Three week later
we’re back, and again we start our hike at Boxley Trailhead. This time after
reaching the Whiteley Cemetery we keep going up the trail passing
a long rock wall as we continue uphill. At the top the trail follows an old road with the old Whiteley School across the road. At the school which is now just a tall
rock foundation we turn right (west) and soon pass through a gate marking the
Upper Buffalo Wilderness boundary.
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ruins of Hedges Homestead
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Another 100 feet or so, on the left is an old homesite. Not much is left other than a root cellar and foundation, there is a television in the front though! In about 0.2 miles past the gate a small
steep stream crosses the trail. Today with the recent rains, there are small
waterfalls everywhere. I count at least nine, just from where I'm standing on the trail. From here we continue to a faint intersection where we turn right (west). The 'road' in this area is pretty overgrown but soon gets better. |
| Hedges Homestead |
The
trail then heads down a fairly steep hill to the Hedges
driveway. Turning right we head down the rock lined driveway with a small pond on our left, and soon come to some interesting out-buildings, these appear to be a
garage, shed and workshop.
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garage/workshop
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Continuing along the rock wall we soon arrive at the Hedge's house, which burned down in 1990 but even in ruin was obviously a very nice place.
All that remains is the foundation and two impressive fireplaces along with lots of other debris. There is also very extensive stonework in both the front and back yard areas.
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Pickle Hole
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Back at the out-buildings
we follow the road behind the 'shop' down the hill towards the river and arrive at
the old Edgmon barn, which predates the Hedge's home. On the east side of the
barn is a nice campsite, from there a trail goes east then north down to
the Buffalo River. This is Pickle Hole, a beautiful swimming hole with big boulders in the river. Pickle Hole marks the end of the trail (for us anyway), we head back the way we came hiking a total of 3.42 miles round-trip with about 400' elevation gain.
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downstream at Pickle Hole
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Hedges Homestead: Statistics Chart 6 South Boxley Trailhead is easy to find with a big sign at the entrance, which is at the south end of the Boxley Valley, turn right off Highway 21 approximately 1.2 miles south of the Boxley Bridge over the Buffalo River.
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