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Backpacking Trip Report November 23 - 24, 2001 Location : Big South Fork Author : Gene Snider Ten years ago, my son and I discovered this great backpacking area, and have returned almost annually since that time. There was one big difference this year, the weather. Normally, the temperature is in the 20's to 30's, with an occasional frozen stream. This year the temperature was 60 degrees. We started out by parking in the Bandy Creek Campground and then proceeded to hike two miles on gravel roads until we got to the Jack's Ridge trailhead. (photo #1) If you have a 4-wheel drive vehicle, you can cut 4 miles off this loop by parking at the trailhead, but I wouldn't attempt it in a standard car. We hiked down the old road to Laurel Fork, and found it very low due to the drought conditions this area had experienced for the previous two months. Normally, we get wet at this very first stream crossing, but not on this trip. We continued along Laurel Fork until we started overheating. We stopped at a large rock wall that suddenly appears along the trail. (photo #2) Notice the tree on the right side of the photo that is leaning at about a 30 degree angle. We stop at this wall each year and I always snap a photo or two. Ten years ago the tree was at a 60 degree angle. It was overcast the entire day, with no wind and we took frequent breaks to cool off. There seemed to be a group of flies and gnats that traveled with us this first day. At a couple of points the trail was surprisingly difficult to follow, due to the heavy blanket of leaves. With no wind or rain for many weeks, the leaves tended to hide the trail, kind of like snow does. There are a few virgin hemlocks on this trail that escaped the logging from 100 years ago. (photo #3) My son and I can't even get our arms around this one. We stopped for lunch at the bridge that crosses Laurel Fork linking up with the trail to Grand Gap Loop and Leatherwood ford. (photo #4) Its 14 miles back to Leatherwood from here. This point is the junction of numerous trails, and there are three different signs for direction. Self photo of Gene and Kyle next to one of the signs (photos #5 & #6) We noticed numerous warnings about falling dead pine trees due the Southern Pine Beetle infestation. There were also warnings posted at each trailhead about snake precautions. When the temperature is in the 20's, snakes aren't a concern. As we sat on the ground cooling off this day, my son pushed aside a large clump of leaves with his hiking stick. This immediately revealed what appeared to be a small copperhead snake that slithered between us. We decided to watch where we sat from that point on. A horse trail also joins here. We turned back West at this time and hiked up Station Camp Creek toward Charit Hostel. We saw 15 people on horseback between this bridge and Charit Hostel. We stopped again at the Blevins cemetery. (photos #7 & #8) This spot is hidden in the woods and took us years to find even though it is only 50 yards off the trail. There are grave markers here that predate the Civil War. As we approached Charit Hostel, the clouds opened up on us. We had avoided getting wet during the eleven creek crossings this day, but our luck had now run out. We had planned to spend the night in the woods by Charit Hostel at one of our favorite spots, but considering the heavy rain, we decided to inquire at Charit to see if they had any vacant beds. As it turned out, they had two spare beds in a cabin that we would share with another party of four. We were wet, tired and hungry at this juncture. (photo #9). Oddly enough the other party of four was a family from Knoxville with the same last name as ours, even down to the exact spelling. I wasn't able to get any pictures outside because it was pouring rain and pitch black. Charit is a really neat place. Its a group of cabins built by long hunters around 1790, and is managed by a private company. You can stay "camper", which we did, at a cost of about $15 per person. You get a bunk bed and a roof over your head. All the cabins have wood stoves with plenty of firewood. There is no electricity, only kerosene lanterns. There are two bathrooms with running water, but the showers get turned off once freezing weather arrives. During our trip here in 1999, the temperature fell to 12 degrees one night, and we really appreciated the wood stove. If you stay "hostel" it includes your meals for an additional fee. Charit probably will accommodate 40+ people per night. If you park at the Charit Hostel parking lot, its only a 1 mile hike to the cabins. The way we hiked in, it is 11 miles. We packed out early the next morning before the sun came up with a very steep hike up to the Charit Hostel parking lot. We then descended to the Black House stream where we stopped to cool off. The temperature was 60 degrees at 9 am. (photos #10 & #11) When we arrived back at the Laurel Creek junction, we started our climb back up to the top of Jack's Ridge. There is a huge rock on the right side of this climb up to Jack's ridge. (photo # 12) This is probably the least fun part of this trip as it is very steep. (photos #13 & 14) We hiked the remaining two miles back to our car at Bandy Creek. Round trip on this two day loop is about 15+ miles. The Bandy Creek campground is one of the nicest campgrounds I have ever seen. It covers about 75 acres, has perhaps 75 camping spots, facilities for boarding horses, bathrooms with running water, volleyball courts, and a large swimming pool. Every time I have been there, it has been spotless and the rangers have assured me "there is no vandalism". The nearest town of any size is Oneida. The last photo of the fireworks store in Oneida (photo #15), is not an advertisement but an amusement. See if you can find what is wrong in the picture. |
 photo #1 Jack's Ridge trailhead  photo #2  photo #3  photo #4  photo #5 Gend and Kyle  photo #6  photo #7  photo #8  photo #9  photo #10  photo #11  photo #12  photo #13  photo #14  photo #15 Ray's Fireworks in Oneida |