Pisagh 400: Conquering Squirrel Gap Trail

 Pisgah 400: Conquering Squirrel Gap Trail - 15 miles – 4/18/24 

Painted trillium

Taking advantage of a favorable mid-week weather forecast, today was the first time in quite a while I’ve hiked solo in my beloved Pisgah National Forest (Ranger District) in western North Carolina. My goal was to connect the puzzle pieces of some interior trails totaling about 13 miles, starting with South Mills River and then…

Friends, I will spare you the tangled turn-by-turn confusion I normally give. Altogether, I walked two big loops and one out-and-back, nine trail connections and several (did I count?) creek crossings. Note: route details in comments for map completers who've really gotta know.

An oops moment: At the parking lot I realized I had forgotten my paper map. Thankfully, I had downloaded my route on the GAIA app for offline use.

Half of the miles were repeats, mostly to access all the segments of one trail in particular: Squirrel Gap Trail. It’s true to its name because it darts all around, making quick, unpredictable turns. One might deduce that this trail existed prior to the creation of connector trails, making numerous intersections…Jeez, I sound like a bureaucrat. Let's look at photos.

Most hikes from Turkeypen Gap begin on South Mills River Trail

Many thanks to the skillful trail builders and maintainers who keep

this heavily used trail in great shape

Bridge over Mills River

Mills River looking lovely in morning rays of sunshine

Spring flowers were beginning to emerge, lots of purple violets, asters, wood anemone, foamflower, and more showy blooms like painted trillium and crested dwarf iris. I kept on the lookout for snakes enjoying the warmer temps but didn’t see any today. (I’m sure they saw me.)

Daisy fleabane

Crested dwarf iris

Something BIG has been clawing this tree trunk

Some trails in Pisgah NF are for hikers only, some are multi-use (hikers, bikers, horses), and some are for hikers and bikers (no horses). At each intersection there are (should be) signs indicating each trail’s users. Next level: a trail’s users can change at intersections! Yes, I know…Always know where you are and who you might encounter.

For example, I hiked up Mullinax Trail with its deep ditches and banked curves and turned onto Squirrel Gap Trail with narrow tread and mountain laurel “tunnels.” Both trails are designated for different users on different sections.

Mountain laurel tunnel on Squirrel Gap Trail

On quiet, moderate Cantrell Creek Trail, I heard rumbles as four mountain bikers appeared. I could only get one foot off the narrow trail because of the steep slant. We all politely navigated the space and in a moment they were gone. Most cyclists are very aware of other users, but there’s always one caught up in the euphoria...

About 5.5 miles into the hike, I stopped at Laurel Gap for lunch and a rest break. The sun was strong. So far it was a pleasant walk with bright spring green leaves emerging, views of ridge lines, bursts of birdsong rejoicing for spring. 

A pause for appreciation of spring green

At Laurel Creek Trail, the terrain changed again to multi-use with steep grade and deep trenches. After the first crossing of Laurel Creek I came to a large campsite area and needed to use GAIA to find my way through. Why? Some campsites are in dense woods with multiple campfire sites and tent spaces rather than in broad clearings, and the through-trail is not obvious.

At a section of Bradley Creek Trail that I’ve hiked before, it was time to get my feet wet. I had anticipated this and planned my route for wet crossings near the end of the day. A large tree trunk stretched across the expanse, but it was bouncy so I didn’t use it. Why risk falling? Instead, I waded across the clear water wearing my hiking shoes, easily choosing my footing. I love wading on a warm day, so refreshing! There were several more crossings, mostly calf deep, take your time.

Bradley Creek

By now I realized that my 13-mile estimate of this hike was not accurate, certainly would be longer. The sun was hotter and the uphills felt harder. I should have brought some electrolytes. I took a break, ate a snack although I didn’t feel like it. Slow down but keep going.

I made a costly mistake where Bradley Creek Trail crossed Mills River. I thought it was a horse crossing, so I ignored it and kept going on the right bank, thinking that a bridge would appear. (Even with GAIA, it is sometimes questionable if a trail is “real” or not). By the time I realized that I was on an unmaintained trail, I was too stubborn to backtrack. Eventually I reconnected with a trail that took me to the big bridge on South Mills River Trail near my starting point.

Final stats: 15 miles, 2,042 feet elevation gain/loss, 7 hours total (6:40 minutes moving, should have rested more).

Quite a day! How to celebrate? Chocolate milk and potato chips for the long drive back to Charlotte.

“I wanna make a jigsaw puzzle that's

40,000 pieces. And when you finish it,

it says 'go outside.'”

 ~Demetri Martin

Virginia State Parks: Fairy Stone State Park

 Virginia State Parks: Fairy Stone State Park
Stuarts Knob - 4/11/24 – 1.8 miles 

It’s a bit unsettling how quickly the birthdays come nowadays. Still, turning 66 is a good reason to hike! This year Jim and I bundled it into a weekend at Virginia Tech and the annual Run In Remembrance honoring the victims of the April 16, 2007 campus tragedy. VT and Blacksburg are very special places for us, and every time we visit we add to the storehouse of memories.

