Today
is predicted to be the pick day this week for outside activities,
tomorrow winter returns for at least a week so I had better get outside for
some activities while the weather agrees. Looking for a hike without much elevation
change, I zoom-in on some more ‘old roads’ and hay fields. The area I’m headed to is just northeast of
Dickey Junction outside Richland Creek Wilderness in the Ozark National Forest.
 |
green fields and tall pines
|
After
parking near the locked gate across Forest Road 93756C, I head north through
the gate into a long narrow field (1) of tall dry grass. This field doesn’t appear to have been cut
this year, the road continues north through the field, I turn right (east) on
another road. Maybe ‘road’ is the wrong
word, this is more of a ‘farmer’s lane’ between fields. For all intents and purposes it still looks
like a road, these unofficial farmer’s lanes tie together fields all
over this area. |
| parking at FS gate |
 |
long narrow field (1)
|
Anyway
I leave one field and head into the next, in between the ‘road’ crosses a small
dry creek with a low rock wall along the road.
This next field (2) is much smaller and greener having been recently
cut, the road follows along the south edge.
And soon another green field (3), bigger than the last, a turn to the
right I leave the field with the road becoming more of a trail sometimes faint. |
farmer's lanes with access points
|
Now
under the tall pines I’m in a ‘pine nursery’ with hundreds of young trees under
six feet tall. The trail curves back to
the north, crosses a tiny dry creek then goes into the next field (4) and soon
a trail/road intersection. A right turn
here heads out to SC 12 aka Richland Road about 160 feet south, I go north
about 100 feet to another intersection and turn right (east). |
in field (4)
|
Right
away on my left is a cluster of yucca just off the road, and 200 feet further
another gate, this one slightly open with a small parking spot beyond. I turn around heading back to the last field
(4) then go north along the edge, in the northeast corner of this field the
road continues into the next field (5) north, but I notice what looks like a
trail heading east into the woods.
Temptation is too much, I follow the faint trail just to see where it
goes. |
| almost dry pond |
 |
no undergrowth at all
|
About
250 feet later is a good sized pond that is almost dry, I walk almost 100 yards
through the dry pond with tall trees but no undergrowth at all, this is clear
sailing all the way to the next field (5).
Right here at the southeast corner of this huge field is a locked gate,
another access from SC 12. I head north
hugging the east edge of this big field and after about 330 yards is another
almost dry pond, this one in the field. |
| another access point |
 |
looking north in field (5)
|
I
walk across the earthen dam of the pond and circle back toward the southwest,
this is as far as I’ll go although the road continues north through a couple
more big fields. I head cross-country in
a southerly direction over 300 yards across this large field then across a
short section of woods where I find the bleached bones of a big deer, not much
further I notice a ‘trail’ into the woods down and across a little dry creek. |
| dried up pond in field (5) |
 |
road leaves field (5) at north end
|
Down
on the creek is a nice 2-tiered waterfall of about 10-12 feet total height,
this will be nice if we ever get any rain.
Now I’m back in field (4) headed south on the west edge of the field, at
the corner I bushwhack through the open woods southwest, there’s only a little
hill to climb to get back up to field (3).
In under 200 feet I’m back on the farmer’s lane which I followed
on the trip in, now heading west back across small field (2) then the bottom
edge of field (1) to the gate and my parked truck. |
| in field (5) |
This
was a short and easy hike, only 2 miles with 128 feet of elevation gain. This was a scenic hike all the way: the five
fields provided some awesome wide-open views, the two little ponds and
two-tiered waterfall could definitely use more water, but what impressed me
most was all the tall pines everywhere and the solitude of this seldom visited
piece of the Ozarks. On top of that, the
beautiful weather made this a great day...
Fields Loop: Statistics Chart 216 The best way to
Richland Creek Wilderness depends on where you’re coming from, many past
blog-posts provide varying amounts of directions, check out some of
these if you don’t know where RCW is: (86 Fuzzybutt – 154 Wilderness Cruise
– 195 Heaven Wasp – 197 Long Branch – 208 Sugar Tree). Otherwise from Dickey Junction go east on
NC 5085 (Richland Road) which becomes SC 12 at the Newton/Searcy county line. From Dickey Junction go 0.3 miles turn north
on FR93756C (unmarked) and park near the gate.
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