Outdoor Adventures in the Ozarks

       After a couple recent adventures where I fought with some thick underbrush of weeds, blackberry and greenbrier  (see: 205 Boondoggle I and then 206 Boondoggle II ) , I swore off bushwhacking for a while.  Today I’ve decided to hike up to Sugar Tree Knob in Richland Creek Wilderness, although there isn’t an actual ‘trail’ the route follows some old roads, so I’m hoping for ‘clear sailing’ there and back, I’ll keep my fingers crossed. pedestal point      The parking area off NC 5050 aka Moore Road is nice and big with room for ten cars or more, this is outside the wilderness on the west side of the road.   I head up the road just a little before striking out into the woods in a northeast direction, (already off-trail that didn’t take long) but this isn’t very far.   In about 1000 feet is the old road (FR 1203C), where I land just east of a dirt berm, and less than 100 feet is a little pond. little pond      Her...

       As I’m heading out this morning, I have only one priority for the day and that is to stay on trial .  Of course that leaves things pretty wide open, I thought about checking out a section of the BRT in the Boxley area, but then as I drive into Compton I decide to take a look at Compton Trailhead having never been there.  Once parked at the trailhead I think to hike the west end of Bench Trail would meet the bill , don’t you love it when a plan comes together. autumn scenery along Bench Trail      Two trails (right next to each other) head south from Compton Trailhead, on my left is Hemmed In Hollow Trail (HIH) and to the right Sneed’s Creek Trail (SCT).   Everything is clearly marked by an abundance of signs, one of which points out that hiking back out from Hemmed In Falls is like climbing to the top of the Empire State Building (King Kong would have no problem).   It doesn’t really matter which I take because Bench Trail cr...

       I just couldn’t leave well enough alone , after my ‘boondoggle’ adventure Monday down along the Buffalo River just west of Carver (see: 205 Carver Boondoggle ) .   When I gave up on finding a route upriver after fighting with the weeds and underbrush down in the flood plain.   This morning I ‘thought’ I had it all figured out, I would gain the ridge and stay out of the flood plain, should be a piece of cake, right? Autumn vista above the Buffalo      Everything started out just fine, I parked at the same place across from Carver Cemetery.  From there I headed straight for the old homesite and road that was found on the way out Monday.  Soon leaving the old road I gradually made my way up the hill to the top of the ridge, not bad at all open woods all the way.  Once on top I just stayed on the ridge which sort of meanders through the woods in a southwest direction, pretty flat on the ridge and easy hiking so far. foundati...