Indian Tombs Hollow Hike

[Rob]

I finally made it to Indian Tombs Hollow Today. Perfect day for photography, especially the wild flowers. After a few wrong turns getting there I finally made it to the "trail head".

Right from the start the trail was infused with color from the new growth of the budding leaves on the trees and the abundant wild flowers. I was pleasantly surprised that there were so many varieties of plants and flowers. This place has it's own little Eco system going on. Small stands of water dot the landscape and are almost bog like in places ( probably seasonal). Evidence of beaver activity is abundant by the creek.

One of the most spectacular events was being surrounded by swarms of butterflies (litterally), however most of them were too busy doing butterfly stuff to lend themselves to photographic opportunities.

This is truly a diverse little area of natural beauty, flowers, insects, trees, fungi and water features........  Quite perfect in it's own right, evidence of man is everywhere (litter, primarily beer cans and bottles), however, somewhat easy to overlook due to the flora.

I'm not so sure it will be too pleasant to visit in a few weeks or so due to the mosquito factor, they were already fairly abundant the further up the trail I went. Not sure how far I hiked but at the end of what I assume was the trail, I came to another F.S. Gate and gravel road.

I Had an awesome time and would reccomend it to anyone who hasn't been.  Happy Trails!!!!!    Rob

Pics have been posted in the gallery.

[cwhiker]

Rob, Great photos thanks for sharing 

[Suz]

I've tried to tell people that there are clouds of butterflies that crown your head as you walk through.  Glad someone else saw and noted them.  Very Disney-ish!  I'm probably going tomorrow with Mike and company.  Ya'll have a good time at Big Tree.  Maybe we will meet you coming out, I'll try!

[Joshua Szulecki]

Suz,

I had a moment like that at my apartment complex AND at High Falls in Talladega NF a few days after Katrina. My apartment complex was swarmed with thousands of orange-ish butterflies, and they were everwhere. Then, that weekend, I ran into a cluster-flock of blue-ish ones that almost seemed to be following me around. It is really Disney-ish when you get swarmed by butterflies!

[LESTER]

I went today, it was great.  Lots of flowers, and butterflies, but not profusion like the first of the spring.  Soon to be carolina lilies in bloom, indian cucumber root, and others.  Today we saw phlox, buckeye, chickweed, trillium, sassafras, onion,blue eyed gras, dwarf crested iris, spring beauty, delphinium or larkspur, baneberry, Wind Flower, mayapple, strawberry, wood betony, wood sorre pink, the start of jack in the pulpit, various violets, pinxter flower, dogwood, bluets,  wild hyacinth, square flower, and some I can't identify.  Didn't have my glasses, so I couldn't focus the camera. 

But it was lovely in the woods!

Jay, we need some pixie dust!

Susan

[Lostsheep]

Sounds like you had fun at least. So, where is Indian Tombs Hollow?

I wouldn't mind going, but I have no idea where it is.

[Suz]

Take Co Rd 86 off State Hwy 36 ( between Speake and Wren)  follow it past the end of the pavement, on a gravel road.  About 1-2 miles on the right is a forest gate and some cement sacks blocking sides of the entrance.  You get out, hike around, following a grassy roadbed.    The second road cut to the right with a downed pine tree takes you to the marker tree (on the left after the downed tree).  After the marker tree go back to the roadbed.  The next right is a road to Indian Tombs Hollow Cemetery.   Come back to the road bed with the grass and beavers.  Go around the beaver dams and their pondwater (a trail is being made from use), back to the grassy road bed. Where there is a large area that used to be a turnaround at the base of hill, hang a left off the road bed following a trail to walk along Gilliespe Creek.    You are in a boxed canyon, so it is real hard to get lost in here.  This isn't in the Wilderness, it is over near the Flint Botanical area -  another great place for wildflowers.

If you are coming from Wren, you will see the tornado damage.  You can turn right onto 18? by the red brick plantation house across the road from the log country store.  This takes you by all the tornado damage and connects to 86.  There you would turn right, and the pavement ends within 100 yards.  Have fun!