Yesterday I went to check out a few things in the park. The leaves are just starting to turn in a few places.
I'd heard that last year's derecho winds had done a lot of damage in the Arboretum, so I did a small loop hike there and found the trails all easily passable. The park staff has done a good job of cutting all the big blowdowns, but there's some small stuff that we can help with. If I carry a folding saw and some hand clippers with me next time, I expect I'd spend 90% of the time walking on clear trails and 10% doing minor trail work. That's about what I found on the Monongaseneka Trail last week, too. Here's what the Arboretum's Honeybee Trail looks like along the ridge - nice mossy treadway. Most of the blowdowns weren't on the ridgetops. (See post #34 for trail descriptions and maps.)
The loop up the Dragondraft Trail and right on the Buckhorn Trail, then right on the Honeybee Trail back to the car took an hour and a quarter - a nice hike.
Then I went to look at the Picnic Shelter again. Last time I'd seen the countertop built into one corner next to the fireplace, but I hadn't flipped the light switch. Voila! Five power outlets for crockpots or coffee makers!
The park provides firewood, too.
Outside there are four large bear-proof trash bins. In this picture you can see the 3 handicapped-accessible parking places close to the shelter and the restrooms beyond them. The main parking area is a bit farther off, but you can drive all the way in for loading and unloading.
On the way home I took a look at two trailheads for the Allegheny Trail that people might use if they hike in to MAHHA from the north or south. The south trailhead is on Rt.92 about 10 miles south of the junction with Rt 39.
Note: the campground mentioned on this sign is not the one we'll be using for MAHHA. There's another 6 miles or so within the park to Riverside Campground.
The hike in from the north is probably pretty nice, too, judging by the map, but the trailhead is not marked or maintained by the forest service. It's on Beaver Creek road about 1/2 mile south of Huntersville, and it looks like this.
I used my gps to find it. There's parking for one or two cars at most in a wide spot of the road nearby. I climbed through brush at the trailhead and about 50 feet in I found a narrow grassy road. Another 100 feet or so, and I saw yellow blazes, and the trail got better. Last week I did about half a mile of the other end of the trail at the North edge of the park, and it's well blazed and very clear. There's no telling what the derecho did in the intervening 10 miles, though. I expect the same goes for the 9.5 mile hike in from the south.
Originally Posted by WV
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