Can anyone recommend a good dayhike exploring in the sypsey?

[jokrswylde]

I am heading up there Monday or Tuesday of next week. Spring Break Rocks when you are a teacher! I have been to the Sypsey only once before. I did the 200-209-201 loop I think. Due to time constraints there was not a chance to do much exploring, and I have been itching to get back up there.

I just don't know a lot about the area, so I am looking for some trip suggestions. Some sites I would like to see (not necessarily this trip): The big tree, Eye of the needle, shipwreck rock, etc. And of course I will spend a lot of time looking for those hidden gems.

I plan on spending all day, 7 hours up there. The only map I have is the bee branch quadrangle. Thanks for any tips!

[weathermansam]

On lunch break, so just a quick note at the moment....white oak hollow to bee branch to 209 routing back to the thompson trailhead will get you all those things you listed.  briartech.com has a decent map of the area. 

[Pathfinder]

Justadude posted directions for the route suggested by Weathermansam.

Re: input whiteoak>bee branch>204
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2009, 08:59:02 AM » Quote 

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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.
Re: input whiteoak>bee branch>204
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2009, 09:28:13 AM » Quote 

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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.

[jokrswylde]

This sounds like what I am looking for. When I did the 201-209-202 loop, we camped at the cabin, but didn't have any maps, so we were flying blind and missed some cool stuff. Thanks for the input , folks.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Personally, I would ditch the major trails except as a conveyance, and hit Turkey Creek and Full Branch Falls in one day. It is a nice, leisurely, but feature packed pair of destinations reached from the same parking lot.

There is an unofficial trail for Turkey Creek beginning under the far side of the bridge over the Sipsey. Far side as in the side opposite the bathroom. Fall Creek Falls is on every major map, so no directions required.

This type of hike is what I recommend for getting a feel for what Sipsey is about, rather than taking the major trail loops many people take as their first forays into Sipsey. The first thing people should throw out when approaching Sipsey is the mileage hike mentality. Slow it down, get off the beaten path, etc...

And get a map! You can download a free one from Briartech. http://www.briartech.com/msmap.htm But... I recommend the Cart-o-craft for field use.

[jokrswylde]

Decided to turn this trip into an overnighter. Planning to camp around the big tree Sunday night, so if you are around there say hi.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Standard request: please do not use or start a fire ring near the big tree if you end up camping in that area. There are several good campsites a little walk away.

[McDowra]

There is a nice campsite on top of the falls

[weathermansam]

Standard request: please do not use or start a fire ring near the big tree if you end up camping in that area. There are several good campsites a little walk away.

You'll be happy to know the 3 fire rings I destroyed a couple of months ago close to the big tree haven't been built back. 

Decided to turn this trip into an overnighter. Planning to camp around the big tree Sunday night, so if you are around there say hi.

We probably just missed you.  I led a group of 6 through white oak to the big tree, and we were there until about 4:30.  Camped fairly close to the intersection of bee branch and the sipsey river.  Hiked out via 209 today.  I'm just home.  It was muddy, but not as bad as I expected. 

[jaybird]

You'll be happy to know the 3 fire rings I destroyed a couple of months ago close to the big tree haven't been built back. 

YEA!!!!!

[weathermansam]

YEA!!!!!

On the flip side, the mortar stone at ship rock has now been incorporated into a fire ring and there were probably 4 rings inside the shelter at Kinlock. 

[Uncle Wayne]

On the flip side, the mortar stone at ship rock has now been incorporated into a fire ring and there were probably 4 rings inside the shelter at Kinlock. 

Bummer on both accounts.

[Jackalope]

I was in the Bee Branch complex on March 4 and cleaned up a fire site about six feet from the big tree.

I say "fire site" because there was no "fire ring", just a pile of partially burned wood and ash where there had been a camp fire. We broke it down, threw the wood in all different directions, scattered the ashes and cleaned up the ground and left it as though there had never been a fire there.

I also filled the cargo pockets on my pants with plastic bags, snack wrappers and other trash that had been left behind.

I just don't understand how anyone could NOT know how inappropriate that is.

[Joshua Szulecki]

Kinlock Shelter was full of crap when I was there last year. Several fire spots, lots of trash, etc...

[spidermanusa]

Justadude posted directions for the route suggested by Weathermansam.

Re: input whiteoak>bee branch>204
« Reply #1 on: October 29, 2009, 08:59:02 AM » Quote 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.
Re: input whiteoak>bee branch>204
« Reply #3 on: October 29, 2009, 09:28:13 AM » Quote 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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.

Hello, Can a couple of newbies take this route? Me and my wife just started hiking a month back. We have done Ruffner mountain and the Moss Rock preserve trails. Is the trail fairly well layed out? We plan a day hike and see a couple of waterfalls. This is on the memorial weekend. Thanks for your input.

[JustADude]

If you have a compass and a good map and get started before 9 in the morning you can walk it in a day with no problems. Read the map and know where you are going before you ever leave home. In case you do make a wrong turn or have any kind of delay, well it is just better for a lot of reasons to read the map before you ever start and to look at it as you go.

[spidermanusa]

Thanks. Ended up not going because of the rain. Maybe next week.