Jones Gap State Park sits on the Blue Ridge Escarpment in upstate South Carolina very near the state line with its neighbor to the north. Along with Caesars Head State Park, these two share an area known as Mountain Bridge Wilderness. The Jones Gap Trail follows the Middle Saluda River from the park visitor center along an old roadway built by Solomon Jones in the 1850s. In this cove backcountry the river is quite wild with many waterfalls and rapids that add exciting sights and sounds to a pristine mountain woodland. A couple miles up from the eastern end of Jones Gap Trail is Jones Gap Falls, the destination for this hike. My brother Dave and I visited Jones Gap on February 17, 2020 beginning at 10:15am and finishing at 1:15pm. The plan was to take Jones Gap Trail up the Middle Saluda River to Jones Gap Falls and beyond, then return.

South Carolina State Parks have a voluntary $6 hiking fee, so be sure to register either at the Visitor Center or at the sign box in the parking area. It really helps with trail maintenance, something that has become an issue at Jones Gap because of incessant rain for years now.

It’s about a quarter mile stroll from the parking area at Jones Gap State Park — along the Middle Saluda River, past the Learning Center — to the eastern Jones Gap trailhead. This trail is also known as the Middle Saluda Passage of the Palmetto Trail (learn more about the Palmetto Trail here and here).

This area of Jones Gap is also an Audobon bird sanctuary and you may be fortunate enough to see a few Great Blue Herons. They tend to hang out along the river near the Visitor Center. On our earlier visit we stopped at the Learning Center and spent nearly a half hour with the park ranger talking about the history and geology of the Jones Gap area. Ranger Lee was extremely informative, and a very nice guy to boot.

Beyond the Learning Center, a foot bridge takes you across the river, past a signboard detailing all the trails in Mountain Bridge Wilderness, and onto the Jones Gap Trail. The blue-blazed trail is slightly uphill as it follows the whitewater of the wild river. When we were here a few years ago, this major trail artery up the gap was in excellent condition, perhaps a little rocky, but otherwise well taken care of. That is not the case now. Rain, year after year, has turned this trail into a sub-drainage of the river, and with it all the mud and erosion that would be expected. Unfortunately, it will be very expensive to repair the drainage problem.

There are 4-5 campsites alongside the trail and the river that make excellent vantage points for views upstream. During the green and warmer months, these sites are usually occupied, so you don’t want to infringe on their privacy. But off season, they’re good for photos of the river, and perhaps for a snack break.

An example view from one of the trailside campsites.

A little less than a mile upriver, look for red blazes bearing right onto the Rainbow Falls Trail. The Jones Gap Trail continues to the left at the junction and Rainbow Falls bears to the right. Here is the trail report, if you’re curious. But for this hike, take the left fork, blue blaze.

It is approximately another three-quarters mile from this junction to Jones Gap Falls. The trail gets decidedly steeper, climbing a few hundred feet. When you cross the river to a campground on the north side, you are almost there. Look for several nice cascades along this stretch.

You’re nearly there now. When you reach the trail sign for the falls, head uphill away from the river. It isn’t far, perhaps 70 yards. Once you clear the first rise you will know you’re there. This is a large waterfall — 50 feet in height, probably 15-20 feet wide. Because of heavy winter rain, it was flowing pretty good. Both sides of the falls are surrounded by extremely thick rhododendron. I suspect this area is a chromatic delight during bloom season.

There are some flat rocks at the base of the falls that are perfect for lunch. They are just far enough away from the falls that we didn’t get mist in the face as we put on the feed bag. We stayed for nearly a half hour for pictures, and simply to enjoy this appealing waterfall.

After getting renourished, we still had some energy, so we continued up Jones Gap Trail. You can go another four miles to the western end of Jones Gap. Here’s the trail report. But we weren’t that adventurous. We went up another quarter mile or so, found a nice cascade along the river, and discovered what I call Smiley Rock. See the photos below.

From Jones Gap Falls, the return to the Visitor Center is just a straight shot back down Jones Gap the way you came.

Summarizing, unfortunately the condition of the Jones Gap Trail has really deteriorated since my initial visit in 2012. It’s a shame too. The SC State Parks folks had done a wonderful job building it. It is certainly still passable. Just plan on getting your hiking boots muddy, and be very careful where you step. Very easy to turn an ankle, or worse. The waterfall is quite nice, well worth the effort to get there. This is one the entire family can enjoy, as long as you have appropriate footwear.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Located in the Guion Farm region of DuPont State Forest, this hike will take you to one of the lesser known, but equally memorable, of the exciting DuPont waterfalls. You are surrounded by majestic pine forest nearly throughout, with a walk along Grassy Creek for good measure. Most of the way is excellent double track surface, but that means you should listen for the sound of mountain bikes coming up behind you. Keep your eyes on the map and the markers as you will change trails several times to finish this easy loop. My brother and I hiked to Wintergreen Falls on Thursday, January 23, 2020 beginning at 11:00AM and finishing about 1:50PM. Our plan was take Tarklin Branch and Wintergreen Falls trails to the waterfall, then return on Sandy Trail, Thomas Cemetery Trail, and Buckhorn Road.

Start in the south corner of the large Guion Farm parking area and head in a generally south direction on Tarklin Branch Trail, proceeding alongside a large meadow and into a mature pine forest. On sunny days, this transition from wide open spaces to dark canopy may take a moment for your eyes to adjust.

It’s roughly a mile from the trailhead to the next junction with Wintergreen Falls Trail. Along the way you will pass the occasional educational sign explaining the remedial work the State Forest Service has done to improve the pathways and waterways in the area, preventing flooding and washouts.

As DuPont is a working forest, so too will you find evidence of the logging activity that occurs throughout the state forest. You will pass a large clear cut area on your right along Tarklin Branch Trail, and later, as you meander along Thomas Cemetery Trail you will notice the forest thinning that has happened there. The loggers harvest only the most mature of the trees, leaving the younger ones for future use.

