaMcZjNmAMPqqhiYzejHqFtXHsSsXkvDWsVW9z3MWPOE9XWJiB6wORkU49KzH4RiAzW6LqnZ9cduH50ktx1zDNFhW4z6BXrgJJBd4/s400/P1030842.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565946057848611698" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Eno River</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjij0DwasxfypK_vs1mChlyflbRDeH-RRa4zAzdq0R1JbU6xAd56CdvUZu7upk86SdgusKFQ7_pSy6NokpMqQZA3fpsrvPHijG4epPlvR4DIKLwjCLyyAyVLt3Pl8ML-2tzzVZN-SoK8/s1600/P1030843.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIjij0DwasxfypK_vs1mChlyflbRDeH-RRa4zAzdq0R1JbU6xAd56CdvUZu7upk86SdgusKFQ7_pSy6NokpMqQZA3fpsrvPHijG4epPlvR4DIKLwjCLyyAyVLt3Pl8ML-2tzzVZN-SoK8/s400/P1030843.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565946063239280098" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Trail between bluffs and the Eno</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH715y-N-ffIMwdhnJFxBHP__uZ_m-dRRm-EelCTo8FO290gmYunaIX1rno4yqkLlzmD7lOr7-wCR7UqnUbYYxZlPXE4TEaPWtXPzkhrG9R06t5kRXRGpDlWMFPZwFqKg9zLUw_RLBO4w/s1600/P1030848.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiH715y-N-ffIMwdhnJFxBHP__uZ_m-dRRm-EelCTo8FO290gmYunaIX1rno4yqkLlzmD7lOr7-wCR7UqnUbYYxZlPXE4TEaPWtXPzkhrG9R06t5kRXRGpDlWMFPZwFqKg9zLUw_RLBO4w/s400/P1030848.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565948089520116226" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The old quarry</span><br />
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The trail then climbs to an overlook from the top of the quarry, which was closed when we were there due to instability and rock slides.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8L_eMwd5i6u-Kq3xQWuITv5bdoXTtfo36RxSjq2y1JBhKiD372Sus4ngDw82c2WCXTso-p5cdzDxHD5DPzZMoSqpsPvBmTobxnjc6rBdFXA9-qlZlHTEjOhCDI-qkKbs43TTOyBF_wU/s1600/P1030850.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO8L_eMwd5i6u-Kq3xQWuITv5bdoXTtfo36RxSjq2y1JBhKiD372Sus4ngDw82c2WCXTso-p5cdzDxHD5DPzZMoSqpsPvBmTobxnjc6rBdFXA9-qlZlHTEjOhCDI-qkKbs43TTOyBF_wU/s400/P1030850.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565948093328234162" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Sounds scary to me</span><br />
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The hike continues to the summit along a gravel auto road. The summit is not very impressive with no views to speak of, and the summit is dominated by a large communications tower. Backtrack to the Cox Mountain Loop and continue around the mountain through thick stands of mountain laurel--rare in the Triangle, past two ponds, and back to the parking lot. A hike at Occoneechee is best followed up with an ice cream at the nearby <a href="http://www.mapleviewfarm.com/">Maple View Farms</a>. Below is a GPS-generated map of this hike.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMkNWLjVUuIxNU_Jdx-c3ftxwE6_oe5OCrOVA8t2C7oFsHXAOmBuJaBkIXqD9NXZ7KYX0fQw_wlQKF84WfeOyV4NmtQ7xqJwFFOHwuyYq5MX29XJPhAYWxuj100LnnNIsT2zPmEmPh0w/s1600/P1030855.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiMkNWLjVUuIxNU_Jdx-c3ftxwE6_oe5OCrOVA8t2C7oFsHXAOmBuJaBkIXqD9NXZ7KYX0fQw_wlQKF84WfeOyV4NmtQ7xqJwFFOHwuyYq5MX29XJPhAYWxuj100LnnNIsT2zPmEmPh0w/s400/P1030855.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565948099812262866" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<iframe frameborder='0' scrolling='no' width='420' height='400' marginheight='0' marginwidth='0' src='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=766239&w=420&h=400'>This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/766239'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-27501967841461785022011-01-23T21:27:00.005-05:002012-12-09T17:49:58.148-05:00Eno River-Cox Mountain<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Cox Mountain<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Eno River State Park<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Durham<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 674'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 485'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 4.39<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: <b></b>Take Exit 170 off I-85 onto US-70 West. Take first right onto Pleasant Green Rd. Follow signs. Go left on Cole Mill Rd, enter the park, and follow road to the end for parking and trailhead.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/enri/main.php</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDRDKidCnSwAtefzrTVbPu2C7F5O1gXrDnl660VDeBEqC6HZ8O2ZynGDYZSyX0m1ZT0DjNVCZkFWorJUhxjgDXpVNQdbRZOn_Fz8Y2xw8aI5taLjYJ8_7L_d5JCw5yND8Lj8b3Es6Rsc/s1600/P1030761.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDRDKidCnSwAtefzrTVbPu2C7F5O1gXrDnl660VDeBEqC6HZ8O2ZynGDYZSyX0m1ZT0DjNVCZkFWorJUhxjgDXpVNQdbRZOn_Fz8Y2xw8aI5taLjYJ8_7L_d5JCw5yND8Lj8b3Es6Rsc/s400/P1030761.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565594153545537474" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Stairs down to the Eno</span><br />
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Maps are available at the trailhead. Follow the cement sidewalk through the picnic area to the trail which leads down a hill. Follow this trail which will bring you down to the Eno River and eventually to a suspension foot bridge. Cross the bridge, which can be a bit exciting as the bridge bounces and swings with each step. Continue on the trail until the trail splits. At this point, the loop begins, and you can either go left or continue straight. I went left to get the climb out of the way at the beginning of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGt493gu0NUResrIatmNypnZGSUENBICrn1gcHWisOdrWiD1VizeQ_J5JXOkfEYO88o9Fh3S6bXDcCIcXHH8Aq1WfkaTNUaiYQ0THEYKvQ5xHqe50HUTaI9SPk8_Y3nzJHSaj_4kMgo8/s1600/P1030768.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCGt493gu0NUResrIatmNypnZGSUENBICrn1gcHWisOdrWiD1VizeQ_J5JXOkfEYO88o9Fh3S6bXDcCIcXHH8Aq1WfkaTNUaiYQ0THEYKvQ5xHqe50HUTaI9SPk8_Y3nzJHSaj_4kMgo8/s400/P1030768.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565594167071573010" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Swinging bridge</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYML-wU2Z5kYMoh-0WVP3kpB3KnzQiMnXOUtVErDg2-KZNkQhC-Rz_olRi5q4S0AYIjRLLqvft_-xXCeskgJr4yLpEy1NpfrJAFByEqv3VhOTDCZ5qShFrEOdJAcLVfz3xdhKY6dcd3oM/s1600/P1030770.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYML-wU2Z5kYMoh-0WVP3kpB3KnzQiMnXOUtVErDg2-KZNkQhC-Rz_olRi5q4S0AYIjRLLqvft_-xXCeskgJr4yLpEy1NpfrJAFByEqv3VhOTDCZ5qShFrEOdJAcLVfz3xdhKY6dcd3oM/s400/P1030770.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565594172633640482" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Across the Eno</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkL4yGLRlRAzRjDoFkiD3mFA476ZcyTH-1fRh8N6XT_4W8fs2FquNCy5yJk60fT-tEzYFKRLs1BE7VnUOCi7cpfeUnnaYjuuOPU3lEx8ZE_fzmqXCIsXfyp_nnFA-WvJ8D-ufdJJ9txA/s1600/P1030774.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtkL4yGLRlRAzRjDoFkiD3mFA476ZcyTH-1fRh8N6XT_4W8fs2FquNCy5yJk60fT-tEzYFKRLs1BE7VnUOCi7cpfeUnnaYjuuOPU3lEx8ZE_fzmqXCIsXfyp_nnFA-WvJ8D-ufdJJ9txA/s400/P1030774.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565596162610575922" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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The trail climbs pretty steeply for a while before reaching a cut in the forest for power lines near the summit. The trail then descends down the other side of the hill back to the Eno. Follow the trail along the Eno where you will see some cascades, several turtles, and I also saw a pool of water about 3 feet deep on the opposite side of the trail from the river with 5 fish in it. They must have gotten trapped there after a heavy rain when the river was high. I wonder how long that pool a) has been there and b) will last, especially now that it's summer and temps will be in the 90s for the next few months.