Honey Creek Plateau TTA

 Deb led 13 hikers on the Honey Creek Loop.  Two went out at the overlook, the rest of us enjoyed the whole loop. One hiker showed us how to tuck and roll, hopefully no lasting injuries. We climbed up rocks, down rocks, thru rocks, crawled, used ropes to go down two different rocks. No water at the waterfalls today and the creek was low. No water shoes required. What a beautiful hike this is. 

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Honey Creek with Dawn / Celia

 

Lora and I joined Dawn and Celia for the Honey Creek Loop in the Big South Fork. This was their first time to do the hike and were ready for the adventure. It was a beautiful day with a little snow to freshen things up a bit. This trail is always an adventure and a bit on the tough side. For further intertainment Celia lost her phone so we got to hike the first part over again. The phone was found and all was good.

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Sheltowee, Honey Creek, Gentlemen's Swimming Hole

Sheltowee 8.1
Honey Creek 3.4
Gentlemen's Swimming Hole 2.1

Heading out for an overnighter, we headed to the Big South Fork. We had not hiked the newest section of the Sheltowee trail which runs from Honey Creek to the O&W bridge. So we did! 5.2 miles.

The Sheltowee follows the West side of the Honey Creek Loop which is the easiest side with only one time that you have to crawl through the rocks. From there you go over the ridge and back down into the river valley. You get to see numerous rock houses and water falls. The horses, which I know that it is the ignorant riders that can't read the signs, have torn up the trail. Especially going down to the O&W bridge. The bridge has been improved since the last time we saw it.

From the bridge we headed back and set up camp on the ridge where the spring begins just before the Honey Creek Loop. We got to listen to the coyotes and owls for the night.

The next morning we did the other half of the 5.7 mile Honey Creek loop which is a challenge with a backpack. You have to climb, crawl, skirt, find, rock hop and go through on this section. It's all beautiful!

We drove up to the overlook after finishing the trail and ate lunch. With more time left in the day, we headed over to historic Rugby and hiked the 2.1 mile Gentlemen's Swimming Hole loop. This trail goes down to the Clear Fork where they have picnics and swimming. Then it goes along the river down to White Oak Creek where the creek and river meet. Then you climb back up the gorge and hike an old roadbed back to the trailhead. We did a little exploring on the roadbed. We found flagging in the woods that we thought would lead to an overlook. Stopped looking when the trail started dropping toward the creek.

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Honey Creek/Twin Arches

I drove to Big South Fork to meet up with the hikers from Highland Rim, Nashville and Murfreesboro. I was also looking for the road to the Double Arches I had heard about from the Nature Conservancy. I found the road, then drove to Honey Creek. 9 hikers today, most had been here before, some had not. We had a few creek crossings, with a couple of wet feet, but we never changed into our water shoes. We managed to rock hop and log hop, and maneuver our way thru and across. Lunch was at a rock house with entertainment from 3 young backpackers climbing and jumping and making us wonder if we would need Michael's big first aid kit. Trying to figure out meal times between two time zones could make a hiker hangry. But I made it.

When we got back to the parking lot we drove to the parking for the Double Arches. It's just a short walk in and you walk across the top of the arch then down and around to see the one underneath. Such a cool thing to see. Then 5 hikers headed for Nashville and Tullahoma, and 4 of us headed to Bandy Creek Campground. Marietta, Kathy and Jan had camped Friday night and had firewood and snacks ready. I set up my hammock and we started collecting firewood. Kathy got a good fire going and we kicked back and enjoyed our evening. We watched the stars put on a show and got to hear a whippoorwill sing.

Early Sunday morning I heard a Barred owl talk for a little while. It was a chilly morning so I got a fire started so we could warm our fingers while packing up. Kathy decided to head back toward home and sight see along the way, so Jan, Marietta and I drove up the Divide Road to the Twin Arches.

There were quite a few cars in the parking lot but we had room. We hiked the Twin Arches/Charit Creek Loop. We had a snack at the lodge while Jan checked out the facilities for a future stay. It was a beautiful hike with lots of wildflower sightings. Yellow and red Trilliums, Spring Beauties, Blood root, white, yellow and purple violets, Bishop's Cap, Cinuefoil Hepatica, Anemone, Columbine, Little Brown Jugs, Star Chickweed. If I missed some, someone remind me.

We said goodbye see you soon, I stayed and ate my lunch at the picnic tables in the parking area. I don't know when these were added but it looks fairly new. As I drove out I noticed a small shallow pond and stopped to check for salamander eggs, but found tadpoles instead.

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Honey Creek - TTA

TTA hike with Upper Cumberland. Pete K. was our leader for the Honey Creek Hike. I drove thru fog, mist, sprinkles and cloudy skies to the trailhead. It was a cool fall day. 12 hikers set out to see the best that Big South Fork has to offer. It stopped sprinkling before we started.

We started at the overlook, and then climbed down the ladders to the trail. I took my crocs just in case the creek crossings were high. We found a couple of places that the trail was too muddy and the rocks too slick to climb down, but not to worry….Pete had a rope! He tied off to a tree and we used it to descend. I didn’t need my crocs, the creeks were low, just rock hopping.

We had lunch on an open area of rock. We were amazed at the rock bluffs on this trail. Such a cool area to hike. The sun finally broke thru and warmed us up a little. You have to watch for the blazes on this trail, some are painted on the rocks you have to climb thru and around.  This is the 4^th time I’ve hiked Honey Creek and I always manage to lose the trail. Pete kept us on track and we climbed back up the ladders to the overlook to finish the hike. It was great. I love this trail.

I wanted to stop in Allardt for the Pumpkin Festival. I got right to town and the highway was shut down for the parade. I watched folks get out of their cars and walk up to the street to watch the parade. This is a main highway! I got out and walked up to the police officer stopping traffic to let the parade out of the side street, and said “so in this town it’s alright to park my car in the highway and leave it to watch the parade?” and he says “No ma’am, it’s not ok” and I asked how long we would be sitting still, “about 45 more minutes” he said. It only took about 15 really when we started moving. I had to go around 2 vacant cars, wonder where those folks were? hmmm. I parked in a field and walked thru the craft areas. SO much BBQ cooking, all pork, no chicken. So I got a Nathan’s hot dog smothered with grilled onions and mustard and a big glass of fresh squeezed lemonade. Mmmmmm.

Coming into Pikeville I saw the sign for the Harvest Festival happening today. I missed it, but caught the last few minutes of the music. Cody McCarver was singing, glad I stopped by.

It was a great day.

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