I think the forest that surrounds this region is among the most beautiful in DuPont. Another example of a beautiful pine forest hike off of Sky Valley Road is the Plantation Trail, a few miles farther up the road. The aroma of the pine is magnificent, and during warm weather you are treated to the wonderful bird music high above in the tallest boughs.

When you reach the junction, turn left (east) on Wintergreen Falls Trail, then it is an additional half mile to the waterfall. Continuing through the forest, you will notice fields of massive boulders on your left, fallen from the granite plutons high above. As you approach the end you will see horse tie-offs, and safety signs warning of the danger of waterfalls. First, you will reach the rocky whitewater cascades of Grassy Creek on your right, then wind your way northeast through a very thick rhododendron forest that parallels the creek.

As you duck through the rhodo branches, there are many large boulders creekside that are useful for setting up a camera tripod, or just sitting to watch… and listen. Wintergreen Falls is not particularly large, perhaps 15-20 feet tall and of equal width. The largest channel is on the left side of the cascade. During the dry season you can wade in the splash pool, but I wouldn’t recommend it during high flow periods.

This is Wintergreen Falls. Due to the very wet winter of 2020, it is flowing pretty nicely.

We stayed to visit for about 20 minutes, joined eventually by another pair of hikers. When we’d had enough, we returned the same way, a half-mile to the junction with Tarklin Branch. However, rather than going back, we turned left (west) here on Sandy Trail. This one is named appropriately. The tred on Sandy Trail is indeed quite sandy, remnants of being in the flood plain of Grassy Creek.

Grassy Creek starts with whitewater, but soon calms down to a slow, quiet stream cutting through dense, overhanging rhododendron thickets. Did you know that Grassy Creek is named for the evergreen teaberry ground cover that can be found along its banks? There is one junction where you can wade the creek to try Grassy Creek Trail, but we continued on Sandy Trail for 0.6-mile. At the end it rejoins Tarklin Branch Trail, but further southwest. Turn left.

It is roughly another half mile on Tarklin Branch to its meeting with Thomas Cemetery Trail. We turned right here (north), but you can also go left to view the Thomas Cemetery. Another wide double track, Thomas Cemetery Trail takes you through yet more stunning pine and hardwood forest. As mentioned above, there is evidence here of fairly recent logging activity.

We found a nice log on the side of the trail to enjoy lunch, and heard an unexpected crash in the forest nearby. We soon found out it was a State Forest Service ranger in a pickup truck driving through a frozen puddle, causing the crash-like loudness in the otherwise silent woods. We waved back and forth as he passed by, then put our packs back on to resume the trek.

You stay on Thomas Cemetery Trail for about a mile, until it crosses Buck Forest Road where you turn right. It’s then one last half mile on Buck Forest back to the parking lot. You will pass one of the few remaining inholdings within DuPont State Forest as you approach the finish. I often wonder how annoying it is to the people who live there to have hikers and bikers traversing their backyard day after day.

Summarizing this hike, the destination is a delightful picturesque waterfall deep within the forest. Along the way you’ll be treated to the smells and sounds of a vibrant pine woodland, the exciting rush of whitewater, and the calm soothing essence of a clear mountain stream. This is a great one for the whole family, both kids and the elderly, as it is not the least bit hard. Be careful around waterfalls as always, but have a great time.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The hike on Whitaker Point Trail to Hawksbill Crag is one of the most popular in Arkansas. Aside from the remarkable views of the Buffalo River Gorge, it’s a nice, easy four-season hike that offers wildflowers in spring and summer, and the bright crimson and gold leaves of fall. It takes a little work to get to due to the very remote nature of the location, but once found it is likely to draw you back again and again. I hiked the Whitaker Point Trail on Friday, June 8, 2018 beginning at 8:00AM and finishing about 10:00AM. My plan was to take the trail to Hawksbill Crag, and beyond, then return.

I started the morning in Springdale and drove just over an hour to the trailhead. This is really backcountry Arkansas. There are a few small hamlets of a couple hundred citizens or less, but you are traveling mostly rural roads. Once you reach gravel road #9560 for the final six miles to the trail, you are really out there. In fact, once I turned off Hwy 412, I never saw another car until I had finished my hike hours later.

The gravel road to the trail is really steep, and really curvy. Don’t plan on driving more than 20 mph. There are a few isolated homes once you reach the ridgetop, but this is mostly legacy forest land. Once you pass the white church on the right, you are almost there. Limited parking is available for this trail, and there are warning signs about private property, so I recommend getting there early, especially on weekends.

There is a very nice stone memorial at the trailhead honoring former Arkansas governor Dale Bumpers, and the trail itself plunges immediately into a dark forest. You descend at a gradual rate, nearly 400 feet total, buts it’s not too bad later coming back up.

It is 1.5 miles to Hawksbill Crag. Along the way you will pass signs warning you to be careful around the rocks at the cliff’s edge. There are a few small streams to cross that may be wet in spring, but were mostly dry when I was there in early June. The forest is hardwood, mostly maples… and dense, dark even.

About half way to the crag, the last stream, and the biggest, might be wet early in the spring. So be prepared to get your shoes wet, or wade across barefoot. Soon after crossing you have a choice of taking the crag loop along the gorge edge, or up above through the forest. I opted to go to the right, counter-clockwise, and follow the rim.

There were a number of ephemeral wildflowers blooming, even in the early morning dim. I found spiderwort, toothwort, and oxeye daisies. You arrive at the rim, soon after crossing the stream, and realize the rugged nature of the terrain.

The most colorful flowers in the forest, it’s hard to miss the spiderwort.

There are many large outcrops along the rim, nice spots for a picnic, or just to sit awhile and enjoy the gorge views. Just be careful around the edge. It’s a long way down. Judging by all the warning signs, there must have been a number of accidents in the past.

Then, at one viewpoint, you see it. Hawksbill Crag at Whitaker Point. It seemed a little smaller than I expected based on photographs. Still, it is a picturesque rock formation jutting out and over the gorge.