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5bzb2m1AIoSrTwDS84yRaEDOZSxjQBt9nBCkPH94BnH7B9_GaLUuUSsI-8a_TJgfTNiAjBO80mK5wpJRXSd8KIKq196NKB8HaowIzXe2BC2eAZsGIG1ig-YYzZB5hVbgi7f0hsCsY7A/s1600/P1030780.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgp5bzb2m1AIoSrTwDS84yRaEDOZSxjQBt9nBCkPH94BnH7B9_GaLUuUSsI-8a_TJgfTNiAjBO80mK5wpJRXSd8KIKq196NKB8HaowIzXe2BC2eAZsGIG1ig-YYzZB5hVbgi7f0hsCsY7A/s400/P1030780.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565596170101413730" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Near the summit of Cox Mountain in the power line cut</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmshXmvpXv4LHYkE6ke_I6kdmRkxOCmjs4_UMhb2DK1n-F3TjviElLaJb3Q6u2vXaL3Y8AyAY69JzuTL1Crdd1tMUzpSZm_kXRp-I14r9HJQn8sqgxvyLsp_O2s9RpU60Au23ymMvz80/s1600/P1030787.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEmshXmvpXv4LHYkE6ke_I6kdmRkxOCmjs4_UMhb2DK1n-F3TjviElLaJb3Q6u2vXaL3Y8AyAY69JzuTL1Crdd1tMUzpSZm_kXRp-I14r9HJQn8sqgxvyLsp_O2s9RpU60Au23ymMvz80/s400/P1030787.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565596167569999218" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Back to the Eno</span><br />
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The trail then turns away from the river and crosses power lines. At the next trail junction, you can go right to complete the loop and retrace your steps back to the parking. I chose to go left, though, and recommend doing the same. This brings you through the campground at Fanny's Ford (I wanted to check out the campground in case I want to camp here sometime in the future). Walk through the entire campground, past the pit toilet, and back to the river, and turn right. This trail walks along the river through a very neat section where the river goes through a long cascade around and over rocks, including a section with a small waterfall followed by a pool, which leads into another small waterfall. Several people were swimming in this section of the river, and I was very envious seeing as it was absolutely beautiful, and I was very hot on this 90 degree day.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBf_iM4WSJJRrYwJBgMjYvJOBmYJ_rjiLPTRoKV2jDWxLQDVpqcktMEqCZjtIgiLHZRfqHUn8qYh305VrdUAXOJrG9oHDaubiCT0PjgKLSNk5AeLSeqfSQeXQdgGMFW2dMCOa04_6sgk4/s1600/P1030806.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBf_iM4WSJJRrYwJBgMjYvJOBmYJ_rjiLPTRoKV2jDWxLQDVpqcktMEqCZjtIgiLHZRfqHUn8qYh305VrdUAXOJrG9oHDaubiCT0PjgKLSNk5AeLSeqfSQeXQdgGMFW2dMCOa04_6sgk4/s400/P1030806.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565937684078802082" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RmIwh54rvV97cgZX2gHmw4T3Yq3sXx4u3FSNQS6LCTB-d1tMiABFPK7A1mZ9nidoN6oVTMsuPuxcAZHFms4kFZk2x42kfVbl68Sf29Vt4a3Z5OtJnCF8LyIhvAciJ30HmyXZ2pqBuxM/s1600/P1030812.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8RmIwh54rvV97cgZX2gHmw4T3Yq3sXx4u3FSNQS6LCTB-d1tMiABFPK7A1mZ9nidoN6oVTMsuPuxcAZHFms4kFZk2x42kfVbl68Sf29Vt4a3Z5OtJnCF8LyIhvAciJ30HmyXZ2pqBuxM/s400/P1030812.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565937696798325218" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Popular swimming hole</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz15251vlPDxltRdHPk9R3RoH2nL5p_NG2zJsdRMVOXAtMOs-mIgoxdA_KTH3eJsny8Nm_rJJZ0gi9cYmaokL5T-4idVtRBezBj8wttyOGGHXG3klZ_1nFHcsv5LJDROG_-FeXBMODNY/s1600/P1030815.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz15251vlPDxltRdHPk9R3RoH2nL5p_NG2zJsdRMVOXAtMOs-mIgoxdA_KTH3eJsny8Nm_rJJZ0gi9cYmaokL5T-4idVtRBezBj8wttyOGGHXG3klZ_1nFHcsv5LJDROG_-FeXBMODNY/s400/P1030815.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5565937718814729858" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">AMAZING spot to cool off on a summer day</span><br />
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The trail eventually reaches Fews Ford, where it turns right. Follow the trail, keeping left at the junction where the trail meets the Cox Mountain Trail. From here, you will soon finish the loop and retrace your steps back to the car. This is the best hike I've been on in Eno, and the river was really beautiful in this area with lots of cascades and the clearest river water I've seen in the Triangle. I returned two days later with my girlfriend to swim in the same spot I watched several people swimming on this hike, it was truly enjoyable. Below is a GPS-generated map of this hike.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=765371&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/765371'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-76857057525625538052010-10-01T14:19:00.006-04:002012-12-09T17:48:04.474-05:00Umstead--Sycamore and Company Mill<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Sycamore and Company Mill Circuit<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Umstead</span> State Park<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Raleigh<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 461'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 520'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 10.85<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Moderate<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: <b> </b>Enter the park from <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Glenwood</span> Avenue (US-70) between Ebenezer Church Rd and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Lumley</span> Rd. Follow park road to the end and park. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Trailhead</span> is in picnic shelter area. <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Glenwood</span> Ave. is accessible from I-540 Exit 4.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wium/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/wium/main.php</a><br />
This lengthy circuit connects the two main trails of the north and south parts of the park. The trail is mostly flat with only a few steep, but short, hills. Most of the trail is dirt or pine needles, which makes for good trail running, but there are rocky sections, particularly on the hills. The Sycamore Trail and Company Mill Trail north of Reedy Creek Road are deep in the middle of the park so they are unlikely to be crowded. The Company Mill Trail along <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">Crabtree</span> Creek, however, is very popular, so you can expect to find some crowds there especially by the old dam. Some of the neat features of the hike are the towering <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">loblolly</span> pines, huge oaks, and fern-filled ravines. Wildlife, which is hard to come by in the Triangle, is easy to find on this hike. I saw 3 snakes (be careful of those on this hike--they like to hang out near the creeks), 2 deer, several fish (including one that ate a butterfly), a frog, and a great blue heron. Bring plenty of water if you are doing this hike in warmer months. Without long stops, the hike can be done in about 5 hours.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtl8cA2TLlCzxgtNNPohyphenhyphenIyDXR1AVmiRpcKl0AShbuac_Xq-CYj2CAQjweSwjqfDXHJ1WHcpvtzM_SSVlHPlvTd2s4vZvEeI1EbBBMhoqmFbpxw3_0aNoKSCVF5se6qWVkf70lwFywHOA/s1600/P1030696.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtl8cA2TLlCzxgtNNPohyphenhyphenIyDXR1AVmiRpcKl0AShbuac_Xq-CYj2CAQjweSwjqfDXHJ1WHcpvtzM_SSVlHPlvTd2s4vZvEeI1EbBBMhoqmFbpxw3_0aNoKSCVF5se6qWVkf70lwFywHOA/s400/P1030696.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523171359545256674" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The beginning</span></div>
