Sunday, September 15, 2013

Montgomery Bell

DAY ONE: 7.7 miles
Wildcat trail 0.25
M.Bell trail 4.5
Creech Hollow trail 1.2
M. Bell trail 0.25
Spillway trail 1.0
M. Bell trail 0.25
Wildcat trail 0.25

DAY TWO: 8.5 miles
Wildcat trail 0.75
Ore Pit Loop trail 1.0
M. Bell trail 4.0
Woodland Shelter trail 1.0
Creech Hollow trail 1.2
M. Bell trail 0.25
Wildcat trail 0.25

Lora and I won a free night stay at any state park inn, for sending in a story about a state park, so we headed out to Montgomery Bell State Park for the weekend.  We checked in at the Inn and found out that the motorcycle club Christian Motorcyclists Association was having a convention here.  There were a lot of really nice bikes on the grounds.

We moved into our room and then headed out on the trail.  We started out on the Wildcat trail leaving from the Inn heading to the Montgomery Bell trail.  We headed North and then around the North side of Lake Acorn.  We saw the first of many deer here.  We got to the Wildcat shelter and noticed that they had taken the bunk beds out that they had the last time I was here with the Outcasthikers and replaced them with a single shelf.  They also added two benches next to the campfire ring.  We stopped at the next water crossing for lunch.

We hiked to the Creech Hollow trail and took it along Creech Hollow lake.  There were quite a few fishermen out.  From the Creech Hollow trail we headed West on the M. Bell trail to the Spillway trail which we took to Lake Woodhaven.  Lora did her famous snake scream on the Spillway trial which of course not only scared me and all wildlife within a mile, but about gave the black snake a heart attack as well.  We enjoyed the peace and views of the lake for a while and then headed back the way we came.

We hiked the M. Bell trail back to the Wildcat trail and back to the inn.  We got cleaned up and then headed for the steak and shrimp dinner buffet.  It was good!  After stuffing our selves we walk up Hotel Avenue and took the Beach Avenue back to the Inn for the night.

The next morning after the breakfast buffet, we headed back out hiking.  We took the Wildcat trail across the road to the Ore Pit trail doing the Western side of the loop checking out the pits.  We stopped and checked out the McAdow cabin, the Presbyterian monument, and then the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.  Lora took time out to play a couple of songs for me on the piano.

Then we headed South on the M. Bell trail.  We took us a break at the Hall Spring shelter then took a snack break at Lake Woodhaven where we watched a fisherman battle a big Catfish.  We checked out the Woodland shelter and then headed back to the Inn on the Creech Hollow trail.

This is a beautiful park to visit and the trails are all in good condition.

Pictures:

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