Bath time – After crossing ‘Cat Briar Meadows,’ I was hot, sweaty, and dirty. I stopped here for half an hour, filled up with water, and then had a quick bath in this pool. Let’s just say it was invigorating (flipping chilly).
Lakes and Creeks
Lakes, creeks, rivers, ponds, streams. Just about anything wet that isn’t the sea.
This is going to get messy. The lake has dropped six to eight inches, but it’s still covering the trail. +1
Lifting mist at Piney Creek – Complete with a heron.
Misty Morning at Piney Creek. It was worth all the heat and bug bites just for the magical few minutes watching the mist evaporate. +2
Through the veil – looking across the lake, the mist was lifting.
View from the lake.
Fun and frolics at the lake – The lake was warm, almost bath temperature. I didn’t bother to count how many times I took a dip. It was a lot. Slideshow: +5
First glimpse of the lake – but not my first encounter. I checked the lake level before I left, and it was five feet above standard pool. When I was here this time last year, I think it was eleven feet above pool. Anyway, the lake was high enough to have covered the trail in places on the way in. One-minute read
‘Top-up Creek’ – On my trips to the lake at Piney Creek I almost always stop here to get water. So I’ve decided to name this feeder-creek ‘Top-up Creek.’
Small spring and creek near ‘Ant Hill’ – The spring we found can be seen right at the bottom of the frame. The water was pouring out of a small one to one-and-a-half-inch hole in the bank. +3
Glimpse – A glimpse of the sky, and the river can just be seen through the leaves. +2
Steam Mill Creek Crossing – This is where the main North Fork Loop Trail crosses the creek in Steam Mill Hollow. One-minute read
Lunch break by the creek in Steam Mill Hollow. Not that I knew it was the creek in Steam Mill Hollow at the time. It seems I need to learn several more lessons in checking my compass and map before I assume I know where I am. Two-minute read, +1
The final crossing of Whites Creek.
Crossing Whites Creek – You have to cross Whites Creek to get back to the main Whites Creek Trail. It’s not very obvious in this picture (or in reality), but the trail climbs up the bank just to the right of the tree on the left side of the frame.
Whites Creek at the Whites Creek Float Camp – Whites Creek Float Camp looks to be abandoned, but I’m guessing it is just showing a lack of TLC brought on by a year of neglect because of COVID-19. +2
Caves on Whites Creek.
Eleven Point (Wild and Scenic) River – This is pretty much the only overlook in the entire 20-mile Whites Creek Trail. The trail here is very narrow and rough with a 100+ft. drop-off on one side. +1
Bliss Spring (Second spring). +1
Bliss Spring. +1