As you continue to get closer, there are more viewing spots. The best times to be here for photos are not when I was there. I arrived about 9:00AM and the sun was shining directly into the camera creating nearly impossible lighting conditions. The best time is either right after sunrise, between 6:00-6:30, or late afternoon to sunset. Were I to ever visit again, I would choose sometime in the late afternoon when the sun is behind you.

The best pictures that day were from the crag itself, looking down gorge, with the sun at my back. Don’t be tempted to crawl out on the tip of the crag. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen. There’s plenty of room on the flat part of the crag. Content yourself with staying safe there.

The trail continues farther into the woods beyond the crag for another half mile. It dead ends at a private property boundary. There are plenty of signs there warning you not to continue. There isn’t really much to see beyond the crag, other than a few more large outcrops, and what looked like a cave about a hundred feet off the trail.

When I got back to the crag, I took the other side of the loop. There are several campsites along the trail in this area. No doubt they are quite popular on summer weekends.

When I got back to the stream crossing, I encountered the first others I’d seen since leaving Springdale, a group of four hikers. They were tourists like me, and seemed quite excited to see Hawksbill Crag.

The rest of the way back was uneventful, just more wildflowers. When I popped back out of the woods at the parking area only two hours had passed. Actually when you think about it, it’s a pretty long drive for such a short hike. The thing to do here is come at the right time of the day, and plan on staying awhile and enjoying the outdoors.

Summarizing Whitaker Point Trail, this is an easy hike to a splendid view over the Buffalo River Gorge. You might want to leave the young kids at home because of the rim danger. It’s a pleasant hike no matter the season, one that provides a different perspective each time of year. Expect a big crowd on green season weekends.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Bristlecone Loop, accessible from Rainbow Point at the southern-most end of Bryce Canyon National Park, meanders through a spruce-fir forest atop the highest portion of the park, reaching elevations over 9,100 feet. This short and easy stroll passes by bristlecone pines up to 1,800-years-old and experiences vistas reaching into Dixie National Forest and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. While still popular, this far end of the park is not nearly as crowded as the primary amphitheater area, but no less beautiful. My brother Dave and I hiked the Bristlecone Loop Trail on Sunday, June 3, 2018 beginning at 10:30AM and finishing about 11:30AM. Our plan was to start at Rainbow Point, follow the loop counter-clockwise, then finish at Yovimpa Point.

Bristlecone Loop Trail is in red.

After completing the Queens Garden Loop very early in the morning, we still had the majority of the day left to do more exploring of the features at Bryce Canyon National Park. We decided to drive to the south end of the park, then check out all the overlooks on the way back north, perhaps finding a couple of short hikes to keep the legs warm.

One of those short hikes was Bristlecone Loop. Once arriving at the cul-de-sac at the end of Bryce Canyon Road, we first checked out the appropriately named Rainbow Point. Back in the Bryce Amphitheater the hoodoos are far more numerous, but there are none more colorful than those at Rainbow Point.

The trailhead for the loop is right there too, so we grabbed some water and sun hats and set out to see what we could find. Almost immediately there’s an overlook on the east side of the trail with views into Dixie National Forest down below, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument far into the distance.

Most of the trail is through healthy Blue Spruce, Douglas Fir and White Fir. As you get near the point at the far end of the loop, the bristlecones hang on the edge of the cliffs. Bristlecone pines are some of the oldest trees in the world. In fact, there’s one at Cedar Breaks National Monument, just down the road from Bryce Canyon, that is said to be more than 5,000 years old. Many of those here are nearly 2,000.

We also found several varieties of wildflowers including balsamroot, blue flax, clematis and lupine.

There are multiple overlooks at the far end of the loop. None are as picturesque as Rainbow Point, but they do offer a wide view of the sprawling expanse of canyon country that is southern Utah. They say on a clear day you can see all the way to the four corners area, far to the east.

On the way back, there’s a gazebo along the cliff edge where you can rest for a bit, or get some shade. Inside is a wonderful Thoreau quote, “Silence alone is worthy to be heard.” It is quite appropriate for this section of Bryce Canyon, far away from civilization and the very busy parts of the national park. There isn’t much to hear here. Birds and breeze. Maybe even your own heart beating.

Once you get back to the beginning, if you walk to the west end of the parking area, there is a short paved pathway to Yovimpa Point, another major overlook like Rainbow. This one looks to the southwest.

In summary, Bristlecone Loop is one that is great for hikers of all ages. If you’re going to drive all the way to the south end of the park, you might as well take an hour to walk around this loop. This is the highest point in the park, over 9,000 feet, so it can have as much as 3-15 feet of snow in winter.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Arriving at Bryce Canyon mid-afternoon, Dave and I headed for the short Mossy Cave Trail to get our feet wet among the majestic hoodoos. This trail actually begins outside the park at the far northern reaches, then enters the park boundary on foot. The trail is a streamside walk up to a mossy overhang and small waterfall. Mossy Cave isn’t a cavern, but is a grotto, created by an underground spring. We hiked to Mossy Cave on Saturday, June 2, 2018 beginning at 3:00PM and finishing about 4:00PM. Our plan was to explore this northern portion of Bryce Canyon National Park.

Mossy Cave Trail Map

At first, as you enter the trail, this small drainage known as Water Canyon, might look like any ordinary Bryce kind of canyon. But it’s not. From 1890-1892 Mormon pioneers labored with picks and shovels to carve an irrigation canal known as the Tropic Ditch from the East Fork of the Sevier River, through the Paunsaugunt Plateau, into this canyon.

Except for a severe drought in 2002, the water has flowed continuously for more than a century, and the lives of families living in and around the nearby town of Tropic still benefit from the effort of the pioneers.

