228 Indian Creek Horse Trail Loop

    This morning while trying to decide where to go hiking today, I thought ‘its been a long time since I’ve been to Kyle’s Landing’.  Sure enough, my last time at Kyle’s was four years ago when I attempted to go see Copperhead Falls (see: 117 Indian Creek).  There are loads of trails accessible from Kyle’s, and many of those I haven’t hiked, so today I’m headed to Mt. Sherman then down to Kyle’s Landing.

rugged upper Indian Creek

    At the bottom of the long hill, I enter the campground and head west to the BRT/ORT Trailhead.  Before I get ‘geared up’ with boots, hydration pack and camera, I meet John and Chris from Branson, who have a very nice (high end) roof-top tent.  They camped out last night and now are looking for a trail to go hiking.  I tell them ‘there’s plenty of trails here to choose from’ as I point to the two big trailhead information boards next to where we’re parked.

Kyle's Landing trailhead/parking

    After I learn some details about their camping rig, they head up the trail, and I’m not far behind.  Here at the trailhead this is the Old River Trail with access (soon) to Buffalo River Trail, after crossing dry rocky Bear Creek it isn’t far to the first trail intersection.  South here is the BRT heading downriver eventually to Pruitt, I stay on the ORT just a little further to the next junction.  Where I leave the ORT turning south on the BRT headed upriver eventually all the way to Boxley South Trailhead.

on the ORT at the BRT turnoff

    But I’m not going that far, in fact I don’t stay on the BRT very long at all, after climbing the gentle hill then passing through were an old fence line once crossed, I soon notice another ‘trail junction 4x4 post next to the trail.  This post isn’t very informative, only that this is a ‘primitive route’ it also has a yellow blaze (horse trail) attached.  After consulting the GPS, I realize this is what I’m looking for ‘Indian Creek Horse Trail’.

BRT is in great shape...

the Indian Creek Horse Trail, not so much

    I don’t see a ‘trail’ though, just tall wet grass and weeds in a small clearing.  Plowing through the weeds headed east I soon land on the trail going uphill, stopping briefly to brush off all the ticks.  ‘Indian Creek Horse Trail’ I’ll come to the conclusion later, hasn’t seen a horse in years.  Yeah, it’s pretty obvious this trail doesn’t get much business, most of the trail especially here on the east side follows an old road, making it a little easier to find but no less rugged.

a 'good' section of ICHT (typ.)

    The road soon turn more to the south and follows a ridge a while, with lots of low rocky ledges on both sides of the trail.  Not far past an ‘elk rub’ (too high on the tree to be a buck rub) is the first fallen tree that requires detouring off the trail to get around.  The first of seventeen on this trail, I don’t include any logs I can step or climb over easily, just the major downed tree messes where leaving the trail is required.

elk rub

not so good section of ICHT

    This road continues climbing up onto the next ridge, then further south uphill a few hundred more feet.  The total elevation gain on this east side of Indian Creek Horse Trail is about 900 feet, nothing too steep, but it has it’s moments.  The low rocky ledges continue as does the numerous dead-wood across the road.  After the road tops out is an old homesite with a stacked rock footprint and nearby rock walls.

low ledges along ridge

    I soon lose the trail in a rocky area with lots of deadwood debris, about a hundred yards fighting the jungle I remake the trail, like all the ‘downed tree’ obstacles, ‘losing the route’ will also become a reoccurring event today.  Right after getting ‘back on track’ I start hearing falling water, the first is a small side stream with lovely little falls and cascades.  It’s fairly easy to step across on some big sharp rocks never loosing sight of the trail.

sone rugged terrain

    But then only about 250 feet further comes a bigger drainage with bigger rocks in a tighter canyon with a huge fallen tree right in the middle.  I’m forced to climb up and over a big long bark-free log to get past this creek, I can hear the water but don’t see much through the large tight rocks everywhere.  I don’t know how a trail was ever built through here but I soon find it once again on the other side.

a rocky little drainage

    About 400 yards of rugged trail later, I lose the way again at yet another tree fall mess.  On my map, right here the trail turns and heads uphill (steep), makes a big sweeping U-turn then comes back downhill to the original elevation.  This seems ‘crazy’ to me, and since I lost the trail anyway, I continue mostly west trying to maintain my elevation.  I soon find out why the ‘U-turn’ as I enter across a large area of small sharp ‘boulders’ everywhere.

rocks and more rocks

    With cracks and crevices (ankle busters) all hiding in dead leaves, this is very slow going.  I take my time on this almost 300 yard bushwhack, and make it across unscathed.  Now back on the trail, my elevation stays pretty consistent, close to the 1700 foot mark.  After a while and past a couple more fallen tree obstacles is another small steep drainage crossing.  More scattered sharp rocks here, and below the trail a wet weather waterfall.

wildflowers in the jungle

    Just over a hundred yards past this little creek crossing is a trail junction marked by fluorescent ribbon tied in trees.  Directly 200 feet below this steep zigzagging trail is the infamous Eye of the Needle, it’s tempting but no, it would be suicidal to attempt this trail without a rope and companion hiker.  I wisely continue south 200 yards to the next two closely spaced steep, wet and rocky little creek crossing.

