input whiteoak>bee branch>204

[wildkat]

trying to plan a simple overnighter that won't be too challenging for dogs (meaning not wanting to bushwhack all that much).  I've never taken Whiteoak Hollow into Bee Branch.
Okay.. -on the map does that look like a good way to enter into West Bee Branch? Also my map doesn't show 204 but doesn't that track look pretty close?

And another thing, if you had two cars...would you.. park one at Borden start at Thompson > whiteoak hollow and come down 204 hit 209 back to 206..Wouldn't cross Borden but take the "unofficial" trail on the side back to Borden bridge and shuttle back to Thompson to get the start car?

Or with no car shuttles Start at Thompson > whiteoak hollow come down 204 and take Thompson206 passing by Ship Rock and Eye of the needle - back to the start car essentially making a loop?

What would you do?

[JustADude]

The basic simple way to do it is much easier than what you are describing. You only need one car. Start at Thompson Creek trailhead.  Go south on 206 for only about 5 or 10  minutes. When you cross the stream coming out of White Oak Hollow, turn left and go east up the stream into White Oak Hollow. You will go about 10 minutes again and you will see the trail turn right and go east/southeast up the hill to the right of a little stream. That trail is a real nice trail that runs southeast all the way to West Bee Branch. There are a couple of nice waterfalls on the trail and some real nice rock formations and lots of pretty trees. It is a good trail. ooops, work calls. More later.

[wildkat]

I'm confused, isn't that what i described? or are you talking staying straight once on the ridge out of whiteoak hollow and drop down into bee branch?

My map shows a track coming out of whiteoak hollow and going a bit northeast then cutting over.
I just wanted to find the best draw to descent down into bee branch, plus that would put us deeper up into west bee branch which I heard is beautiful.

[JustADude]

That will get you to West Bee Branch. If you are going to come back the same way, take a good look at where the unofficial trail hits the Bee Branch trail in order to not walk past it coming back. From there you go downsteram till you the place where East Bee Branch joins in. Go upstream on east Bee Branch to the big tree. When you want to return, you can either go back the same way (which I usually do) or go on downstream to trail 209 on the Sipsey Fork and then turn right and go upstream all the way back to Thompson Creek Trailhead, going past Eye of the Needle and Shiprock and Auburn Falls. The total loop is not all that far - 6 miles?. I have hiked it in a day before.

[wildkat]

Yea it's not that long of a loop, but exploring around bee branch will waste some time.  When you mention going downstream from east bee...are you saying to follow the bee branch down to 209 or go meet up with 204 then descend down to 209?

I really like that trail 204 with some of the only "views" in the sipsey.

I'm really just trying to find us a loop that will minimize crossing any water, and stay off of 224. That has to be the most boring trail in the whole wilderness.

[montysano]

When your track gets to the top of the ridge, it turns to the northeast a bit.  The unofficial trail goes straight over the ridge at this point and comes down into West Bee via the Y-shaped draw.  

Either way is fine.  Your track will bring you down into West Bee at a deluxe campsite, and if I recall correctly, it's a bit easier to get down into the canyon on your track.  But yes: that stretch of West Bee is spectacular.  Get up at the base of the cliffs on the east side and cruise down towards the junction with East Bee.  Mighty fine.

[wildkat]

here is the loop with starting and ending at thompson. 8.7 miles

[wildkat]

and here is a straight route requiring a shuttle 9 miles.
starting at thompson ending at borden

[JustADude]

I'm confused, isn't that what i described? or are you talking staying straight once on the ridge out of whiteoak hollow and drop down into bee branch?

My map shows a track coming out of whiteoak hollow and going a bit northeast then cutting over.
I just wanted to find the best draw to descent down into bee branch, plus that would put us deeper up into west bee branch which I heard is beautiful.

Yes I am talking about staying straight over the ridge and not going northeast (well actually where the trail hits you still go norhteast for about 50 feet and then turn right to get onto the southeast trail). The unofficial trail is mostly uphill till you get to the ridge and then downhill going S/E. The prettiest places are in this second section, so I advise not to skip it.

And yes I am saying that when you start going downstream you will turn left where East Bee Branch and West Bee Branch meet. It is my understanding that the trail going up East Bee Branch is parallel to TR204 but is not the actual TR204 which is just a bit farther east, but I could be wrong on that. There is a trail right along Bee Branch all the way downstream to trail 209 on the Sipsey, so you never need to go to trail 204 unless you just want to see it.

[DavidR]

Here's a route I took for White Oak, but it wasn't the easiest. I wouldn't do this with dogs, but maybe there is something useful to you on my tracks.

input whiteoak>bee branch>204