Lately I’ve been interested in exploring the state parks in Virginia (my home state) and will use any excuse to take a scenic route to include one. Today rain was falling lightly but steadily as we made our way to Fairy Stone State Park.

But why are we stopping at the post office in Stuart, VA? Well, it’s just 20 minutes from Fairy Stone SP, so we should check out the mural there, part of the Federal Arts Project by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) following the Great Depression.

The Stuart mural was installed in 1942 by artist John E. Costigan. The title of the work is “Receiving Mail On the Farm.” Read more about Costigan and his other murals here.

Built in the 1930’s by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps, also a New Deal program after the Great Depression), Fairy Stone State Park is Virginia’s oldest state park. Prior to that, the area was a site for mining magnetite iron ore, especially on Stuart’s Knob. (Mining was hard, though, and when that industry declined folks from the local town took a turn at moonshining, until the land was donated to the state and everyone had to move out.) 

Fairy Stone State Park is 4,741 acres of amazing! In addition to hiking and biking trails, there are horse trails, playgrounds, and fishing and boating on Fairy Stone Lake.  Want to stay awhile? There are comfortable cabins and tent camping. Need a conference center for a meeting or retreat? Heck, this is even a great location for weddings.

Cabin on the shore of Fairy Stone Lake

Now, about those fairy stones: read about the legend and geology of them here. 

Upon arrival at the park, while there was a brief respite from the rain, Jim and I stopped at the “fairy stone hunt site” where you can look for fairy stones, but no digging please. We didn’t find any (no surprise, we are not the first people to look) but there are some for sale in the gift shop (also no surprise). 

Oh, yeah, we are here to hike Stuart’s Knob. (Note: it is a prominent hill, not a high mountain peak and not to be confused with Stuart Knob in West Virginia which is a big ‘un.) 

Four pedestrian-only trails combine in various ways to reach the top of Stuart’s Knob. The shortest route is about 1.8 miles, but the hike can be extended by also hiking the Whiskey Run Trail. 

Spring green emerging

Violets also popping up

Mine opening from over 100 years ago

Fairy Stone Lake and beach area, imaging a sunny day and kids splashing in the water

Let’s take Upper Stuart’s Knob Trail

I love big burls and I cannot lie

Showy orchis

Bear corn

There is no view at the summit but a cairn marks the spot

Wispy fog through the trees, time to hike down

Descending on the Iron Mine Trail, there is a short (steep) side trail to another mine

A dayhiker and a backpacker

A short hike on a damp day, happy to be one year older and still living my best life outside with my favorite person. What could be better?

Birthday wine tasting and dinner at Blacksburg Wine Lab

Biking the Huckleberry

The 3.2 For 32 Run In Remembrance, more than 10,000 people coming together in community

How old would you be
 if you didn't know how old you are?“
~Satchel Paige

Pisgah 400: Thompson Creek Hike

 Pisgah 400: Thompson Creek Hike – 3/20/24 - 6.4 Miles

457 ft ele. gain, 2,112 ft ele. loss

Today is a special day: the first Wednesday of Jim’s retirement! What better way for him to celebrate than biking the Blue Ridge Parkway on a weekday? Double bonus points for me hiking while he’s biking. Luckily, the BRP runs right through Pisgah National Forest’s Ranger District. I’ll find something to do…

It’s easy to get excited about hikes to thundering waterfalls, towering rock formations, and grand vistas. Anticipation of a payoff for energy exerted pulls many people along the trail.

There are some of those thrills in Pisgah NF, but what appeals to me is trails rambling for miles and miles through deep forest. Solitude. Quiet. If you’re working on the Pisgah 400 Challenge, you’ll find yourself navigating remote trail loops, crossing a creek or two or ten and seeing very few fellow hikers. (Note: Be on alert on mountain biker trails, though.) 

Okay, a nice view from the Blue Ridge Parkway before I get started

Jim dropped me off at the Pisgah Inn, where the Mountains-to-Sea Trail passes by. We’d made our plan for a meetup point and time frame, since there may be no cell service. My hike route is not a loop, it's point-to-point: half a mile eastbound on the MST #440, right turn onto Laurel Mountain Trail #121, right turn onto Laurel Mountain Trail Connector #110, right onto Pilot Rock Trail #321, left onto Thompson Creek Trail #602 to its terminus at Yellow Gap Road (Forest Road 1206). Then I’ll walk on the gravel road toward paved Hwy 276 until Jim meets me.

GAIA track of my hike

I love following a rugged trail that maybe no one has been on for days, letting my imagination roam and asking myself questions aloud:

That sign – it’s different from the others. Who put that sign there? How long ago?

I don't know!

That foliage – what flower will emerge? What bloom has already faded?
Galax foliage lining the trail above 4,000 feet - it will bloom late May through July

That building – what is it? I thought we were in a wilderness area
It's the Pisgah Inn on the BRP where I started, visible when the leaves are off the trees

That huge tree lying there – when did it fall? During a storm? Day or night?
 Did it make a sound? What happens to it now?