As you hike up the Mossy Cave Trail, notice how the higher elevations of this “canyon” have the lumpy, broken, and random texture typical of Bryce Canyon National Park and its hoodoos. You will also see how the lower section is without hoodoos, and has smooth angled sides looking like a ‘V’ in cross-section. Because of this little water course, it is unlikely that any more hoodoos will form here. The existing hoodoos will eventually crumble and Water Canyon will have completed the metamorphosis, becoming a “real canyon.”

Soon after crossing a small rise you see the water… the pale green water. It is readily apparent that this is a mineral rich environment, simply by the color of the water in Tropic Ditch.

You are surrounded by hoodoos on both sides of the canyon. Hoodoos are tall skinny spires of rock that protrude from the bottom of arid basins. They are created over many centuries through slow erosion of the soft rock and dirt sediment layers. While the hoodoos here at Mossy Cave aren’t nearly as spectacular as the ones in the heart of the national park, they were a good reminder to us of what we had to look forward to throughout this visit to Bryce.

There is a small, perhaps 40 foot long foot bridge over Tropic Ditch, and then as you round a bend in the trail you see the unexpected. A waterfall. That’s the last thing I expected to see in Bryce Canyon National Park. Sure enough. Those Mormon pioneers had a playful nature apparently as they took the Tropic Ditch over a 10 foot drop in the canyon floor.

The trail forks, and you can take the right fork to the waterfall. Here, the rapid trenching of the stream has been delayed by a layer of dolomite, a special form of limestone fortified by magnesium. Dolomite is not only harder than regular limestone; it also can’t be dissolved by slightly acidic rainwater. Dolomite is what has created this waterfall and it is also the cap rock for the more famous and durable hoodoos.

The young kids who were also out hiking with their parents on this day made a beeline straight for the waterfall, and could be seen splashing and playing there for the duration of our visit.

Take the left fork in the trail to Mossy Cave. This isn’t a cave in the walking underground sense. It’s more of a shelter cave. Here depending on the season, you will see a large overhang either filled with moss, or with giant icicles. The icicles sometimes last as late in the season as May. Mossy Cave is created by an underground spring. It was so dark and contrasty inside that I didn’t even try to get a picture. Frankly, the waterfall is a lot more interesting.

The trail continues along the Tropic Ditch water course for another quarter mile or so, but the Park Service has this section closed as they work on native vegetation rehabilitation. All you’re missing out on is a chance to get a bit closer to some hoodoos.

Summarizing Mossy Cave Trail, this is one that’s great for the whole family. Especially if you have little kids, they will love the small waterfall. The hiking is short and easy and a good introduction to Bryce Canyon National Park. If you’re traveling on a very limited budget, you can save some money on the national park entrance fee because this trailhead is actually located outside the park boundary.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Castle Trail is the longest in Badlands National Park, but can be broken up with three distinct trailheads. Medicine Root connects with Castle Trail at Saddle Pass and Old Northeast Road creating a loop of about five miles. The terrain is mixed grass prairie and arroyo, with views of the Badlands pinnacles throughout. Keep your eyes peeled for wildlife. It is abundant. Hope for a dry day when hiking in the Badlands. Mud is quick to form and very goopy. My brother Dave and I hiked this loop on Monday, May 28, 2018 beginning at 8:30AM and finishing about 1:15PM. Our plan was to hike the loop clockwise, starting at the Old Northeast Road trailhead, then add a tail to the loop by continuing on Castle Trail toward the Window and Door.

A few days earlier we hiked the western portion of Castle Trail to Saddle Pass. It was our intention on this day to check out the central area of the prairie, including Medicine Root Trail. This portion of Castle Trail also goes to Saddle Pass where it picks up Medicine Root.

We were a bit apprehensive on our way to Badlands National Park, because just like our previous visit, there had been a rain storm the night before. The Badlands become pretty much unhikeable when very wet. The clay that forms the foundation becomes very soft and adheres to everything it touches. When we arrived at the trailhead, there were puddles, but the ground surface seemed to be reasonably firm. Perhaps this would work out after all.

We started out on Castle Trail heading west. Unfortunately, for the first half mile, a line of power poles dominates the landscape as it takes electricity to the Visitor Center and to the campground. Once past that, the trail approaches the edge of the Badlands Wall, past deep arroyos that demonstrate the power of erosion.

It’s a barren landscape here with very little grass, unlike the other side of the loop. It can be difficult to follow the trail across this landscape. Fortunately the Park Service has recognized that, and strategically placed red stakes to aid with navigation.

The next mile the path weaves through a maze of spires, buttes, sod tables, and fins interspersed with open prairie. The spires are to your left (south), while the prairie is on your right (north). I should note the Castle Trail is fully exposed to the elements. There are no trees. There is no shade. If it rains, you will get wet. So come prepared. Sunscreen and a hat are a must, and it’s best to have rain gear with you just in case.

At about 2.2 miles you arrive at Saddle Pass, and an opportunity to view the south side of the Badlands Wall. There is a great overlook of the colorful spires erupting from the valley floor 200 feet below, as well as long distance views of the White River Valley and the faraway community of Interior.

We happened to arrive when there was a busload of school kids climbing up the pass from below on this Memorial Day holiday. They all wanted to show their friends how high they could climb by scaling the tallest spires and pinnacles. After awhile though, the screaming that went along with that got a bit tiresome, so Dave and I moved on to the Medicine Root Trail.

This is the view looking south across the White River Valley from Saddle Pass.

Medicine Root heads in a northeasterly direction for a half mile as it takes you away from the Badlands Wall and deep into the prairie grassland. The trail marker stakes are now green to match the prairie. There are places out here where grass is all you can see in every direction. With grass also comes wildflowers. We came across patches of daisy fleabane, goatsbeard, and a meadow with hundreds and hundreds of primrose.

Medicine Root is also a bit more secluded. We did happen upon the occasional hiker, but nothing like the Castle Trail. Frankly, there isn’t as much spectacular scenery to see over here, but it’s still different from mountain greenery that I’m used to back home. Perhaps that’s the reason fewer folks come this way.

