We’re supposed to reach the mid-sixties this afternoon for our high but
it’s only in the low twenties this morning, I hang around the house till after
9:00 waiting for the temps to warm up a little.
Heading south I decide to hike another small piece of the Ozark
Highlands Trail. The plan is to turn it
into a loop utilizing an old road, arriving
at a Forest Service gate with lots of parking it’s 11:00 the thermometer in the
truck reads 54°.
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Richland Creek
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This gate signed ‘Road Closed’ is on Greenhaw Mountain Road (FR1200A),
here is a big parking and camping area on the ridge of Greenhaw Mountain. Around the gate the recently graded road
continues south, that’s right ‘graded’ all the way down to Moore CCC OHT Spur. I suppose this was done with horse and
bicycle traffic in mind or maybe in preparation for upcoming logging. |
Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. scrapped clean
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I just don’t know why the Forest Service would do this, but with today’s
nice warm conditions the ‘scraped clean’ roadway has been transformed into
over a mile of mud. It isn’t ‘mud holes’
with standing water, more like continuous thick sticky muck that clings to my
nice new hiking boots. For my ‘liking’
old roads should include ruts rocks and lots of grass along with occasional
fallen trees to keep it interesting, but not this. |
the OHT in great shape
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Oh well it is what it is, I scrape mud off my boots at every rock along
the road heading south for almost half a mile where the road turns to the east
then begins down off the mountain with still more mud. About a half mile further (all downhill) I
finally get out of the mud when I leave Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. at the ‘closest
point’ to the Ozark Highland Trail. It’s
only 90 feet between road and trail, a ‘real’ trail never looked so good. |
bluffline with icicles
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Highlands Trail is in great shape and well blazed, I soon pass mile
marker 132 and continue east enjoying the fine trail in these open woods. The trail detours around one old fallen tree
then begins downhill but before too much further I leave the trail heading
south at a creek crossing when I hear falling
water down below the trail. This little
creek is full of brush, big rocks and it’s steep, with lots of little cascades
and waterfalls but difficult to get close enough for photos. |
bluffs and ice
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About half way down to Richland Creek this stream levels out in a small
valley where I turn east to the bluffline. This bluff isn’t real tall 40-50 feet at the
most and today has loads of icicles many 12-15 feet long. I soon come to the bank of Richland Creek at
a gorgeous swimming hole below a shoal.
Climbing back up to a ledge that looks (from below) to be the only
possible place to continue east between bluff and creek. |
pretty, but not real tall
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The ledge quickly becomes narrow then a low overhang would force me down
on hands and knees to continue, I change my mind and head back a short way to a
rocky and steep bluffline break which reminds me of Flatiron Bluff where I did
some climbing recently (see: 188 Flatiron Loop). Once on top there’s two or
three flat stone surfaces on the edge providing great views of Richland Creek
below. |
scenic and rugged Richland Creek
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East of the vista rocks is an easy bluffline break taking me down to a
couple little open shelters in the bluff and more great views of Richland. From here a well-used trail continues east
into a nice big campsite with a man-made stone and mortar pillar. I’m now in the Moore CCC camp, for much more
on Moore CCC see: (67 Moore CCC) and
a more recent visit: (178 Ben Hur to Moore). |
bird's eye views of Richland Creek
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I’m back on the OHT just a short way to the wood sign (Fairview
Campground 9) at the intersection where I could go west on the OHT up Greenhaw
Mtn... but instead continue north on Moore CCC Loop maybe 100 yards passing the
long raised stone foundation and slab floor of a former barracks building. And just past the barracks I turn left on the
main road (OHT Spur Trail), I’m now leaving the ‘camp’. |
some wonderful vista rocks
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After about a quarter mile on the Spur Trail is ‘recently graded’
Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. heading uphill to the west, I turn left here and notice the
road isn’t as muddy down here, and wonder why.
Oh there’s still muddy stretches but lots of dry areas in the mix too,
all uphill for almost a quarter mile to the top of a long ridge. Here as the road levels out are lots of big
trees in the clean woods, almost a half mile more then the uphill grade
resumes. |
scenic views left and right
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Somewhere in this uphill section the mud takes over, similar to what was
encountered further up the mountain.
Soon I pass the spot where I left the road earlier south to the OHT, and
just 200 feet more a faint old road heads northwest, this has got to be better
than the mud. I abandon Greenhaw Mtn.
Rd. in favor of a faint road which I have no idea where it will end up or even
how far I’ll get before the road disappears. |
small open shelter
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The road meanders along generally towards the northwest and on the
level, this is a great segment of today’s hike and I really appreciate the lack
of mud. But I guess all good things must
end, after three dry creek crossings fairly close together the road turns to
the east and begins to gradually head down into Clark Hollow. The opposite of the way I need to go (uphill
to the west), plus the road fizzles out anyway. |
OHT signage
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So I head west now off trail making my way as best I can through the
open woods. Sometimes zig-zagging up the
steeper places and eventually reaching the top after about a half mile
bushwhack. On top it’s easy going the
last couple hundred yards, I pass a mostly dried up pond just before the gate
across Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. where my truck is waiting. I didn’t really enjoy the mud but can’t
complain, overall this was a great hike. |
Moore CCC Loop Trail
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On this Greenhaw Mountain Loop diverse hiking conditions encountered
included excellent trails on the OHT and Moore CCC camp, some bluff rock
climbing above Richland Creek, a very enjoyable faint old road, some easy
bushwhacking and a muddy mess on Greenhaw Mountain Road. I’m sure the mud will dry up and hopefully
the road can recover (we’ll see).
Today’s hike totaled 5 miles with 763 feet of altitude gain. |
foundation of long raised barracks
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Greenhaw Mtn. Loop: Statistics Chart 189 Getting to the trailhead/parking area
isn’t hard, in Lurton where the SR 7 Spur meets SR 123 go northeast on Hwy. 123
for about 1.55 miles to NC 5070 which has many other names, turn right
continuing northeast for 1.7 more miles.
Now turn right, south on Greenhaw Mountain Rd./FR 1200A (I didn’t notice
any signs), this road is in pretty good
shape, most cars won’t have any problems.
On Greenhaw Mtn. Rd. it’s 2.2 miles to the gate at the big parking and
camping area.
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