It becomes home for beetles, ants, mosses, fungi, mice and more,
maybe even as a "nurse log" for new growth

That flower – What is it? Ooh, I know this one!

Halberdleaf Yellow Violet

What animal(s) crossed this path 5 minutes ago?
What will cross it behind my back before I am out of sight?
None that I saw today, but I’m sure lots of critters saw me

That stream – how many snakes live there? (quick look around)

Headwaters of Thompson Creek

Thompson Creek Trail sign

Until now the hike has been easy, but now I’m going down, down, down. (Refer again to the GAIA track above.) The trail is one of the straightest lines on the entire Pisgah NF topo map, meaning it is S-T-E-E-P with no switchbacks. It’s also overgrown, eroded in places, hasn’t seen maintenance in a while. I left off asking myself questions and concentrated on not skidding down slopes and busting my @%*.

Maybe one more question - How long is this downhill going to last?
About 2.3 miles, 1,600 feet elevation loss

Quads quaking, blue sky, wind in the treetops, breeze on my face, lungs filled with fresh air, what a great day to be outside!

Thompson Creek grew wider, tumbling over rocks and roots, yet still easy to cross. Imagine a heavy rain on these steep slopes and the entire trail could be part of the creek. 

Upper Thompson Creek Falls (a little bit off-trail) 

The end of the trail connecting to Yellow Gap Road

An alternative hike would be a short out-and-back from here up to the waterfall

I walked about 2 miles on Yellow Gap Road before Jim intercepted me. We were both hot, sweaty, dusty, in need of a change of clothes and an adult beverage. As we kicked back at Ecusta Brewing, he told me about his amazing ride on the BRP, surprised that there were few cars. Welcome to the land of playing on a weekday, Jim!

Cheers to Jim’s retirement!

“Often when you think you’re at the end of something,
you’re at the beginning of something else.”
~Fred Rogers

Palmetto Trail: Eutaw Springs Passage - Section 1

Palmetto Trail: Eutaw Springs Passage Section 1

Mac Daddy’s to Old Number Six Highway & Rocks Pond Road

3/8/24 – 11.1 Miles

“Red sky at morning, sailors take warning”

The campground was lively last night, as Thursday is the traditional first day of weekends by the water. The rain subsided, inviting folks to relax outside of their RV’s. Sunrise was a miracle, deep colors reflected over the water. Skies were overcast (again) so we donned rain jackets (again), ready for another day on the Palmetto Trail.

Carol and I had miles to walk, then a long drive home. We packed up, had another biscuit breakfast, and said goodbye to Angel’s Landing.

Today’s section called for road walking the first 7 miles, then woodsy with a chance of swampiness. We drove the road parts, deemed them doable and decided to do the wet part last. Foreshadowing: a good decision, or we might have bailed out altogether.

After parking Carol’s car at Highway 6 & Rocks Pond Road, we drove back to Mac Daddy’s, paid $5 to park a car for the day and set off. Early morning school buses were making their rounds.

We walked a combination of paved and gravel roads, making pretty much a straight line westward. The neighborhoods were hushed and we were on the lookout for home-guarding dogs, but there were no threats today. 

Hmmm…

At a paved road crossing, we stopped at a Marathon gas station for a bathroom break and a rest, sitting on the grass under the sign. The owner of the ABC store next door came out to see if we needed anything (are we vagrants?)

The trail map led us to Farm Hill Circle, a smooth paved road, but it seemed to go up a homeowner’s driveway. Assuming that was inappropriate access, we interpreted that we should go around.

Following the fence line at the back of the property, we found ourselves in a flooded area. Trail signs had disappeared (again), assuming they were on the fence posts which were now completely underwater. Did we learn nothing from the previous day in Grandpa’s backyard?? 

Before we knew it, Carol and I were in deep (literally) stepping from grassy clump to tree stump to downed tree, trying to get through the flooded area. Have you ever found yourself at a point where turning back was as bad as going forward? Problem solving wilderness Girl Scout mode took over.

We piled up downed branches to make a “bridge” over a stretch of water
 that was too far to step across

After several bridge-building scenarios, we surrendered and took the plunge into who-knows-how-deep water, sloshing until we reached the edge of the swamp and a lovely pine needle covered forest road - Hooray! 

Dear reader, we were NOT yet out of the woods. Deep ditches on both sides of the forest road, flanked by high banks. Soon the road was murky water. 

Just keep straight, don’t stop, don’t splash, and don’t look!

We emerged on County Line Road and were tempted to walk the paved road straight to our car and erase this day (and yesterday) from our memory banks. This isn't what we signed up for, right? But after an existential conversation on the meaning of life and doing hard things, we decided to stay on trail, today and to the end of the Palmetto Trail in the mountains of Oconee County, SC. 

Ride-or-Die

BFFs

Trail Friends4Ever