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Begin the hike at the back of the picnic area next to Shelter 1. You will quickly come to a trail junction with clear signage to help you remain on the Sycamore Trail. Soon after the junction you will cross a small stream with a wooden bridge, and then turn left after crossing. After a little bit, the trail will come out onto a gravel road. Go left along the road, and you will find the continuation of the Sycamore Trail to the right just before the road crosses a bridge. This next section of the hike is very pleasant with soft trails and a small valley below. After going through this area, the trail turns right and walks along the edge of an open field. Continue onward for a while and you will come to another gravel road--go straight across it. The ground becomes a bit rockier in this section and there are some very large trees to admire. Eventually you will arrive at the beginning of the Sycamore Trail loop, so you can either way. I went left.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJCA_MPBLiHu_A2mNKNQtrOuk_8BtTah3vRBvRAXSBqV7i2LilocMBT_g2zMVYdzPcqwMheCiCMPsuoWiu3oNQoJbFIkKw3QvwycuGy1txvF7YjCa4ryApIjqZZZwjtM9W1vmmg1mbCI/s1600/P1030699.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCJCA_MPBLiHu_A2mNKNQtrOuk_8BtTah3vRBvRAXSBqV7i2LilocMBT_g2zMVYdzPcqwMheCiCMPsuoWiu3oNQoJbFIkKw3QvwycuGy1txvF7YjCa4ryApIjqZZZwjtM9W1vmmg1mbCI/s400/P1030699.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523171367288596130" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Crossing a small creek</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzvCSBYJq5-xGGdqrxq9-7rEdzTp2HahiK-Ly0WR8WUTjYDtSEWVI7viSQ7EQeFwQJNntPfB7iVlwjfQZuxthjq7itdo6TugdZwFzAxO4wJiEL7Nb28Mvesc9nevRUXmxprZ1kkqWTD8/s1600/P1030704.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzzvCSBYJq5-xGGdqrxq9-7rEdzTp2HahiK-Ly0WR8WUTjYDtSEWVI7viSQ7EQeFwQJNntPfB7iVlwjfQZuxthjq7itdo6TugdZwFzAxO4wJiEL7Nb28Mvesc9nevRUXmxprZ1kkqWTD8/s400/P1030704.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523177474169730514" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Some big trees on this hike</span></div>
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You will soon cross yet another gravel road, and then continue on for a while until you reach a bridge crossing a stream. Turn right immediately after crossing to continue the loop and enter one of the coolest areas of the Sycamore Trail. The stream that you just crossed continues alongside the trail and makes a hard right hand turn in a deep ravine with a steep gully feeding into it at the stream's bend. In a little while the trail will meet up with Sycamore Creek (of which that stream in the ravine is a tributary) and parallel it for a while. There is a point where the creek takes a hard right turn and you can venture out onto large boulders in the creek to get uninterrupted views up and down the creek and also watch the surprisingly numerous fish swim around. I actually saw a fish eat a butterfly that was flying just above the surface--quite a big meal and something I've never seen before. As you continue on, if you are doing this hike in mid June, you might notice remarkable flowers scattered on the ground that have fallen from a tree above. These flowers, pictured below, were like nothing I had seen anywhere else (I would subsequently see them again while hiking at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_8">Eno</span>, but there as well there was only one tree). The flowers are wispy and feathery; almost like hair with white bases and pink tips. They really reminded me of the Avatar.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUCg3wFvO_ECs24FgQeAHHDe_yTX-rSEe9M4CRyxQSIcNMRuMsQhzANfMLxccJRGhGhuWrhF4oJpfsN8FYvM3kzqz1PNLF9EYhMoaIVCHJc8DSTaveVgs3gBiQlqeOnsQRQrscUCqBeo/s1600/P1030708.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieUCg3wFvO_ECs24FgQeAHHDe_yTX-rSEe9M4CRyxQSIcNMRuMsQhzANfMLxccJRGhGhuWrhF4oJpfsN8FYvM3kzqz1PNLF9EYhMoaIVCHJc8DSTaveVgs3gBiQlqeOnsQRQrscUCqBeo/s400/P1030708.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523177482547606210" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The trail turning in a deep ravine</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR5BCEXSUCU25Xr-sOn_cG2Pl0bY3eCyneKwKq1QE1tlz1Iz2OA89bQhOrfIpZi7oWktb3GLueKY06CaT0kIwbi9t9j5clg2eDRVKIfiINXV2zh-_jTRYbVht53uGVwfYw2Orvx7aCeg/s1600/P1030709.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRR5BCEXSUCU25Xr-sOn_cG2Pl0bY3eCyneKwKq1QE1tlz1Iz2OA89bQhOrfIpZi7oWktb3GLueKY06CaT0kIwbi9t9j5clg2eDRVKIfiINXV2zh-_jTRYbVht53uGVwfYw2Orvx7aCeg/s400/P1030709.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523177486933243506" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">This steep ridge looks pretty impressive on such a flat hike</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZelrtKW3SQuH72NoMM-znZ-wY0hg2V-hzpnyW4874mU6KODcBjJFJSsDEGj2v2lYRLebvYcvsudPMMCQcwQzwFtGgxebfWPZwrjR1Eaoxvertq8DKf06aqXQJTm4AmLWjMp-Hc0AS4g/s1600/P1030718.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPZelrtKW3SQuH72NoMM-znZ-wY0hg2V-hzpnyW4874mU6KODcBjJFJSsDEGj2v2lYRLebvYcvsudPMMCQcwQzwFtGgxebfWPZwrjR1Eaoxvertq8DKf06aqXQJTm4AmLWjMp-Hc0AS4g/s400/P1030718.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523179242873600626" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Sycamore Creek</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5ngE3-KmUMV24mryZYFfyq_2z6bBgh3Ol7iBC3Wk-b4TaFe7Mvb67zokJxBvKjmjfGwy7qxjGCaGJ1MgLoOTas-xb-3curj1zc4c7n_gKkRXbWv8-yuIkluvU6epK6Jm25389y-SLSk/s1600/P1030726.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga5ngE3-KmUMV24mryZYFfyq_2z6bBgh3Ol7iBC3Wk-b4TaFe7Mvb67zokJxBvKjmjfGwy7qxjGCaGJ1MgLoOTas-xb-3curj1zc4c7n_gKkRXbWv8-yuIkluvU6epK6Jm25389y-SLSk/s400/P1030726.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523179253438849314" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Avatar flowers</span><br />
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Continue on, and the trail will cross under some power lines, take a right, and then meet a gravel road. At this point you have a couple options. First, you can continue to follow this circuit and cross the bridge to join up with the Company Mill Spur on the right. Second, if you aren't looking for an 11 mile hike, just cross the road (not the bridge) to continue the Sycamore Trail loop bringing you back to your car. The circuit will eventually return to this point and do exactly that, but only after adding on another 3.5 miles or so.<br />
