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 crosses both. |
plenty of signage @ Compton Trailhead
|
I
choose HIH for the hike down and will return via SCT, Hemmed-In Trail
apparently gets loads of foot traffic: clean and wide you could never
accidently wander off this trail. HIH is
pretty flat to start but that doesn’t last long, soon the stone steps
begin. At first just single steps spaced
out through the woods, but as the descent gets steeper the steps turn into long
stone stairs. By my (probably
inaccurate) count HIH has 150 stone steps on the way to the Bench Trail. |
a few of the stone steps on HIH
|
That
includes one last short set of stairs right above the Bench Trail junction, HIH
continues south here where I turn east.
On the Bench Trail it’s obvious this trail doesn’t get anywhere close to
the traffic on Hemmed-In Trail. Much of
Bench Trail follows the old road which helps to keep me on track, even
then, in some places it gets quite faint.
But hey, at least it is a trail, and before I get very far a log cabin! |
| looking back up HIH |
 |
at Bench/Hemmed-In junction
|
About
60 feet off the road (Bench Trail) is the cabin where Floyd Flowers aka ‘Wild
Vic’ lived prior to the creation of Buffalo National River. The one room log cabin with a loft isn’t very
big, but has a couple good sized shuttered windows and inside is an Acorn #16
woodstove. The whole place is in pretty
dismal condition, leaning to the north with some tin roofing missing, Wild Vic’s
Cabin probably won’t be standing too many more years. |
Wild Vic's Cabin
|
Outside
to the east of the cabin are yucca everywhere in the rocky front yard area, I stroll
through the prickly green/rock garden back up to the road continuing east on
Bench Trail. About 100 yards past the cabin
is the first of many downed trees on the trail, I’m not complaining mind you,
at least it’s a trail and all the blown over timber adds to that ‘wilderness
ambiance’. |
| yucca in the yard |
 |
headboard between window and doorway
|
Within
the boundaries of approximate 95,700 acre Buffalo National River, I’m hiking bits
and pieces on the many trails (maintained I might add) inside the approximate
10,300 acre Ponca Wilderness. I don’t
know how they can even call it a wilderness, Ponca may have more trails per
square mile than any other wilderness in the country. But that’s fine by me, I love trails, at
least they don’t allow driving inside Ponca Wilderness (Hurricane Creek can’t
make that claim). |
a little bit of a lean north
|
Anyway,
back to the Bench Trail which could use some maintenance, but apparently that
has been relinquished to the riding and hiking clubs to organize and
provide. After crossing Hemmed-In-Hollow
now heading southeast there are four more tree falls in the next half mile blocking
the road some of these have well-established detours. Also in this half mile stretch are a couple
old rock walls a small spring and a faint side road heading up the hill. |
| a lot of downed wood in some places |
 |
clean and easy in others
|
Along
the next half mile Bench Trail leaves the road for a while or maybe the road
just ‘fizzles out’ and there’s more elevation change, luckily it remains pretty
easy to follow even with all the crunchy leaves underfoot. On this section of trail is an old stone
culvert then later a field of big boulders and of course the yellows green red
and brown of a beautiful fall day. Soon
the trail makes a big sweeping turn to the northeast. |
| boulder in the woods |
 |
what a mess at Cecil Hollow
|
Right
away I cross a tiny drainage with a giant boulder about 100 feet above the
trail, near the top of this boulder is a small cave. Beyond this giant boulder the trail passes between
many more big boulders as I approach rocky Cecil Hollow. About 100 yards further the road is gone where
Cecil Hollow has washed it away, a volunteer trail winds down through the big
sharp rocks crossing the creek less than 100 feet upstream of where the road once
was. |
rock and debris at Cecil Hollow crossing
|
Back
on the road east of Cecil Hollow I soon come to a trail junction marked by a
rock cairn, northwest a trail heads back towards Cecil Hollow. I believe this must be the trail up to
Antennae Pine that a group of horseback riders told me about over three years
ago. Under 200 yards further just to the
south of the trail is Lone Ranger Rock which I named when the above mentioned ‘riders’
took turns on their mounts posing for the camera atop the flat rock. |
| another trail side boulder |
 |
horse trail up to Antennae Pine (note rock cairn)
|
Three
years ago Kat and I hiked the east half of Bench Trail to Lone Ranger Rock then
up to Antennae Pine (see: 132 Bench Trail to Antennae Pine). Today Lone Ranger Rock is my turn around
point and rest stop including a light lunch, afterwards I head back the way I
came sticking with the trail the whole way.
It’s over 2.3 miles back to the trail junction with Hemmed-In Trail,
there I continue west staying on the last short piece of the Bench Trail. |
Lone Ranger Rock
|
And
of course, one last fallen tree over the trail, this one I’m able to squeeze
through staying on the trail. Past the
tree fall the road snakes it’s way uphill about 700 feet where Bench Trail ends
at Sneed’s Creek Trail. Turning right I
continue uphill on the road now SCT, and not too much further come to a signed
junction. The road continues uphill to
the left (Compton Trail), I leave the road to the right staying on SCT. |
| squeeze under tree fall on Bench Trail |
 |
Bench Trail ends at Sneed's Creek Trail
|
Up
here approaching Compton Trailhead, I like SCT much better than HIH, Sneed’s
Trail has no steps or stairs and not too steep, just an easy scenic stroll
through the woods which ends pretty quick back at the truck. Today I hiked 6.6 miles with 612 feet of
elevation gain on parts of 3 trails: Hemmed In Hollow, Bench and Sneed’s Creek
Trails. The steepest section was down
the stairs on HIH but none of today’s hike was very difficult. I had a great time on this ‘on-trail’
Outdoor Adventure in the Ozarks. |
| Sneed's Creek Trail |
 |
Compton Trail left, SCT right
|
Bench Trail west: Statistics Chart 207 Getting to Compton Trailhead is pretty
easy, on top the hill in Compton leave SR 43 south on NC 2700 (aka Erbie Road)
go about 1 mile to a side road with a sign ‘Compton Trailhead. Turn here into the big parking area with
plenty of room for 20 or more vehicles where you will see lots of trailhead
signage.
Comments