Today is forecast to be the
coolest day of the week at 77°, that is probably too hot to be hiking but I’m
going anyway. I tell myself, seventy
seven isn’t all that hot I should be
fine. Well, the weatherman really missed
the mark today, the high reaches 87° but of course I don’t know that when I hit
the trail at 10:00 this morning.
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tranquil Richland Creek
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I have chosen a short piece of
the Ozark Highlands Trail heading west from the Ben Hur Trailhead, primarily
because being the OHT the trail should be in good shape and clear of
undergrowth. It’s just too early in the
season to even think about bushwhacking,
I’ll wait for a good ‘killer frost’ before venturing off-trail. See: (172 Upper Jack Jones Hollow) for information on the OHT going east from this
trailhead. |
OHT through the woods
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The good trail heads out the back from the trailhead sort of in a
northwest direction, at first on the level but this doesn’t last long. It’s downhill all the way to Richland Creek
at the bottom, only a couple short segments are steep. For the most part this is easy hiking with
the ‘worst trail condition’ being the almost constant cob-webs across the
trail. I’m glad I brought the hiking
stick, used more for ‘sweeping’ the sky in front of my path than for balance. |
large moss covered slabs near the bottom
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Not a lot of spectacular scenery in the thick woods, the trail follows a
little dry streambed down. Most of the trip to the bottom is on a couple
old roads, pretty close to Richland Creek are two huge flat moss covered slabs
of rock that have slid down the hillside providing a little relief from the ho-hum woods. Just before reaching Richland Creek I pass
through an old overgrown campsite. |
low water in Richland Creek
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Richland Creek has no flowing water today here where the OHT crosses,
just tranquil pools above and below the trail across dry rocks. Up the bank on the north side of the creek is
a short easy climb and thanks to the white blazes the ‘trail’ is never in doubt. The trail now turns more to the west and I’m
soon in the heart of the Moore Civilian
Conservation Corp Camp which Kat and I visited just over four years ago, for
much more on the old camp see: (67 Moore CCC). |
Richland crossing
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I take the ‘short loop’ through the middle of the camp re-visiting ‘building
8’ which has four stone walls and a poured concrete slab roof, the west end of
the building has extensive damage. Then
a real nice campsite on the left before reaching the turn left (signed) where
the Ozark Highlands Trail continues west ‘Fairview Campground 9 miles’. I leave the OHT here briefly to continue around the little Moore CCC loop. |
| building #8 at Moore CCC |
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the OHT heads west
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Next is a long foundation with slab floor which probably was one of the
barracks buildings, then a trail intersection with the main north/south ‘OHT
Spur’ through the CCC camp. Straight east
on a faint trail a small overgrown campsite then a great example of some fine
craftsmanship and hard work of the CCC.
The building’s gone but the stone fireplace and chimney still stand
tall, straight and proud. |
built to last by the CCC
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Now on the OHT Spur, I soon turn back onto the Ozark Highlands Trail
heading east towards Richland Creek. It’s
only a couple hundred yards to the creek, after climbing down the bank to the
dry stone creek bed I almost step on a fat black snake. I don’t know what kind of snake this is but
it looks intimidating with its mouth wide open ready to strike. I carefully step around and continue across
Richland. |
main road through CCC camp (OHT Spur)
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Mostly uphill from Richland Creek to the trailhead but only two places
are a little steep, about a mile to the top it doesn’t take long. One nice thing about this being an ‘in and
out’ or ‘there and back’ type hike is that going back there doesn’t seem to be
nearly as many spider webs. By now
though it is getting pretty hot and that combined with the uphill trek I’m
really sucking down the water which seems to seep out of me faster than I can
drink it in. |
surprise in Richland Creek
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Yeah, probably too hot to be hiking today, but I still had a good time
and it’s always great to just get outdoors in the Ozarks. Soon it will be turning cold, then I’ll be
looking for the warm sunny days to go hiking.
This short adventure on the Ozark Highlands Trail was 3.3 total miles
with 553 feet of elevation gain. |
Richland Creek
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OHT-Moore CCC: Statistics Chart 178 It’s pretty easy getting to Ben Hur
Trailhead from Ben Hur which is the 90° turn in Highway 16 just 2.7 miles east
of the entrance to Pedestal Rocks Kings Bluff.
Turn left (north) off Hwy. 16 onto Moore Road (NC 5050) and go about 1.7
miles to West Moore Road (NC 5057). Turn
left (west), go up hill maybe a quarter mile to the trailhead on the right at a
4-way intersection. |
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