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The Company Mill Spur is only .2 miles long so you will arrive at the Company Mill loop fairly quickly. Again, since this is a loop, you can go either way, but I chose to go right because I know from hiking the Company Mill Trail before that the trail on the left is a bit more interesting than the trail on the right and I like to save the interesting stuff for later to keep me motivated. Also, I wanted to make a big figure-8 pattern out of this hike. After a not all that remarkable hike through the northwest portion of the Company Mill Trail (one exception: there is an enormous tree that is probably the biggest living tree I've seen outside Yosemite), the trail meets up with Reedy Creek Road which is a multi-purpose road popular with bikers, equestrians, and runners and links the Black Creek <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_9">Greenway</span> in Cary to the Reedy Creek <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_10">Greenway</span> in Raleigh. Cross the road to tackle the southwest portion of the Company Mill loop. This is probably the most boring part of the hike with little variation in topography, geology, or vegetation. However, it leads to a reward: the most interesting part of the hike where the trail parallels <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_11">Crabtree</span> Creek.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQKBZ2ZjJW86636gV5Jnqt71WdRucAvEA4FSwxhb3vFZpPUmYAUoS9bBMqmvJPl8v3-x9LdU8d4CBXB-vpj29GioDUMhpGQBBhHpwe-OWiI4byC_sKGzQCFmDzB7UNf6Wh2Kv-0hRe2o/s1600/P1030740.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGQKBZ2ZjJW86636gV5Jnqt71WdRucAvEA4FSwxhb3vFZpPUmYAUoS9bBMqmvJPl8v3-x9LdU8d4CBXB-vpj29GioDUMhpGQBBhHpwe-OWiI4byC_sKGzQCFmDzB7UNf6Wh2Kv-0hRe2o/s400/P1030740.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523179261157512674" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_12">Crabtree</span> Creek</span><br />
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The trail takes a big left turn and meets up with <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_13">Crabtree</span> Creek along which the trail will run for a good while. The creek is pretty cool with very steep banks. I spotted a great blue heron down in the creek and tried to get some photos of it eventually scaring it away. Watching it fly down the creek between the steep banks felt like something out of Jurassic Park. The trail continues along the creek with steep, rocky hills and cliffs rising on your left when you come to the bridge that crosses the creek. Most visitors to the park, so far as I can tell, come down the trail that crosses the bridge to see the old Company Mill site on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_14">Crabtree</span> Creek, so this area tends to be a little crowded. Some remnants of the Company Mill that you can see are the dam and a millstone. The creek flowing through the dam is one of the only places on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_15">Crabtree</span> Creek where you can see some rapids, and there is a little beach and large, flat rocks from which to look at them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Q0styfD3-TL60_1iA-5guQMHJrkytPV362n4rR2-At2kAnMlX7pOvCAnlMmw2xdin7hpTZSNPoiG1GaOYWIinlMjAbW0Ej0vQc-ADw7g3oNfk18EW0e9TNoTJm5h8_bwvnuCJW-JWps/s1600/P1030744.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Q0styfD3-TL60_1iA-5guQMHJrkytPV362n4rR2-At2kAnMlX7pOvCAnlMmw2xdin7hpTZSNPoiG1GaOYWIinlMjAbW0Ej0vQc-ADw7g3oNfk18EW0e9TNoTJm5h8_bwvnuCJW-JWps/s400/P1030744.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523180921896860898" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Great blue heron going fishing</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9VqY5IiZt6W0bxDhNKBhpM_a0Bee69qdFGZFf9uWaGOBV8ibE08lHffB7juEbu2sgn89J2fkqPggpu_tSA88Lvg8VKKrN4YnXTfdv4lU3qEJ77OcI3Kuckzl6JHuv7hs_Sj1yASfL-4/s1600/P1030751.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW9VqY5IiZt6W0bxDhNKBhpM_a0Bee69qdFGZFf9uWaGOBV8ibE08lHffB7juEbu2sgn89J2fkqPggpu_tSA88Lvg8VKKrN4YnXTfdv4lU3qEJ77OcI3Kuckzl6JHuv7hs_Sj1yASfL-4/s400/P1030751.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523180928014208466" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Breach in the old dam</span></div>
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Continue along the creek around a bend, and then the trail splits from the creek and heads north where the creek heads east. There are some more enormous trees to check out on the next part of the trail including one very wide <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_16">loblolly</span>. The trail then begins the most strenuous climb of the entire hike as it ascends a quartz-covered hill. The hill can be surprisingly exhausting given how short it is but after all the hiking done to this point on relatively flat ground, it doesn't take much steepness to be draining. Shortly after the hill, you will return to Reedy Creek Road which you should cross to complete the Company Mill loop. When you reach the Company Mill spur, take it to return to the gravel road from earlier, recross the bridge, and go left along the unexplored portion of the Sycamore trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_J81svf8qLrTuJ6Rv78lHFhaYIyahZtIvJ2G14saMDEPdWSzHHVrakbwrWR0iV3CWKBPJRjHjVXyAKmUeMk_VRwbnkSnfQfN2E1jbNbsVDmWSAcO6N7Vru0hU0P5anc1GUWIOVaN-r8/s1600/P1030756.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZ_J81svf8qLrTuJ6Rv78lHFhaYIyahZtIvJ2G14saMDEPdWSzHHVrakbwrWR0iV3CWKBPJRjHjVXyAKmUeMk_VRwbnkSnfQfN2E1jbNbsVDmWSAcO6N7Vru0hU0P5anc1GUWIOVaN-r8/s400/P1030756.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5523180940747196706" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Back on Sycamore Creek</span></div>
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This part of the Sycamore Trail follows the Sycamore Creek closely for a while before crossing under some power lines and gradually climbing up a large hill perched high above the creek. Near the top of the hill, you will have closed the Sycamore Loop returning to the point at which you turned left before. Stay straight, following the signs to return to the parking lot. Follow the trail retracing your steps to take you back to your car. Below is a GPS map of the hike.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=758300&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/758300'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-76358203008372391692010-09-30T13:31:00.005-04:002012-12-04T10:50:37.235-05:00Jordan Lake--New Hope Overlook<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: New Hope Overlook<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Jordan Lake State Recreation Area<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Apex, NC<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 400'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 575'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 3<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Trailhead</span></span>: <b></b>From Rte 64, go south on Beaver Creek Rd. Turn R onto Pea Ridge Road. Turn R on W H Jones Rd. Go past gatehouse, and immediately turn right to go to the parking lot.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php">http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/jord/main.php</a><br />