Eventually the trail turns more to the east and continues across open prairie. At one point we came to a place where the trail dropped into a wide, grassy arroyo and we quickly discovered how much water had fallen in the recent storms. While you couldn’t see it beneath the grass, there was at least 2-3 inches of standing water in the arroyo.

We quickly looked for a place to easily climb the arroyo wall and get back up on dry land, ending up on opposite sides of the arroyo for a few hundred yards or so. As we continued, we encountered other areas that were somewhat swampy too, kind of tip-toeing our way through. Soon after, we also found a handful of trees, the first we’d seen all day.

After about a mile and a half on Medicine Root the trail turns southeasterly and you can once again see the spires and pinnacles of the Badlands Wall… and also the power poles that follow Old Northeast Road.

The final half mile of the loop is alternating grass and clay, grass and clay, as we got back to the car and took a break. The air temperature was warming, so I shed one layer, ate a snack, and sat down for awhile. Our plan now was to continue east on the Castle Trail, heading toward the Door and Window area.

This section of Castle Trail is on the east side of Old Northeast Road and immediately crosses a wood and iron footbridge over a wash. You walk around a series of Badlands pinnacles and are then hidden from the road. We passed a few other hikers coming in the opposite direction who gave us a tip that there were bighorn rams ahead.

As you can imagine, that excited me, so I picked up my pace. We had seen the ewes and lambs on a previous day, but this would be our first opportunity to check out some rams. Half a mile later, there they were, gently taking a siesta on the rim of an arroyo. We took lots of pictures, then left them alone as we continued eastward.

One of three bighorn rams we encountered along the eastern section of Castle Trail.

As you continue eastward on Castle Trail, the grass of the prairie goes away, and you wander in, around, and among the Badlands pinnacles and spires. At one point we reached an area where there was nothing but clay. Based on our previous experience with the Badlands mud, we were quite grateful that there hadn’t been more rain the night before. This place would have been impassable.

When we got to a point where we could see the major parking lot at the far eastern end of Castle Trail, we decided to turn around. When we got back to the grassy arroyo, the bighorn sheep had moved on, but it didn’t take long for us to find them… or should I say for them to find us.

It seemed as if they were following us. Everywhere we went, they came along too. If we crossed an arroyo, so did the rams. If we stayed up on the prairie grass, so too the bighorns, as they would pause and graze for awhile. At one point, as we rounded a turn in an arroyo, there they were no more than 50 feet away. That’s the photo at the top of this post.

They never acted threatening, nor of course did we. It just seemed that we were all heading in the same direction. Finally, after a quarter mile, they peeled off and began climbing one of the pinnacles off to the south. I’ve seen a lot of wildlife in my time hiking. This may have been one of the most interesting, and enjoyable, encounters.

We were almost back to the car now, passing a few hikers going the other way. We returned the favor and notified them to watch for the rams ahead. After a very overcast morning, the sky was beginning now to finally clear. We could actually see blue, a nice ending to a very pleasant hike.

Summarizing the Castle/Medicine Root Loop, this is one that doesn’t require much exertion. It’s pretty much level the whole way around the loop. If six miles is a little too much, you can make it shorter in a number of ways. You can also hike the full length of Castle Trail and back at about 10.5 miles if that’s your thing. Be prepared for weather changes, and cover your skin to prevent sunburn. There’s lots to see along this route, so take your time and enjoy.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

When you’re looking to get a good overview of the “above ground” features of Wind Cave National Park, what better way than to climb to the highest point. Fortunately, that’s easy to do with the Rankin Ridge Nature Trail. This one-mile loop takes you to an old retired fire tower with views into the Black Hills and as far away as The Badlands. Watch for wildlife and wildflowers along the way. My brother Dave and I hiked Rankin Ridge Trail on Thursday, May 24, 2018 beginning about 8:30AM and finishing at 9:15AM. This was a nice tuneup for a longer hike later in the morning.

Rankin Ridge Trail Map

We stopped at the Visitor Center for Wind Cave National Park to talk with a friendly ranger about above ground hiking recommendations. Since this was our first visit to the park, he suggested three, to get our feet wet. Boland Ridge in the far reaches of the park and known for wildlife, the Lookout Point/Centennial loop in the heart of the park, and this one that features access to a fire tower at the highest point in the park, and therefore offers a good overview of all that surrounds the ridge.

We chose to do Rankin Ridge first. It’s easy to get to and on the way to Boland Ridge. Plus it’s only a mile loop.

The trailhead is a short drive up a hill off Hwy 87 in the northern part of the park. It starts deep in the woods, in a pine forest, and climbs gently to the ridge. We were treated immediately, just past the trailhead, to a wealth of wildflowers including bluebells and pink shooting stars. I’ve seen white shooting stars before, in the Smokies, but these were my first pink ones.

Soon, there are views to the north through the trees of the craggy Black Hills in the distance. Some of those crags would be on our hiking agenda later in the week. As we approached the ridge line, the terrain got rockier. A summer intern project had done a nice job years ago building a stone stairway through the outcrops.

As we topped the ridge the wide expanse of the South Dakotan horizon came in to view. Far in the distance to the east is Buffalo Gap, a natural pass through the mountains in this area. Beyond that, even farther east, we could just make out the Badlands area where we had been the days before.

There’s a fire tower at the high point, still climbable. Far below there was a lone bison grazing amidst the pine forest. From this perch we could see the vast prairies, one of which would be our next hike, the canyon area we would be hiking the next day, and the forest that is intermingled amongst it all.

The return to the car is a simple stroll down the old dirt road that used to carry the park rangers to the fire tower when it was still in use.

