2019 TRACE NOTES Revised

Helpful information for your adventure

on Section 9 of the Hiker Challenge.

Start Point— Flat Rock Church 36 miles

End Point — Ledbetter Trail Head

WEATHER DECISION Weather decision will be

made on Friday afternoon by 2 P.M. If you do

not hear of a change, via Facebook or Twitter

or email, then come on.

Hello Big South Fork—Goodbye Daniel Boone National Forest

Just a few miles south of Flat Rock Church you will cross Big Creek the first of several dividing lines between

the Big South Fork NRRA and the Stearns District of the DBNF. Your journey south will take you past a

mandatory visit of Yahoo Falls just a short hike up the creek. The days adventure takes you along the Big

South Fork River and through the campground at Alumn Ford. Cotton patch shelter is a great place to view

the river and grab some lunch. Then its on down stream to Yamacraw and the bridge over the river there.

Hope the water is down cause if its up and you divert you are on the road around and up the steep hill to

Beach Grove trail head. At Beech Grove road you will go left onto the new trail designated at Wilson Ridge

Road and in 1.5 mile back onto the Kentucky Trail a welcome change from the 6 mile road walk on Divide

Road. Be prepare for some rough trail conditions as we are just now getting out to start cleaning up the

trail. Trees down on the ground will most likely not be cut anytime soon. So be prepared to crawl and

climb. We have the Trace cleared from the Yamacraw Bridge to Rock Creek, traditionally a section that

grows heavy because of flooding and lots of sun. Other sections have been cleared ahead of the 100 mile

run later in October.

SATURDAY NOTES

Shuttle Drop: Shuttle pick up is at 6:30 am at Ledbetter Trail Head. You’ll be dropped back at Flat Rock

Church the end point of Section 8 on Highway 27. This is mile 238 for the purposes of this narrative.

Watch the traffic as you cross Highway 27 and take the short road walk of about 1/4 mile on Wilborg Loop

Road. At the intersection with Harley Coffey Road. You will cross a gravel road and go back in the woods.

It is well blazed. This short walk in the woods puts you out on a gravel road just near an old abandoned

cabin. Go left toward the cabin.

At this road you go left and walk the road for about 10 minutes past an old shack on the right. The trail

cuts back to the left about 1000 feet from the shack. Careful as you descend down the step back and

across Big Creek. (Continued on Page 3)

CROSSING ROCK CREEK ON THE TRACE

FRIDAY NIGHT CAMPOUT: Friday night campout will be at Ledbetter Trail Head if you are interested.

You may car camp or pitch your gear. Please do not arrive before 6 pm . There is water or toilet at the

trail head. You should bring a little extra water in your vehicle. There are plenty of trees to hang your

hammock.

FRIDAY NIGHT EARLY START: Meet at Ledbetter at 6:30 pm. We will shuttle you back to Dick Gap trail

head. You will hike back to Ledbetter. It is a 6 mile hike.

Shuttle Info: The shuttle will leave from Ledbetter at 6:30 AM. It is about 60 minutes back to Flat Rock

Church. Trailhead directions are on page 4. You will be driving on a gravel road for the last portion up to

Peter’s Mountain and over to Ledbetter.

NOTE: If for some reason you are unable to get to Peter’s Mountain on time, the back up plan is for you

to go to Flat Rock Church and park there. Text if you are running late but recognize that there is no cell

service at Great Meadows.

Water: You should start with at least two liters of water. Water is plentiful all along the trail. Treat all

water. Water will be available from the support vehicle at Alumn Ford and at Yamacraw Bridge. You will

have to draw water from local streams as you come into the camp area. The support vehicle will not be

near the Saturday night camp.

Water Obstacles / other Obstacles: Water shoes are warranted but not necessary. Crossing Rock Creek in

late summer or fall the depth is most likely very low. If there has been significant rain in the weeks before

you hike this section it may be necessary to take the alternate route down Beech Grove and over to Yama-

craw. The hike coordinator will make that call and advise participants at the start point.

5 lb. Drop: The 5 lb. drop is NOT IN effect.

Maps: The south map set covers this section.

Saturday Campsite: In the woods in the vicinity of Beech Grove Road. Water is limited so make sure you

fill up where water is available on the trail. A filter may be helpful.

Bear Bag: From here on out, we are hanging your food on Saturday night or putting it in the support ve-

hicle. The Hiker leaders will have bear rope and will throw a line. Please make sure you have a carabiner

attached to your food bag. It is a good idea if possible to take a permanent marker and write your initials

or name on your food bag as they look alike in the dark.