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Jordan Lake is a great place to hike, boat, swim, fish, and camp during the warm months. There is a $6/car entrance fee from Memorial Day-Labor Day. Luckily, I got this hike in just before Memorial Day so I got in for free. Park in the lot immediately after the gatehouse on the right. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">trailhead</span> is at the near left corner when entering the parking lot. This hike is of the Blue Trail (3.03 mi), but could be extended to include the Red Trail (total 5.4 mi), which is just an extension of the Blue Trail Loop. The trail is obvious and clearly blazed. The ground is mostly dirt, some beds of pine needles, and occasionally could be wet if going after heavy rains or when the lake is high (it was completely dry for me, but I saw some coves where the trail looked like it gets submerged during periods of high water. The trail weaves into the forest and out to the coves, which provides a nice varied experience. Another attribute; unlike <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Umstead</span> or even <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Eno</span>, which draw the crowds, I encountered only one other person on this hike and that was at the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">trailhead</span>; as I was returning a woman was heading onto the trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lNZeHppTxIBac8VqZ7_VHPxFlajm0zO0ZIuSARTKmSvPmD2H3iA_y7bN7bXyEiKfVwqbQF7nob-87M-GVy7OHTAozw0-nEtqXsDHAe_yaJJ7CiNDpxTlECtfVNyPmeWem_3OiIvl-YQ/s1600/P1030631.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4lNZeHppTxIBac8VqZ7_VHPxFlajm0zO0ZIuSARTKmSvPmD2H3iA_y7bN7bXyEiKfVwqbQF7nob-87M-GVy7OHTAozw0-nEtqXsDHAe_yaJJ7CiNDpxTlECtfVNyPmeWem_3OiIvl-YQ/s400/P1030631.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522773874573250754" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The first cove</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_FZS_f1x8vpJ-ANmfqVyJThWnJzqAAtLqUgfouBRDpZZaDp-C6rM3zd9YPDYnWWD6brkMAc4vG6laTZOAPpm7lgoaGt7sIsX25TW4IYCeeAq0ZJDEo9AiLOX-SevHRyynMGdyNz9ChY/s1600/P1030636.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiL_FZS_f1x8vpJ-ANmfqVyJThWnJzqAAtLqUgfouBRDpZZaDp-C6rM3zd9YPDYnWWD6brkMAc4vG6laTZOAPpm7lgoaGt7sIsX25TW4IYCeeAq0ZJDEo9AiLOX-SevHRyynMGdyNz9ChY/s400/P1030636.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522773882943311458" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Another view of the cove</span></div>
Soon after beginning the hike, you will come to Y, which begins the loop. You can go either way, but I went right. The trail then winds through forest for a while going over small ups and downs before eventually coming to the first cove, which provides nice views and birdwatching opportunities. Continue onward around the cove until you come to a T. The loop continues to the left, but you should go right down the short Overlook Spur that leads to a very nice wide view of Jordan Lake (with a bench to rest!). After you've soaked in the view, return to the trail to continue the loop. The trail will cross a gravel road with the New Hope Overlook campsite to the right down the road--the site looks nice with pit toilets and private sites each with tent pads and accesses to the lake.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47sAaHS4ldqpwqg6W68hFEd8q1xT4bucq_4ScqMiOcnxHCKVzdxdGE9O3Hsey7QET-oDbak4dAE4EqJ75L0n9-0d-BGq4ssbj6s6UYzdTkKf8wpEA5B_YTsNrksmqLQzEsS72YqcJlik/s1600/P1030639.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47sAaHS4ldqpwqg6W68hFEd8q1xT4bucq_4ScqMiOcnxHCKVzdxdGE9O3Hsey7QET-oDbak4dAE4EqJ75L0n9-0d-BGq4ssbj6s6UYzdTkKf8wpEA5B_YTsNrksmqLQzEsS72YqcJlik/s400/P1030639.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522773899548686898" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Big Jordan Lake view</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvDlpKG9xxYaYtJhalfyD7f1M95r2mYnCMadueBt852PIiRjvD1wydeNVaEjTm8VAtKZytHobYi-xcIY2HRG9XpBJ5A6EgYWg5-brOV2Q9sFVJiP5gdbimSMgjJ7AAJFqQ_RskEyysJs/s1600/P1030640.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxvDlpKG9xxYaYtJhalfyD7f1M95r2mYnCMadueBt852PIiRjvD1wydeNVaEjTm8VAtKZytHobYi-xcIY2HRG9XpBJ5A6EgYWg5-brOV2Q9sFVJiP5gdbimSMgjJ7AAJFqQ_RskEyysJs/s400/P1030640.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522784431811080418" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Red Piedmont clay</span><br />
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Cross the road to continue the loop. The coves on this side of the peninsula are more secluded and quiet so the odds of seeing some wildlife here, especially bald eagles, are pretty good. Walk quietly and keep your eye on the lookout. The bald eagles seem especially fond of the <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">loblolly</span> pines (the tall pines with large segmented shaggy bark). At one of the coves the trail passes, I went off trail a bit to try to get a nice picture of the cove, and in so doing scared a bald eagle out of the trees. Sadly, I couldn't snap a picture of it before it was gone, but I waited for about 15 minutes in case it decided to return. It never did, but a great blue heron flew into the cove while I waited, but I ended up scaring that bird off as well when I tried to photograph it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvn7cnsTa3copFwO_EFMdLaFf4pbP9nT52ynTxHQVZ7s_ouVfkHWaLM_9NBJIym-5cRcow0czk5-q30-DjVEIJSZx5yLlrLac7Tni7VQUKFBgsQvy6CUZM6SGCKYGkpVYtMk5BNk2uec/s1600/P1030652.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhvn7cnsTa3copFwO_EFMdLaFf4pbP9nT52ynTxHQVZ7s_ouVfkHWaLM_9NBJIym-5cRcow0czk5-q30-DjVEIJSZx5yLlrLac7Tni7VQUKFBgsQvy6CUZM6SGCKYGkpVYtMk5BNk2uec/s400/P1030652.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522784454944233442" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The cove where I saw the bald eagle and heron</span><br />
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Continue around the cove. When I went there was a pile of debris on the edge of the cove so it looks like this is an area that floods at high water. Continue onwards staying left at each of the two trail junctions ahead if you only want to do the Blue Trail. If you want to add in the Red Trail to put an extra 2.5 miles on the hike then go right on the Red Trail. The trail will then cross the same gravel road as before, and soon thereafter you will complete the loop finishing the hike. Below is a GPS map of the hike.<br />
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=763697&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/763697'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-62766839599962116492010-09-29T14:44:00.004-04:002012-12-09T17:46:51.112-05:00Rocky Neck<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Rocky Neck Loop<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Rocky Neck State Park<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: East Lyme, CT<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 125'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 247'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 2.9<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Trailhead</span></span>: Take Exit 72 off I-95 and head south on the Rocky Neck Connector. Turn L on Rte 156, then take the first right into the park. Stay on the park road to parking at the end. Walk to the pavilion overlooking the beach and walk over the train tracks on the bridge next to the pavilion.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325256">http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325256</a><br />
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This is a fairly easy loop around the edges of Rocky Neck, which I did with my parents in early summer after enjoying a picnic at the large, stone, Depression-era pavilion. There is a fee to enter the park of between $6-$22 depending on weekday/weekend, resident/non-resident, after/before 4pm. Obviously, resident/weekday/after 4pm would be cheapest and non-resident/weekend/before 4pm would be most expensive. Rocky Neck has a color-coded trail system, and I would recommend printing out a map from the <a href="http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?a=2716&q=325256">web site</a> before going to the park.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8u1KzRy3j3cLRQSIA9xRnKOgIPyfMDzigTxh7YqV_1x0VVUn-Uul7vbRl6NCqZfrN0nCAhZjNueO638ThaRcafHwNQOz-sIdDd9JKVODbEcyge0Rim78YA88OWsIHqMqIOs9eckDwaE/s1600/P1030567.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgM8u1KzRy3j3cLRQSIA9xRnKOgIPyfMDzigTxh7YqV_1x0VVUn-Uul7vbRl6NCqZfrN0nCAhZjNueO638ThaRcafHwNQOz-sIdDd9JKVODbEcyge0Rim78YA88OWsIHqMqIOs9eckDwaE/s400/P1030567.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522413325045544610" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Long Island Sound from the pavilion</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlw-OrSMC3Z_BPJlLKrzzlEhdiVxKcNahhpht7bkeOpYdexT2VIlDfBsXKzDaTzOKnY3GcUDGM70-tUBidhTVwcU7GU7eLDOGu3HlC2DwL29rIGjrTrljSAM59MBagFdRLUoKlaCKkVg/s1600/P1030566.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzlw-OrSMC3Z_BPJlLKrzzlEhdiVxKcNahhpht7bkeOpYdexT2VIlDfBsXKzDaTzOKnY3GcUDGM70-tUBidhTVwcU7GU7eLDOGu3HlC2DwL29rIGjrTrljSAM59MBagFdRLUoKlaCKkVg/s400/P1030566.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522413320711685506" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The pavilion--a Depression project</span><br />