This short nature trail was a good recommendation by the park ranger. It helped us get a good feel for the lay of the land that makes up Wind Cave National Park. This is typical western South Dakota — with prairie, hills and forest. Most people come to Wind Cave for the massive caverns found below ground. Don’t cheat yourself, however, by not exploring the fantastic scenery that is also found above.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

There are three short trails that share the same trailhead on the far eastern section of Badlands National Park. The Window and Door Trails are boardwalks that explore the spires and buttes of the Badlands Wall. Notch Trail passes through the Wall and offers a great view of the White River Valley. There is even a fun rope ladder that takes you to the canyon rim as you head to the “Notch.” Some of the best views of The Badlands can be found on these short trails. My brother Dave and I hiked Notch Trail on Wednesday, May 23, 2018, and Door and Window on Monday, May 28th. Each were something we did at the end of longer hikes to fill out the day.

These three trails are on the right hand side of this map.

Notch Trail

Notch Trail begins by wandering through a canyon, surrounded by buttes and pinnacles on each side. About half way through you reach a rope and log ladder on your right that climbs to the rim about 40 feet above the canyon. The first half of the ladder can be walked, but as it steepens, getting on all fours is required to maintain balance. It really isn’t particularly dangerous.

Once on the rim, there is some exposure to the edge. Pay attention, and watch your step, as you don’t want to tumble into the canyon. Those with height fear may have a little trouble here.

After three quarters of a mile you reach the “Notch,” a dead end of the trail. From this vantage point you can see far away into the White River Valley and toward the small town of Interior, located just outside the southern boundary of the park. Later, as you continue south on the Badlands Loop Road, pause at the next pullout and look back over your left shoulder to see the “Notch” perched up on the cliff.

This is an out and back hike, so return is via the same pathway. It’s a little more difficult getting down the ladder, just because you’re backwards.

Door Trail

A wheelchair accessible ¼ mile boardwalk leads through a break in the Badlands Wall known as the “Door” and to a view of the Badlands. If you aren’t bound by a wheelchair, though, you should definitely continue out onto the clay surface beyond the boardwalk.

Follow the numbered stakes for an additional quarter mile into the heart of the maze of arroyos for the best views. While not the most colorful spires in the park, I think this section of the Badlands Wall is the most intricate and detailed. Definitely one of the best views to be found.

Window Trail

This very short trail leads to a natural window in the Badlands Wall with a view of an extremely eroded canyon. This one is also on a boardwalk for wheelchair access.

WARNING The Badlands has a very arid climate with no trees for shade. Summer in particular can get quite hot in the afternoons, so carrying plenty of water and slathering on the sunscreen are important precautions. A hat and sunglasses are also recommended. Watch for quick moving storm clouds and take rain gear if the sky looks threatening. Sturdy boots will help protect your ankles from cactus spines, and from the mucky mud that forms after a thunderstorm. Otherwise, have fun!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Our evening arrival to Badlands National Park coincided with a torrential storm that brought rain, wind and hail to the region. We learned the next morning that the campground was flooded, as was every arroyo in the park. We soon learned that the soft clay of the Badlands terrain does not mix well with lots of rain. Think quicksand — you sink inches with each step — thick, goopy mud that sticks to your shoes like glue. My brother Dave and I attempted to hike the Saddle Pass Trail to join the Castle Trail at Badlands on Wednesday, May 23, 2018 beginning at 7:30AM. In no time our plans changed, as the clay mud was simply impassible. Instead, we killed some time sight-seeing, and waited for the afternoon sun to begin to dry the muck. So beginning about 1:00PM we hiked the trail in the opposite direction, starting at the west trailhead for the Castle Trail.

Dave and I arrived in Wall, South Dakota just past dinner-time, checked into our motel, and headed to The Badlands National Park excited for some great sunset photos. Instead, we were greeted with 40 mph wind, stinging rain, crazy lightning, and a black pall on the entire night sky. Welcome to The Badlands.

While our evening excursion was a bust, we were up early the next morning ready for some great hiking in South Dakota. Little did we know that the storm lasted most of the night, causing flash flooding and general mayhem. At the trailhead we encountered a woman in an RV who had stayed the previous night at the nearby park campground. She reported large hail twice, and flooding of the poor tent campers who most certainly didn’t sign up for that.

At the trailhead for Saddle Pass Trail, a footbridge crosses the arroyo. There was still brown water flowing. The walls of the bridge were packed full of desert scrub debris that had washed through the arroyo from flash flooding that must have been many feet above the level of the bridge. Incredible. The trailhead sign even says, “this short, but steep trail is not recommended when wet.” After navigating our way through the debris across the bridge, we found out why.

The wet clay looks innocent enough — still a smooth surface. Dave took the first steps and realized immediately he was in one giant mess. His boots sank into the mire nearly to his ankles. I tried going in a different direction on the other side of the bridge with the same unfortunate result.

Now what? There was a grassy area to the east a hundred yards, so we tried accessing the trail from that way (see the picture at the top of this post). At least it was passable, but there was still quite a bit of standing water.

We made it around the worst of the mud and began the climb up the Badlands Wall to Saddle Pass. Another couple guys arrived about the same time and tackled the trail with us. We soon found out it wasn’t any better. The mud wasn’t soft like near the wash, but we might as well have been on ice. Seemingly for every step forward up the hill we would slide two steps back on the extremely slick mud. This was untenable.

Each step on the very slick clay must be strategically planned.

So we surrendered. The mud won. We tip-toed our way back to the car and spent 10 minutes cleaning our boots, drove back to the Visitor Center, and asked the friendly rangers how long it takes to dry. If there’s wind, he said, maybe only a matter of a few hours. The good news was that there was a bit of a breeze, and the temperature was warming. This lifted the morning fog and left an overhanging cloud layer.

We came up with a different plan. We would drive the loop road sight-seeing for awhile, then check out the other end of our planned hike at the western Castle Trailhead, hoping for dry or drying turf. The plan worked. After a few hours of picture taking and a picnic lunch, the trail was passable by 1:00. So off we went.

We did encounter just a bit of remaining mud, and a few puddles, but overall the breeze had done a nice job of drying the clay.

