Bee Branch Scenic Area?

[jnunniv]

As I have been looking at my map planning upcoming hikes/places I want to see, I have noticed an area labeled the "Bee Branch Scenic Area."  While I have been to this general area several times, I haven't made it to this particular spot.  I do agree that the Bee Branch is a very scenic area, but what makes this particular spot "more scenic" than others andspot why is labeled such on the map?

Just wondering.....

[Joshua Szulecki]

You have an old map.

If I recall correctly, that name predates the creation of the Sipsey Wilderness Area. Think of it in the context of a scenic area or picnic area outside of a wilderness area in another National Forest, because that's what it used to be.

[squidbilly]

A map like this

I think Joshua is correct. Back then I imagine you could drive all the way down Bunyan Hill Road on your way to East Bee, at least to the intersection with 204.  It still kind of looks like a parking area there (204 & 224).

[Uncle Wayne]

A map like this

I think Joshua is correct. Back then I imagine you could drive all the way down Bunyan Hill Road on your way to East Bee, at least to the intersection with 204.  It still kind of looks like a parking area there (204 & 224).

I can remember driving all the way to where trail 204 and the trail (204A some call it) to the Big Tree separate. You could parked there and only had a very short hike to the Big Tree. Later, in the early 60's that old road was blocked off with a gate at the "parking area" / 204 trailhead at FS road 224. The scout troop I was a member of back then helped the FS make the old road bed into a walking trail.  We spent a week working on the path filling in ruts and moving rocks.  For whatever reason, we camped about a half mile toward the crooked bridge from the "parking area" and walked back and forth all week to the work area.

One of the FS rangers killed a rattlesnake and he and our scoutmaster cooked it for us that night. I think it tasted like chicken. 

Good times and good memories.

Squidbilly, thanks for that map, I haven't seen one of those in years.

[bramblypines]

I have a postcard from the 1950s that shows Hepsidam as a tourist attraction with
animal rides and an old still. On the back it shows the roads in the forest and has
208 going thru Bee Branch to Kinlock Falls.

[dogwood]

On my very first backpacking trip, back in 1987, i believe that we drove up 224 all the way to the 204 trailhead.  We put in on the trail at about 10:00 at night, camped in the middle of the trail about 1/4 mile in, then had a short hike to Bee-Branch and the Big Tree the next morning.  We then hiked 204 to 209, then finished the trip at the picnic area.  That was the weekend of Oct 31st, 1987, if i'm not mistaken.  Great trip!

[weathermansam]

Squidbilly, thanks for that map, I haven't seen one of those in years.

You can download all of the old topo maps for free from the USGS now:
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c...&carea=%24ROOT%29/.do

I've downloaded all the ones that cover sipsey, the caney creek area and over into ITH.  They come as a pdf file.  I use the select tool and print out sections to carry along on hikes.  Put them in powerpoint and you can adjust the colors or make it b/w so the contours pop a little better than the new carto craft map. 

[squidbilly]

Thanks for the map info Weathermansam. 

And thank you to Uncle Wayne and Bramblypines for the history. I found the map HERE. They have trail descriptions and maps.

[southmark]

Yes back in the 70's you could drive 224 all the way to 208 and 208 on to Thompson Creek. We used to do a big loop hike parking at the "Bee Branch Trailhead" (204/224 intersection) and road walking 224 and 208 and then hiking 206/209/No Name Trails back to the trailhead on 224. In the late 70's Backpacker Magazine did a feature article on the Bee Branch Scenic Area and created way too much interest in it. With only bout a 1.5 hike from 224 it became way over used. That and creation of the Wilderness is why 224 was blocked off at Borden Creek. In those days there was very little hiking being done anywhere else in the wilderness.

[MobileBackpacker]

You can download all of the old topo maps for free from the USGS now:
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c...&carea=%24ROOT%29/.do

I've downloaded all the ones that cover sipsey, the caney creek area and over into ITH.  They come as a pdf file.  I use the select tool and print out sections to carry along on hikes.  Put them in powerpoint and you can adjust the colors or make it b/w so the contours pop a little better than the new carto craft map.  

awesome weatherman.... I followed the link and they also have the 2011 topos. I just took a peek at the Bee Branch topo 7.5 and it comes in a pdf that is fairly interactive. You can toggle features (roads, names, etc) on/off including the aerials.

The 2011's are really nice, thanks.