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This hike is the longest loop you can make in the park. You can either begin at the large stone pavilion or end there. We started there, crossed the train tracks, walked through an unused parking lot, along a paved road for a little while, then veered left into the woods on the Blue trail. Shortly thereafter, the Blue-Yellow trail breaks off the right to go to Backer's Cave surrounded by glacial erratics. The cave is a legitimate one tucked underneath a shelf formed by the rocks. I couldn't tell how deep it was, but it could make for interesting exploring. After checking this neat area out, we returned to the Blue-Yellow trail and continued onward to quickly rejoin the Blue Trail.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVubgytVxJ4MBZ3yMN-xoYpw16-IY8zKdEke8q-VD6nh11HhSwSrwFcC9jikFZTakniXaAqCW362D4-mGDtzi4IpQ9MEWETB9XXGNU4lxtA0iLrRPJSsIT5ygpVYD7-WAjtuE0AV0Vhs/s1600/P1030568.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIVubgytVxJ4MBZ3yMN-xoYpw16-IY8zKdEke8q-VD6nh11HhSwSrwFcC9jikFZTakniXaAqCW362D4-mGDtzi4IpQ9MEWETB9XXGNU4lxtA0iLrRPJSsIT5ygpVYD7-WAjtuE0AV0Vhs/s400/P1030568.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522413327028955106" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Small cliffs</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9ekwxed-kYzbtSm0M0PQ1OnZ-YTtU_IgPxd0FB8naJb2YZJs99Jc_4sOPwctFIxfXH8Mj6WXw6SDj5SEa2zzORDZh57bQ_CudurGkrogUxn8Ky-SZhTp0cKI6lqliLSPDqcdqoTxX-s/s1600/P1030571.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw9ekwxed-kYzbtSm0M0PQ1OnZ-YTtU_IgPxd0FB8naJb2YZJs99Jc_4sOPwctFIxfXH8Mj6WXw6SDj5SEa2zzORDZh57bQ_CudurGkrogUxn8Ky-SZhTp0cKI6lqliLSPDqcdqoTxX-s/s400/P1030571.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522416411362796690" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Bakers Cave</span><br />
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The Trail has occasional views of Four Mile River below. The trail will join with the Red Trail briefly and split--at the split, go left on the Blue Trail. This will take you through Shipyard Field--an open grassy field. Be careful, though, there is a lot of poison ivy around. The Blue Trail then takes a sharp right as it approaches Rte 156, travels through a field, intersects with the Green Trail and Orange Trail, and then connects with the Red Trail. At this point switch onto the Red Trail, but the Red Trail also splits, so stay on the left branch to head toward Bride Brook.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ufdNONlhe1Zp8ZbRDVuLkbagztThMb_XT82uwmzm1k7hnjOpK1_-6-sMPu3Y2ZnpWarMZKjTf5mBhdHVkw6lRIkXQonT9dpe-qR30crx7nhNVx0jAv63hNPxImXDUFSALXruSs24238/s1600/P1030576.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6ufdNONlhe1Zp8ZbRDVuLkbagztThMb_XT82uwmzm1k7hnjOpK1_-6-sMPu3Y2ZnpWarMZKjTf5mBhdHVkw6lRIkXQonT9dpe-qR30crx7nhNVx0jAv63hNPxImXDUFSALXruSs24238/s400/P1030576.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522416420162463666" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Shipyard Field</span><br />
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Take the Red Trail to the Purple Trail, then the Purple Trail to the White Trail. Go right on the White Trail walking along the marsh of Bridge Brook. Remain on the White Trail until it intersects with the Red Trail where you should go left on the Red Trail to get back to the parking lot. Along the way, enjoy views of the marsh and ospreys, egrets, and herons. The trail crosses through open marsh at one point which provides nice views, and also the chance to watch fish and crabs in the water. Below is a GPS map of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPmBp4od_rT2acNIsLIRsGbH4QBVk-abFzXQsP0EN75wvKPRNT6GP2TBvtemFgyERCoK3abRPgMBVmEW284CowE0x7_HtywyibOi-XoZK9P_y1Pb012mRRqDeb73yuTgC5v4RPsfRkgY/s1600/P1030579.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsPmBp4od_rT2acNIsLIRsGbH4QBVk-abFzXQsP0EN75wvKPRNT6GP2TBvtemFgyERCoK3abRPgMBVmEW284CowE0x7_HtywyibOi-XoZK9P_y1Pb012mRRqDeb73yuTgC5v4RPsfRkgY/s400/P1030579.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5522416422846573122" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Balancing rock</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=769659&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/769659'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-36681664415343185432010-08-31T15:59:00.006-04:002012-12-09T17:45:20.244-05:00Bluff Point<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: Bluff Point--Mumford Cove<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: Bluff Point State Park<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Groton</span>, CT<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: 110'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: 250'<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 5.35<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Trailhead</span></span>: From I-95, take Exit 88 and head south on Rte 117. Turn right at the T onto Rte 1 S. Turn left onto Depot Rd at the intersection with the Dairy Queen. Follow Depot Rd under a railroad bridge and into the park. Park anywhere in the large gravel lot. The <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">trailhead</span> is the main trail into the park with the large signboard with facts about the Coastal Reserve.<br />
<span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325178">http://www.ct.gov/dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325178</a><br />
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Bluff Point is probably the most popular park in southeastern Connecticut. It is a favorite of joggers, mountain bikers, hikers, picnickers, beach-goers, bird-watchers, and basically whatever else one does outdoors. Over July 4<span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">th</span> weekend, I headed out there to map a hike for the blog and the Backpacker giveaway contest. There is a main double-track gravel trail that does a loop around most of the park, which is a popular hike or jog. I began on this track, breaking off to the left at the first Y to do the eastern portion of the loop first to get the hills out of the way in the first half and save the constant water views for the second half.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2fF7dEpcxFCz5_6c_2USa7F_MKKir0nmt7H07lMo3yucOekzapqvZaylez4CecWF_TaaebobDcuRD1YynLct5a817yk8JjvCyhljZh9CjZx4f0UtA33WOVkDE2pPp2ERQB9pmwCsz5o/s1600/P1030458.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB2fF7dEpcxFCz5_6c_2USa7F_MKKir0nmt7H07lMo3yucOekzapqvZaylez4CecWF_TaaebobDcuRD1YynLct5a817yk8JjvCyhljZh9CjZx4f0UtA33WOVkDE2pPp2ERQB9pmwCsz5o/s400/P1030458.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511679148761770930" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The east side of the main trail</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZm2ynM0ZlaLOUYWw7CyAfUqK_Ag1H0R0S5cUXbaNMB_z6EqI-Rw-qF1vt0ViH7zcQCUtQiOpM01sTaAxT7zTLoYIAm_c6r8qR7oF67V9vOF5qxF8WcVXuphjjRGNPiGKnBRjas-uPLI/s1600/P1030459.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGZm2ynM0ZlaLOUYWw7CyAfUqK_Ag1H0R0S5cUXbaNMB_z6EqI-Rw-qF1vt0ViH7zcQCUtQiOpM01sTaAxT7zTLoYIAm_c6r8qR7oF67V9vOF5qxF8WcVXuphjjRGNPiGKnBRjas-uPLI/s400/P1030459.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511679158088995842" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">One of many small side trails throughout the park</span></div>