Castle Trail is the longest hiking trail in Badlands National Park, stretching a total of five miles from west to east. We only planned to go as far as Saddle Pass, just two miles, and tackle the eastern portion of the trail on another day.

The arroyos, or washes, that snake through the Badlands mesa are omnipresent and provide a natural drainage system for the otherwise level prairie that is the heart of the national park. The clay spires or pinnacles surround this grassland and make good markers for how far you have walked, and how far you have yet to go.

The climate seems arid, but there is obviously enough water to carve the arroyos, and to provide habitat for the very green grass and the occasional wildflowers. There really aren’t many places elsewhere in America that are quite like The Badlands. The appearance is somewhat similar to some of the redrock formations and hoodoos in Utah canyon country, but that is mostly sandstone. The hills and buttes here are made of clay.

The ecosystem on the prairie is diverse, with clay and sand, grasses and wildflowers, and water carving the arroyos.

At the two mile mark is a junction of trails, including the Saddle Pass Trail that we tried (and failed) earlier in the morning. There is also the Medicine Root Trail that makes a loop of the eastern portion of Castle Trail. That would be a hike for the coming days. For today though, we just went to Saddle Pass to examine the view we had missed out on in the morning by not being able to climb the Badlands Wall.

Now, some seven hours later, there were plenty of people coming up Saddle Pass Trail with ease, completely unaware what we had been through just a matter of hours before. Quite remarkable. In this case, the early bird didn’t get the worm. We got dirty instead.

There was quite a change at Saddle Pass. There was blue sky instead of fog. We could see for miles into the interior of the park, rather than just a few feet through the gloom. I had waited decades for a return to The Badlands, a place I barely remembered from my youth. The previous night and this day got off to a rocky start, but maybe this was going to turn out ok after all.

The two-mile stroll back flew by. I had a new spring to my step. Dave and I could tell things were getting better. We still had 20 days of adventure ahead of us, and a now positive vibe to enjoy it with.

In summary, our day didn’t go quite as planned, but still ended up with a nice introduction to Badlands National Park. Trails at the mesa level are quite easy. The Saddle Pass Trail (that we could not complete) is the only trail rated strenuous, but even it is short. The message I want to leave you with is this: as you should in most remote environs, beware of the weather. It can change things in a hurry. The Badlands is unhikeable when it’s wet, but a lot of fun when it isn’t.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Congaree National Park, located in the heart of South Carolina, is a land of towering trees, of floods and fire, of woodland paths and water trails used by people for more than 10,000 years. This rare, old growth forest became a national park in 1976. These ancient trees have witnessed wars, slavery, freedom, and destruction. There are 25 miles of hiking trails in Congaree, including Oakridge. Passing through a rich stretch of old growth forest, along the way you will cross a number of sloughs, or small creeks that carry floodwaters into and out of the park’s floodplain as the level of Congaree River rises and falls. Ken and I hiked Oakridge Trail on Wednesday, November 29, 2017 beginning at 9:15AM and ending about 2:15PM. Our plan was to take Boardwalk Trail to Weston Lake Trail, then on to Oakridge Trail. On the return we would catch the other side of each loop.

I just happened to notice it was going to be 70° in South Carolina the week after Thanksgiving. Seemed like a good time for a road trip. Congaree National Park, just southeast of Columbia, is only 2.5 hours from the mountains, so that seemed like a great opportunity to explore a new place. It was a good choice.

Just driving into Congaree National Park you can tell this place is different. I’ve been visiting and hiking the creeks and forests of the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains for years. This central Carolina floodplain is not the mountains. The forest is different. The aromas are different.

The Congaree River is bounded on both sides by bluffs that mark the edge of the floodplain and help contain floodwaters that cover much of the park each year. Those floods bring in minerals and other nutrients to the ecosystem. Most of the year the park is dry, but after a heavy rain sloughs and guts (small water channels) begin to fill.

Centuries ago, the southeastern North American continent was abundant in old growth forest floodplain. Today, more than 99 percent of it has been lost to pastures, farms and cities. The trees were cut for ships, railroads and buildings. 35 million acres are gone. Less than one half of one percent — 11,000 acres — is protected in Congaree National Park.

As soon as you begin hiking from the Harry Hampton Visitor Center (named for a journalist instrumental in protecting Congaree) on the Lower Boardwalk Trail you begin to notice the murky, swampy feel of the terrain on either side. Squirrels skitter about from dry spot to dry spot. Pileated woodpeckers dig for grubs in the fallen, wet trees.

After a quarter mile or so you come to the bald cypress trees, groves of which will provide shade throughout the remainder of the day. Also, you will find the first of the “knees,” unusual pointed mini-trees that stand anywhere from 1-3 feet high. Since cypress trees have such a wide but shallow root structure, the knees help stabilize their entire system. Many of these cypress systems are considered “champion trees,” the largest of their kind in the nation.

The Boardwalk is a 2.4 mile loop that allows easy access for all visitors to Congaree, offering an example of what the wilderness areas of the park have in store for those who set out on longer expeditions. The west side of the Boardwalk stands only about a foot above ground and may be regularly covered by water. The eastern side is elevated anywhere from five to 12 feet, enabling you to see the floodplain in action.

After three quarters of a mile, the Boardwalk makes a left turn, while the rest of the trail system continues on land into the wilderness. The first trail you will be on here, Weston Lake Loop Trail, is #3 and is blaze-marked as such. Most of Congaree is wilderness, a designation that protects its wild character, natural conditions, and opportunities for solitude. No mechanical objects are allowed in designated wilderness, preserving quiet, peace and serenity for wildlife, and for hikers. The only break in the silence is the occasional flyover of fighter jets from nearby Shaw Air Force Base.

Bald cypress “knees” help to stabilize the root system of these giant trees that stand in water.

