Location – 4/5
We called an audible for this place due to possible tornadoes in the area we had planned to go. The drive out was pretty easy as we just stayed on Interstate 64 a majority of the way and we parked by the church on the side of the road by the trailhead. There was no designated parking at this trailhead, but we ran into no issues. We planned out around a 5 mile hike on day 1, 3 miles on day 2, and the elevation gain was just under 800ft, which is in our ability.
Campground – 3/5
We stayed just past the scenic overlook at 1 of only 2 established campsites, both very close to the trail. There was no one else camping and we only saw 3-4 other people while at camp. Both campsites had established fire pits and there was more than enough wood available. We pushed the stakes into the soft ground with ease and were able to hang both hammocks easily. We wish there were more options and that each site was further from the trail.
Activities – 3/5
Nature
We went in late March and we saw a few deer and heard lots of birds, including some turkeys. There wasn’t a lot of scenery and due to the difficulty of the trail we had to keep our eyes down. There were a few flowers and a very cool creek crossing about halfway through day 1.
Hiking – 1/5
This was primarily a horse trail, and made our hike incredibly difficult due to the mud and chopped up ground. At times it felt like doing a tough mudder obstacle course and we constantly had to zig zag and find alternate paths due to the trail being too muddy or just un-walkable. We took regular breaks to get our energy back which helped us tackle the many ups and downs. About half way through day 1 we had a big creek crossing where we took our boots and socks off and waded through to the other side. We had the most fun on the hike at this point and it was a nice refreshing break. On day 2, there was another crossing and we could’ve done the same, but we dropped some logs and made our way through without taking off our boots.
Amenities 3/5
Marking and Trail Maintenance
The trail was one of the best marked trails we have been on. We actually crossed a couple different trails on our route so the colors of the blaze changed, but it was very easy to see. Most all of the downed trees had been cut and it seemed like there was regular maintenance done. Our walk was pretty miserable due to the the trail being torn to bits by the horses. It would be much better if they could separate out the human trail from the horse trail.
Firewood and Water
There were multiple opportunities to get water from the creek. The water was mostly clear and tasted great (after filtering, of course). The campsites had ample firewood and the last people to stay there left us enough to have a good fire for a few hours. There were tons of sticks and kindling all around.
Overall Rating – 2/5
Overall we give this site 2 out of 5. We don’t think we’ll be back to tackle this hike again because it was so difficult, but if you want a very challenging trail, this one may be the one you want. The main creek crossing was lots of fun and wading through the water felt great as a mid day activity. If you just want to camp, there is a trailhead to park at near the scenic overlook and campsites after a short hike.