Please visit our webpage, go to 2019 Hiker Challenge and download the required Release of Liability, the

Media Release and review the Code of Conduct please. Forms should be signed and either scan and sent

in to the office or brought with you to first hike.

Section NINE September Trace Notes:

Flat Rock Church to Peter’s Mountain

SATURDAY NOTES CONTINUED

You are now in the Big South Fork NRRA.

For the next few hours you are now walking on single track along the river to your right. About 2.5 miles

down the trail you will see signs for Yahoo Falls. The yellow trail

system on the map is for Yahoo. It is a 10 minute walk from this

intersection up the hill to the falls. A must see along the Trace.

Returning to the Trace you are cruising now for 2.5 until you come

out on a road. This is the end of a familiar road, Highway 700.

Here you go right and down toward the river then crossover at the

Alum Ford entrance. At the campground you will find the support

vehicle right near the restrooms with fresh water and cold drinks.

After your break you are back on the trail (the camp road) south

till you leave the camp behind and are walking on some great trail toward Yamacraw. In between Yamacraw

and Alum Ford is Cotton Patch Shelter, one of three on the Trace. A great place to jump off the trail for a

lunch break, change of gear.

At mile 249.5 there is a side trail to Angel Falls. IF you prefer tak a

short visit to see a different falls along the Trace. Worth the side

trip even on a 16 mile day. 1.5 miles ahead you are out into a grav-

el parking lot which is the Yamacraw trail head. Up the gravel road

to the asphalt road and right across the bridge you go. Great photo

opportunity here. At the end of the bridge, you go left and imme-

diately down the old gravel

road to the river bank

where the Sheltowee runs

for about 1.25 miles to the old railroad bridge. Another site to see.

You are now following the trail with Rock Creek on your left for

about .5 mile to where it dumps you out on the banks of Rock Creek.

Caution the map shows you crossing Rock Creek to early. Change of

gear and across you go to the blazed trail on the south side. You are

now 1.5 miles from camp. Make sure you have plenty of water from

Rock Creek as there may or may not be water from smaller streams.

From mile 253 it’s a steep, steep climb up the hill on the Trace on an

old Forest Service Road. Look for the sign and the turn to the right

(there is a discrepancy on the map in this location.) You cross this sec-

tion over to another Forest Service road and then go left. Don’t let the

sign to Kroger Arch and Beech Grove Road confuse you. Follow the blazes and walk the road til you come out

at Beach Grove trail head on the asphalt road.

SUNDAY NOTES

At Beach Grove, the support vehicle will be there or water will be stashed. Good place to fill up as water is

scarce now throughout the day. Here the old Trace is replaced by the new section. For the moment it is a

2.0 mile road walk down Wilson Ridge Road to the Kentucky Trail. Please don’t cut direct into the woods

even though you can see the trail about a mile down Wilson Ridge.

This new section will take you past historic sites like Blue Herron Mining Camp, a short walk over the bridge

and worth a few moments. You’ll need to plan a stop at Catawba Overlook and it is worth the .5 mile walk

up and over to Dick Gap Overlook.

The Sunday section will take you downhill and near the Big South Fork River and then back up to Ledbetter

where an old farm used to be. In the process look for Dick Gap Falls, and maybe take a side trip over to Big

Springs Falls. When you hit the road go left and in 5 minutes you are back to your car.

LEDBETTER DIRECTIONS

CAUTION: DO NOT DEPEND ON YOUR PHONE OR CAR GPS. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION

AND OR THE MAPS. CELL SERVICE IS SPOTTY.

1. Get to Stearns Ky either on I-75 to Williamsburg then over 92 and right on 27 then down to the 92 turn

left over to Scenic Railway Station. Or come down 27 from the north and turn right on 92 at the Stearns

Scenic Railway sign.

2. Stay on 92 now for about 8 miles down to Yamacraw Day Use Area and across the bridge. At the end of

the bridge where the old store is located, go left onto highway 1363. 1363 deadends at a gravel road.

Go left and across the bridge. Stay straight past Bell Farm and up the hill. This is Peter’s Mountain

Road. Stay on this gravel road for 8 miles. It ends right at Peter’s Mountain. Turn left and go 8 miles

down the gravel road. Look for the sign on the right to Ledbetter. This is Bald Knob—Hill Cemetery Rd.