The Weston Lake Loop Trail is an inner loop within the wilderness that is 4.4 miles in total, and stays on the north side of Cedar Creek. Oakridge Trail (#4) is a 6.6 mile outer loop that crosses to the south side of Cedar Creek and offers additional exploration. Ken and I felt adventurous, so we mapped out a path that would take us most of the way around both loops, a hike of almost 10 miles.

We soon began to notice another of the forest differences of lowland South Carolina — spanish moss hanging from the branches and treetops of the giant oaks and beech. We were treated to a surprise as well, there was quite a bit of autumn leaf color still happening, even at this late November date.

As you walk into the backcountry, the swamp whispers stories of its abundant history. The first people inhabited the Congaree 10,000 years ago, hunting with stone arrowheads and gathering pawpaws. Europeans began to explore the area in the 1500’s bringing with them disease and war, stealing the land from the native peoples.

As you walk among the cypress groves growing in dry sloughs, you notice the occasional small meadows, remains of the slave period when the floodplain was developed for crops. During the Revolutionary War, the famous American general Francis Marion, known as the Swamp Fox, led a siege that broke the British hold on the land around Congaree.

In the next century, during the Civil War, slaves used the Congaree as a hiding place, even forming small communities. After the war, the freed people were able to buy farms in the “40 acres and a mule” program. As the turn of the century approached, a logging company bought most of the Congaree floodplain, hoping to score a fortune from the old growth oaks, cypress and pine. Instead, they discovered the frequently wet forest to be difficult and expensive to log, and gave up.

In the mid-20th century, the loggers tried again, but this time were stymied by a grassroots campaign to save the forest, led by journalist Harry Hampton. With bipartisan support, legislation was eventually passed to preserve this largest remaining old growth floodplain in the Southeastern United States, and in 1976 Congaree was given national park status.

The Oakridge Trail is easy to hike, level and wandering. We were fortunate to catch it completely dry, not even damp. A park ranger at the Visitor Center told us before we started that mud is very common. The ground cover is mostly switch cane and river cane, quite common in the Carolina lowlands. In addition to the cypress, oak and beech, look for tupelo trees with their swollen trunks.

There is occasional blow down that must be navigated, courtesy of hurricanes Hugo in 1989, Matthew in 2016, and Irma in 2017. Some of it may be difficult for small children to get over, but lifting and carrying will solve that problem.

As we reached the eastern side of Oakridge Trail, we once again crossed over Cedar Creek and picked up the southern bottom of the Weston Lake Loop Trail, following Cedar Creek for the next mile and a quarter. We kept an eye out for river otters. Sightings are common along the creek bank, but not for us on this day. So we found a particularly scenic spot amid a cypress grove and stopped for lunch.

This particularly enticing view along Weston Lake Trail proved to be a delightful place for lunch and a rest.

The impressive height of the Congaree forest canopy comes thanks to the extremely rich soil, the frequent flooding, and the southeastern climate offering a long growing season. The oaks and cypress average 130 feet here, and on the western side of Weston Lake Trail there are loblolly pines that scrape the sky 160 feet above.

These “champion” trees, however, remain at risk despite the protections that are now in place. Floods bring with them pollution. Climate change is altering plant growth and animal behavior, as well as weather patterns (for example, the more frequent high-wind hurricanes).

As we returned to the eastern side of the Weston Lake Loop, we hopped back on the Boardwalk to head over to the west side of the loop again to check out the massively tall loblollies, and Weston Lake. Once a bend in the Congaree River, Weston Lake is now what is called an oxbow lake, a U-shaped body of water that forms when a wide meander from the main stem of a river is cut off, creating a free-standing body.

I was struck by how the lake’s elevation is right there with the dry land. Walking along the lakeshore made it quite evident just how easy it is for all of this to flood. It probably isn’t a good idea to visit Congaree soon after an especially hard rain. The park ranger also told us that when the trees go dormant in winter, they stop drawing water from the earth. Therefore, the water table naturally rises, flooding the surface even if there hasn’t been rain. Amazing!

After viewing the lake and the champion pines, we headed back to the Boardwalk for the return to the Visitor Center. This eastern side of the Boardwalk is elevated, quite the work of engineering. We were impressed with the pylons, some steel, some wood, that support more than a mile of lumber.

Along the way we passed stands of dwarf palmetto, cousins of the cabbage palmetto, the South Carolina state symbol. There is also a large iron box on the right side of the Boardwalk that is a remnant of the rough and tumble moonshiner days when alcohol was banned by the government. There are also occasional snags, dead trees that are still standing. Hopefully when they fall they don’t crush the Boardwalk.

When we got back to the Visitor Center, we went inside once again to thank the rangers and volunteers for an awesome experience. The park infrastructure, and its trails, are trash free. We did not come upon any along the nearly 10 miles of trails we hiked. The restrooms are clean, the exhibits are informative, and the people are friendly and helpful. What more could you ask for? Oh, the park is free too.

There is plenty more to do at Congaree National Park besides hiking. There are two campgrounds for tent camping only. You can canoe the Congaree River and portions of Cedar Creek. Fishing and wildlife viewing are favorites of many. More than 1,000 varieties of butterflies and moths live here, and yes, there are spiders too.

In the spring and summer, look for wildflowers along the pathways, and fireflies and owls after dark. Really the only negative wildlife are the feral hogs who root the ground for food, damaging the native plants, and the historic sites. The ground near the sloughs showed ample evidence of their presence.

There are 25 miles total of maintained trails within Congaree National Park. Ken and I scratched the surface with our excursion. You can even bring your doggie with you — on a leash. The River Trail and the Kingsnake Trail are longer adventures that go deep into the backcountry of the park’s wilderness. I can assure you we will be back.

Gee, I almost forgot. When you arrive for your visit to Congaree, be sure to check the “skeeter meter” hanging in the breezeway outside the Visitor Center. It will tell you what to expect on that day from the pesky mosquitoes. There are six levels on the meter, ranging from “all clear” (which it was on our visit in late November) to “war zone.” You probably want to wear 10 pounds of repellent as well as netting on those days in the summer.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.