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Follow signs to the Winthrop Homestead where you can see the foundation of what was John Winthrop's home (a Connecticut governor from the 1600s). Something that is often in the back of my mind when I'm hiking is an idea from the book "The World Without Us." The book is basically a thought experiment on what would happen if humans instantaneously disappeared from earth, and one thing the author suggests is that if this were to happen, the longest lasting remnants of our existence would be some of the oldest artifacts of our civilization--cave dwellings. This thought came to mind when I was observing the rock foundation of this home. I can't imagine it eroding away anytime soon--certainly no sooner than so many of our subdivisions built 350 years later. Another neat thing about this foundation is that when Winthrop built it, he could see the sea from his home. The sea is nowhere to be seen today due to the forest that has grown on Bluff Point.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1hcT-eYqzqQSn-5i9kZi4HYPoF2ajZ67HfZKQclbvdCgMkrPwnHyfj8ehtCX4Rw2vxEsavPjwOVlrBBsBcwk-ZDjs_RbDqbaNOFEdytCSyw1ovYubolC5UK-fRfUuQ2_WPf_9eV76UQ/s1600/P1030460.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV1hcT-eYqzqQSn-5i9kZi4HYPoF2ajZ67HfZKQclbvdCgMkrPwnHyfj8ehtCX4Rw2vxEsavPjwOVlrBBsBcwk-ZDjs_RbDqbaNOFEdytCSyw1ovYubolC5UK-fRfUuQ2_WPf_9eV76UQ/s400/P1030460.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511679162927974290" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The Winthrop foundation</span></div>
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But back to the hike. At the Winthrop Home, take a left to Mumford Cove. This trail is narrower and much less used. Follow to a Y where you should go left (you will take the right trail in a little bit) over some large, flat rocks. Then follow a small stream to the right down to Mumford Cove. After enjoying the sights of the cove from the rocks on the shore, return the way you came to the Y and go the only direction you have yet to explore. This part of the trail winds through forest with occasional views of Mumford Cove to the left. At some parts, the forest floor is completely covered with ferns. You will eventually come to a junction of small trails. Go right (the GPS track below shows me going left, but this was a mistake and I ended up backtracking to go right), and you will soon return to the main double-track trail. Go left on the trail. You will soon arrive at something called Sunset Rock, which is a decent sized boulder hidden amongst the trees. Believe it or not, this rock is so named because it was once a nice place from which to watch the sun set. With this new forest, that is certainly not the case.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3m-D6tlWR2kUBpuzc6HqFE7UEJI8JuL9mL-JcZTGdwMbO1EdMXUGK9r0EUB6IbDjMPdlppDPilzShtilnzMI3hGZkMR6VJjeiPo7QwJ9phSlALwtxNJtm3AdLvLSYEM1mMNh-XC94WQ/s1600/P1030470.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjS3m-D6tlWR2kUBpuzc6HqFE7UEJI8JuL9mL-JcZTGdwMbO1EdMXUGK9r0EUB6IbDjMPdlppDPilzShtilnzMI3hGZkMR6VJjeiPo7QwJ9phSlALwtxNJtm3AdLvLSYEM1mMNh-XC94WQ/s400/P1030470.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511681151976930306" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Small stream down to Mumford Cove</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqeNqdzzs_LX9cL75rcImbb31RxyAL2WGTfM3EKmettpHEwG73HL9rYNtQefeRD0m08ps6c9Uyht6erSAdiHxq_y6pzHKKd8pI0GMRTI0HGcI_XD5IxDHaNaDIp84nteFJbm3w3R5wgM/s1600/P1030474.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFqeNqdzzs_LX9cL75rcImbb31RxyAL2WGTfM3EKmettpHEwG73HL9rYNtQefeRD0m08ps6c9Uyht6erSAdiHxq_y6pzHKKd8pI0GMRTI0HGcI_XD5IxDHaNaDIp84nteFJbm3w3R5wgM/s400/P1030474.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511681163483857570" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Mumford Cove</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRncdabaRryPDF5CwTB7hBu71EuURgO1Y6LhXR0wrfrJt_R_8rGCh8wD2rPPO64tAui3MMTfP3OO8bPEcT3c0h3mqpVi9RNyFtM9y8re7h3iFWtRkXnbL2UGWTDpcdVy7u-XXNkjWiHb0/s1600/P1030495.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRncdabaRryPDF5CwTB7hBu71EuURgO1Y6LhXR0wrfrJt_R_8rGCh8wD2rPPO64tAui3MMTfP3OO8bPEcT3c0h3mqpVi9RNyFtM9y8re7h3iFWtRkXnbL2UGWTDpcdVy7u-XXNkjWiHb0/s400/P1030495.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511681171435041218" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Fern-covered forest floor</span></div>
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Continue along the main trail and you will eventually get beautiful, large ocean views. At this point you should start looking for a side trail off to the left that will take you to the top of Bluff Point's namesake bluff. There is a bench up here to rest and watch the boats come and go. I remember having a number of family picnics here when I was younger, and it is still a nice spot to come and sit. After getting your fill of the view, head north and you will find a trail that leads back to the main trail where you should turn left. If you want, you can go left to the beach. I also have many memories of this beach--my sisters and I liked to go to the bay side of the beach and catch hermit crabs. This hike skips the beach, though, and continues along the main trail back to the car. Below is a GPS-generated map of the hike.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheypjMRhU33hho288rhPZ2boA-DDL9mtuHMtHqF2m_-MJbJ22f-KpXn_PAUHyj-1kYRIy3S1NXfTtUHa-RFAEMahMq_mDX4Th5SqtEB11AZGy_MkBiM-Kja7ob671EnrzgShSzvtfdLbI/s1600/P1030507.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheypjMRhU33hho288rhPZ2boA-DDL9mtuHMtHqF2m_-MJbJ22f-KpXn_PAUHyj-1kYRIy3S1NXfTtUHa-RFAEMahMq_mDX4Th5SqtEB11AZGy_MkBiM-Kja7ob671EnrzgShSzvtfdLbI/s400/P1030507.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511682782423416578" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Long Island Sound views</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7O1y16zXD8gQYWz22zJG8H-ZFdfwBK4arguqmCRWmWcn9CLltNWRoYacqaP0IweHUXcz0x-C9Ysm3fHtjuIvREQh0gZAVlqtteXs1HZ4610QCj7G7eSdC79iTQI5zYVKzYPHXFgC2XM/s1600/P1030510.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD7O1y16zXD8gQYWz22zJG8H-ZFdfwBK4arguqmCRWmWcn9CLltNWRoYacqaP0IweHUXcz0x-C9Ysm3fHtjuIvREQh0gZAVlqtteXs1HZ4610QCj7G7eSdC79iTQI5zYVKzYPHXFgC2XM/s400/P1030510.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511682791394101570" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">The bluff</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bRSKEPdh1EZuKJlS0YPAG7APiIUTD1bSL_SEeZrS-G7ulZvjAawNSr8Iztc-caRvMLZZ0z3cFUDwarMp1dz7NvOHEZrZwz9Pvk1BjEvWJBGi9EnldyKPgzlmTxiLqt5vjM5qx_h6gUU/s1600/P1030513.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0bRSKEPdh1EZuKJlS0YPAG7APiIUTD1bSL_SEeZrS-G7ulZvjAawNSr8Iztc-caRvMLZZ0z3cFUDwarMp1dz7NvOHEZrZwz9Pvk1BjEvWJBGi9EnldyKPgzlmTxiLqt5vjM5qx_h6gUU/s400/P1030513.JPG" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511682799231044946" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><span style="font-size: 85%;">Adventurous fishermen</span></div>
