An overnight trip along the Sheltowee Trace earlier this month piqued my curiosity about the area of the Daniel Boone National Forest north of Cumberland Falls, and I returned to the area two weeks later for a two-night backpacking trip to spend more time and explore a bit. Unlike the previous trip, I had company -- my friend Justin who joins me on a few backpacking trips each year and who doesn’t mind getting off the beaten path (Daniel Boone National Forest:
http://www.kywilderness.com/forum/index.php?topic=6478.0 ; Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness:
http://www.kywilderness.com/forum/index.php?topic=6530.0 ). Given the relatively unambitious mileage for this trip, we were able to focus on three components of backpacking that had been neglected on our most recent trips: photography, “gourmet” food and off-trail exploration. This proved to be an enjoyable adjustment to our backpacking style and was a great way to begin the spring season of backpacking.
Miles to go.Like my past trip (
http://www.kywilderness.com/forum/index.php?topic=6906.0 ), the route was from the Bark Camp Creek trailhead to Cumberland Falls. Including the side-trip to Dog Slaughter Falls the total on-trail mileage was slightly more than 10 miles. We would hike in about 2.5 miles the first night, camp at Bark Camp Creek shelter, continue 2 miles the next day to Star Creek shelter, and then complete the rest of the hike to Cumberland Falls the next day. This easy mileage was perfect for both of us -- our packs were slightly heavier than usual because of the food, plus Justin hadn't hiked since October and I was recovering from a weekend spent bicycle riding and rock climbing. We carried lightweight tarps and ground cloths in case the shelters were occupied, or if we found a campsite that was just too good not to camp at, but ultimately we ended up camping at the shelters both nights.
Also like my previous trip, we were dropped off at the trailhead by Sheltowee Trace Outfitters. The small trailhead is poorly marked (i.e. completely unsigned) and is the type of place you should only leave a vehicle overnight if you have comprehensive coverage car insurance, lack of attachment to material possessions and a good sense of humor. In addition, the trip seems to flow better hiking from Bark Camp Creek Trail to the Sheltowee and onward to the state park. Down a creek then up the river. Charming in its simplicity. During the ride to the trailhead I remarked that I thought it odd the two shelters were only separated by two miles of trail and the employee informed me that they were actually built as boat-in shelters, with proximity to the Sheltowee Trace apparently being little more than an afterthought. Regardless of the original intent, the shelters provide a rare treat to backpackers in Kentucky and I hope they continue to be maintained and enjoyed by persons who practice Leave No Trace.
We started along the Bark Camp Creek Trail in the early afternoon and found ourselves hiking through the shaded forest under a blue, cloudless sky that provided a perfect ceiling to the walls of hemlock, rhododendron and cliff that the trail wound through. The day was crisp -- at no point could we exhale without seeing our breath and pellets of snow from the previous night persisted in shaded patches amongst ferns and mosses -- but comfortable for backpacking.
Bark Camp Creek Trail.It seemed like we had barely begun to hike before we set our packs down to begin a side trip up a tributary of Bark Camp Creek. From looking at a map of the area, it appeared that the stream would likely have a modest but not insignificant waterfall a short distance from its mouth. Scrambling along creeks and clifflines in search of vague, unpromised rewards has become an almost standard part of my backpacking and hiking trips. Often whoever accompanies me gets swept along and ends up wading through rhododendron, stumbling up and down to clifflines and across creeks, and eventually vows to keep their feet firmly planted on the trail rather than accompany on my next foray into the dusty corners of the Cumberland Plateau.
On this particular micro-adventure, we undershot the stream’s mouth (to our credit, our only navigational aids were a black-and-white photocopy of a topographical map and a compass) by a hundred yards, realized our mistake, and pushed on through the streamside rhododendron until we saw the mouth of the stream and begin to look for a way across. This would have been a “boots off, pants rolled up” ford through frigid water in chilly temperatures were it not for a tree that had fortuitously fell from bank to bank within 50 feet from the mouth of the stream; a natural bridge to the land beyond.
Proceeding with caution.We scrambled across the tree and to the mouth of the small stream, which had an encouraging flow and was large enough to provide a reasonable corridor for our upstream travel. The stream was similar to most minor tributary streams in the Cumberland Plateau -- this stream wouldn’t have been a bit out of place in the Red River Gorge.
As we progressed upstream, the cliffs began to close in on the stream in certain spots and the gradient increased slightly. After scrambling through boulders in a rockshelter that partially covered the creek we were reassured by a faint rumble of water and soon found ourselves at a streamwide, ledge waterfall perhaps five feet tall with a pleasant pool beneath it. We enjoyed several minutes of photographs and peaceful contemplation at this waterfall -- seldom visited, with not a footprint or speck of trash in sight -- before following the cliffline back to the mouth of the stream and crossing back to our packs.
Waterfall.We continued on Bark Camp Creek Trail toward the shelter with smiles on our faces and absolutely no sense of urgency. The off-trail micro-adventure had only consumed about an hour of time and we still had several hours of daylight left. So we walked the trail at an unhurried pace and reached the cascades and nearby shelter around 5 p.m. Both of us held the opinion that the trail was a great hike intrinsically; the cascades are merely a bonus instead of a necessary destination on this trail. This is a trail that in itself is a worthwhile destination. The tread is in good condition, it’s easy to follow and has a great ambience to it.
Cascades.After unpacking at the shelter, we filtered water and made use of the photo-friendly evening light to photograph the cascades. We gathered firewood on our way back for the fire we needed to cook our dinners. Fires are not a common occurrence on our backpacking trips, but since our dinner depended on a proper bed of coals we set about the chore with something approaching vigor. Given the chilly temperatures (the low was forecast in the mid 20s) it was also a nice way to warm up and a means of entertainment while we waited for the meat and vegetables wrapped in aluminum foil to cook.
Waiting on the coals.
Probably one of the best meals I've ever had on a backpacking trip.As previously mentioned, “gourmet” food was a focus of this backpacking trip and we went all out for dinner our first night. Our foil packs each contained a half-pound of ground bison, potatoes, onion, green pepper, carrots and a mix of seasonings. We also had some cheese and crackers to whet (or stoke, as it seemed) our appetites until the foil packs were ready. Twenty minutes on each side seemed like an eternity. Though heavy, it was not something we regretted packing in once they were out of the coals and ready to eat.
Continued below . . .
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Topic: Trip Report: Bark Camp Creek and the Sheltowee Trace (Read 5869 times)