'swampy' little pond

yellow blaze on fallen tree

    About a hundred yards more, on my right is a small swampy pond, then I come to another trail intersection.  Here the better trail forks to the left uphill, and to the right I notice a yellow blaze nailed to a small tree that has fallen across the trail.  I go right since ‘yellow’ is for horse trails, I’ll assume the left fork heads up to Hammerschmidt Falls which is about 1000 feet south and almost 300 feet up.

@ Indian Creek crossing

    After stepping over the little tree with the yellow blaze, the trail starts downhill to Indian Creek for my wettest creek crossing yet.  As with many crossings, I have lots of options but I don’t see a trail anywhere on the other side, there is a big mess of tangled trees obliterating where I’m assuming the trail ‘was’.  After a few pictures, I easily get across hopping from one rock to the next, but now what?

a trail obliterated

    I decide to climb the steep muddy bank and attempt to get around the massive trail obstruction from up above, probably the wrong choice.  It just gets steeper and slicker the further I go, with not trail to be found, slipping sliding for the better part of half an hour. I end up back down eventually finding the trail, now I look like a wreck after falling on the muddy hillside twice, but at least I’m back on the path.

some interesting rocks @ next creek

    Now on the west side of Indian Creek, I head north and soon come to a big log across the trail that someone has attempted to chop apart with a hatchet, they didn’t quite get half way through, next time bring a chainsaw.  Why bother, this is one of the easier fallen trees to get past, I continue north.  Indian Creek Horse Trail doesn’t appear to be following a road over here on the west side, it’s just a trail and a pretty faint one at that.

on the very faint trail

    After about a half mile is the next fallen tree in a little drainage with lots of interesting rocks and flowing water.  I lose the trail again, and it won’t be the last time, the trail is so faint anyway, losing it doesn’t make much difference.  I continue along where the map indicates the trail ‘should be’ hoping it will eventually show up, which it does so I don’t get to concerned.  Luckily these woods don’t have much undergrowth or briar-patches, just a lot of young poison-ivy.

the last little crossing

    This routine continues for over a mile, one more wet crossing, 3 or 4 more fallen trees where I usually lose the trail and a few times the trail just ‘fizzles out’.  After a good mile, I’m definitely not on the trail when I come to a low stacked rock pillar.  The GPS shows my ‘trail’ just uphill 60 feet, it also shows the BRT downhill about twice as far, I go down, landing on the obviously well used Buffalo River Trail.

low stacked rock pillar

    Heading east on BRT (back toward Kyle’s) the trail almost immediately starts going downhill, some stretches are steep, watch your footing.  The descent winds down 700 feet to Indian Creek, but spread over a mile, it isn’t too bad.  Along the way I pass a small campsite then almost 200 feet lower is Buffalo Overlook a wintertime vista rock about 50 feet off the trail.  After that is Indian Creek Vista, with a nice open view from the caprock ledge with a flat rock for a well needed break.

downhill on well maintained BRT

    Now it’s about a third of a mile further to the bottom, with another wintertime vista and some nice rock formations then 15 stone steps built into the trail, most of these are natural.  Indian Creek at the bottom is completely dry, about 25 feet across round river rock not a drop of water to be found.  Just up the bank is the trail junction with Indian Creek Trail, possibly the most beautiful hike in BNR, and probably the most dangerous (see: 117 Indian Creek).

nice views through the thick greenery

    I turn left staying on the BRT and in just 200 feet more its a right, still on BRT (there’s many trails in the area), now up a little hill with lots of wildflowers.  I’m soon back to the trail intersection where I headed through the tick infested tall grass onto Indian Creek Horse Trail.  From here its just over a third of a mile back to the trailhead/parking area where I started.  Pretty worn out, but I had a great time trapsing through the woods, top to bottom around Indian Creek.

Indian Creek Vista just ahead

view into Indian Creek

    Today’s hike took me over six hours, the total distance of 6.8 miles is part of that but the 1282 feet of elevation gain is a bigger part, and the rugged terrain undoubtedly played a big part too.  Looking at a map before hiking this route I assumed a moderate hike considering the distance and elevation gain, but I had no idea that Indian Creek Horse Trail is about the same as a 5 mile bushwhack.  At least the well maintained BRT was a breeze.

dry as a bone lower Indian Creek

Indian Creek Loop: Statistics Chart 228  Kyle’s Landing is easy enough to get to, but the road is steep and reportedly gets pretty slippery when wet so go slow and enjoy.  Turn north off of Highway 74 in Mt. Sherman onto NC 2650 Kyle’s Landing Road follow this all the way to its end at the back of Kyle’s Landing Campground and park here at the BRT/ORT trailhead.  It’s about 2.7 miles down the dirt road to the parking area.