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<iframe frameborder="0" height="400" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/Maps/EmbeddedMap.aspx?tripId=761319&w=420&h=400" width="420">This site does not support embedded trip maps. View the trip <a href='http://www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/761319'>here</a> instead.</iframe>JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-864554588217078800.post-84739047803976673082010-08-12T15:08:00.005-04:002010-08-12T16:15:55.735-04:00Guilford Courthouse<span style="font-weight: bold;">Hike</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Guilford</span> Courthouse<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Location</span>: <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Guilford</span> Courthouse National Military Park<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Nearby Town</span>: Greensboro<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation (Max)</span>: N/A<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Elevation Gained</span>: N/A<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mileage</span>: 1.8<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Difficulty</span>: Easy<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">Trailhead</span></span>: From downtown Greensboro, take Rte 220 N (Battleground Ave) and then turn right on Old Battleground Road. Parking will be on the right. From the Triangle, take I-40 W. Then take Exit 227 to I-840 W and take Exit 18 onto US-70 W. Then turn R on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Winstead</span> Place, continue on W <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Northwood</span> St, turn R at Battleground Ave, and then turn right onto Old Battleground Rd.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Web Site</span>: <a href="http://www.nps.gov/guco/index.htm">http://www.nps.gov/guco/index.htm</a><br /><br />I'm a bit of a history buff, so, as I mentioned in the previous post, E and I stopped at <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">Guilford</span> Courthouse Battlefield in Greensboro during our Piedmont Triad tour. This isn't so much a hike as it is a walk (albeit in the woods, which I have always used as the definition of a hike). Trails lead visitors around the battlefield to the many monuments scattered throughout the park and to key areas such as a creek the British charged across or the lines the American soldiers formed. Most of the trails are paved but some are loose gravel and they mostly go through woods with a few fields to cross as well. When the battle was fought here, more of the area was farmland, so the feeling one gets visiting is surely different from how it was for the soldiers on that day. And, in case you're wondering, the Americans (under the command of Nathaniel Greene) lost the battle, but, as seemed to happen so many times during the Revolutionary War, the victory was a Pyrrhic one for the British and only seven months later Cornwallis was besieged at Yorktown.<br /><br />Park your car in the lot on Old Battleground Road, and cross the road to the visitor center where you can pick up a map of the park that also chronicles the battle. There are several paths that <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_6">criss</span>-cross throughout the park, and you can choose whichever you please, but E and I picked a route that took us around the majority of the park that worked pretty well. We began at the large monument of Nathaniel Greene mounted on his horse at the front of the park. From there, we went over to the monument to the North Carolinian signers of the Declaration of Independence.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B4XeUb6eB8VKHvPAmKweHNowARtRlULNZjA0ZVyGf5JMGBua1jWP23iEbg8UxRV3D77wiLFDT7cN03clt-fpi6HjEZal-yvaMWo5BGqqyG1Zkzri4C1pLh6nmYukK8-CIUpPovtJqTI/s1600/P1030285.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-B4XeUb6eB8VKHvPAmKweHNowARtRlULNZjA0ZVyGf5JMGBua1jWP23iEbg8UxRV3D77wiLFDT7cN03clt-fpi6HjEZal-yvaMWo5BGqqyG1Zkzri4C1pLh6nmYukK8-CIUpPovtJqTI/s400/P1030285.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504618072074259890" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Nathaniel Greene</span><br /><br /></div><br />Then we headed into the woods on the path to the left. This path, and most paths in the park, is windy and mostly flat with an occasional small hill. We crossed the first line the American troops formed and then came to a Y, where we turned left. Eventually we came to a T where we turned right up a hill that overlooks a field atop which is the Cavalry Monument. From this vantage point, one can begin to get a sense of what that day was like as you overlook the small field below. We continued on past the Cavalry Monument and took the path to the left. This trail will also split, we went right. The trail crosses New Garden Road (a gravel path) and continues on to a T. Go right here, cross a creek and you will soon be along the Americans' third, and last, line. There are replicas of the American six pound cannons nearby and the trail will lead to an automobile road. E and I walked along this a bit for any sign of <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_7">Guilford</span> Courthouse but we found none (the actual courthouse is long gone but we thought there might be a recreation or monument or <span style="font-style: italic;">something</span>), so we turned around and walked along the side of the road until the New Garden Road split off.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhfKzWqxY8dx3svD7Us5NCCdzm8Kj3rFFTEetdupg_oXqqHbC5q_hFdJPrIiklCD-0cGqXUo-oGKBoeWm0EhIZjspSCupN0BylqIoWNwaB7STOBfCk8SS16kpFCJc1exyPRZhc0fETrc/s1600/P1030288.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqhfKzWqxY8dx3svD7Us5NCCdzm8Kj3rFFTEetdupg_oXqqHbC5q_hFdJPrIiklCD-0cGqXUo-oGKBoeWm0EhIZjspSCupN0BylqIoWNwaB7STOBfCk8SS16kpFCJc1exyPRZhc0fETrc/s400/P1030288.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504618077607216706" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">Cavalry Monument overlooking a field</span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSmzng0iieEA1uM8MDUmauu0aClmdXknArTK-zH90qV3-KVJ7mRmRtrn_hL37lHh7AGvNlI14Bd0i8XUK6Zi3FhF_myCwuhzY7CdZ6zHbphiiQUTKPaa5AqKIW5SL4usIJ03xFK_AG9E/s1600/P1030289.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcSmzng0iieEA1uM8MDUmauu0aClmdXknArTK-zH90qV3-KVJ7mRmRtrn_hL37lHh7AGvNlI14Bd0i8XUK6Zi3FhF_myCwuhzY7CdZ6zHbphiiQUTKPaa5AqKIW5SL4usIJ03xFK_AG9E/s400/P1030289.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5504618093567486146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;">The replica cannons</span><br /><br /></div><br />We walked on this path back to the open field we saw earlier from the Cavalry Monument. There were pretty flowering trees in the field, but we decided to turn right on a trail just before the field. This path leads to the Regulars Monument and, after taking a left at a trail junction, the Maryland and Delaware Monuments. We then took a right along the New Garden Road again, passed the Caldwell Monument, and within no time we were back at Nathaniel Greene and our car. There is also a drive you can do around the park (note the auto road we walked along) with turnoffs at significant areas. Since this is a hiking blog, though, I would encourage you to get out and walk the battlefield just as the soldiers did in 1781.JThttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10840224625829368277noreply@blogger.com2