This morning is warm and humid, more like what you would expect in late May not early April. We head out south, with the intention of hiking to Little
Cow Creek, Cincinnati Freedom Falls and other falls downstream from there. On
the way there we first stop at Haw Creek Recreation Area to scope out the
campground for future use.
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Big Piney Creek and Road
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This Forest Service campground is right on the banks of Haw Creek,
and Haw Creek Falls is just a short walk down the gentle bank. Haw Creek Falls is gorgeous and powerful, definitely a must stop to see whenever in the area. The campground while small is also quite nice, so I'm sure it can fill-up fast on weekends. From Haw Creek
it’s just over 3 miles to the road up to Cow Creek.
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Haw Creek Falls
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Getting to the Little Cow parking area
on Pine Ridge Road (JC 5680) is easy enough, though
we didn’t know until we got here that this week is spring turkey season. We aren’t really dressed for traipsing around in the woods during hunting season (hunter orange) and there are turkey hunters
everywhere. |
roadside falls
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On top of that, there
was recently a big windstorm in the area, on top of Pine Ridge there are downed trees all over. We decide today probably isn’t the day for Cincinnati Freedom Falls, and just drive around and explore the area instead. |
another roadside falls
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Continuing on Pine Ridge Road we soon come down off the mountain
and cross Big Piney Creek on a narrow concrete bridge. From there we take Big Piney Creek Road which follows close to Big Piney heading south. Right away around the first curve
is a nice little waterfall on the east side of the road. Down the road
there are a few more nice roadside falls before we come to Carwash Falls.
Carwash Falls off the bluff right onto your car parked on the road? Yes, this is just too cool, and we need to rinse the
dust off the car anyway, so of course we stop right here under Carwash Falls. Once the car is pretty clean, we
continue south past a couple more houses, and soon come to Hurricane Creek.
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Leaving the Carwash
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The creek is high, fast whitewater and about
seventy feet across. Hurricane Creek doesn't appear to be very deep here at the ford, we sit here in the car for a while watching a man out in the middle of the creek on his ATV playing with his dog. He waves and 'motions' us to come on across, but I don't think so, we turn around, and head back for another carwash and then continue to the intersection south of the Piney Creek concrete bridge.
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Carwash Falls
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Turning right onto
Parker Ridge Road we start climbing the mountain right away. We don't get
far though, because we soon come to some awesome bluffs and have to stop to check it out. Well, really you don’t have to stop, as the road winds through the bluffs on its way to the top of the ridge. Quite amazing, there are caves, waterfalls, pedestals and
more all over Parker Ridge, for our return to Parker Ridge see: (42 Parker Ridge).
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culvert stonework
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But
it's getting late, and we have a long drive ahead of us to get back home. We had a great time today exploring Big Piney Creek and a little piece of Parker Ridge, even though we didn't get to our intended destination, Cincinatti Freedom Falls. For my blog post of our eventual hike at Little Cow Creek see: (92 Little Cow Creek).
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| roadside falls along Big Piney |
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