We will be helping the Forest Service with one of their projects. We will begin at High Falls TH cleaning, trimming, covering up blazes, and building up the trial where needed. The work will continue up Odum Scout Trail, through the intersection on the ridge top and come down Chinabee Silent Trail to Turnipseed Campground. (Approximately 6 miles) Lunch will be served at the campground when work is completed. Anyone interested in helping can message me here. Workers can bring loppers, gloves, etc to help with this project. Everyone needs to bring plenty of water, etc to drink. It will be hot. We plan to begin at 8:00 a.m.
(copied from the original posted by Stargazer, to get it on the calender)
I am expecting to come, depending on whether a friend comes along, and whether I can find place to sleep Friday evening. Will the state park give us free tent spot near enough to the bathhouse?
I'm considering coming up for this workday. Waiting to see if a friend can get time off from her night shift to come also.
Will the state park allow use to camp Fri night or Sat if we help? I'd rather have use of the bathhouse at the car loop campground, even in a tent not in a car spot, than be stuck at the lower campsites with no shower.
I sent you a friend request from facebook, Stargazer. Also I will post this on the calender for you.
Georgia, my advice - if you're wanting to do the Chinnabee/Pinhoti/Skyway loop - is to put in at the Chinnabee Silent TH, camp approx 1/2-3/4 mile in at the creek, and Continue N/E on the Chinnabee up to Caney Head. From there, take the Pinhoti to Skyway, then back to Chinnabee. This way, you have a short, but steep tough climb right before Caney Head, and you will go downhill on Stairway to Heaven(some people prefer uphill on this!). Also, you will be going downhill on the Skyway right above Cheaha Creek before you arrive at Lake Chinnabee.
The closest campsite in that area besides Turnipseed would be 1/4 mile S. of Adams Gap on the Pinhoti.
There are some campsites on Cave Creek a little farther and that is not a very difficult trail.
For a late arrival, a 1 mile hike will take you to Cheaha Falls on The Chinnabee and 1/4 mile more to the shelter. High Falls probably would be the best bet with nubies and after dark, then decide in the AM what trails.
Thanks for the reply! We are worried because we won't be arriving till late Friday night and are looking for a trailhead we can camp right by (like something similar to whats near the High Falls/Odom trailhead). What about hiking from the Cheaha trailhead south on cave creek then using the connector about a 0.5 mile from McDill point to switch over to the Pinhoti and take that south to Chinnabee. What kind of distance/difficulty would that combo be? And is there any camping close to the Cheaha trailhead? For that matter.... would anybody mind just letting me know which trailheads in the area having camping within a half mile? I know Adam's Gap doesn't and High Falls/Odom does. What about the others?
Thanks to everyone. I'll be sure to post a trip report after the trip.
Georgia, Thank you! There is a large campsite 3 miles N. of Adams Gap just before the 'stairway to Heaven'. You will cross at least 2 seasonal water sources before the campsite. The best info available for the Pinhoti trail is Pinhotitrailalliance.org even though it has not been updated to include some changes.
Kinlock is a short out and back and the FS bans camping around it. There are other shelters around Kinlock, but the copperheads are bad over there in the spring-early summer. You could go down Parker creek from randolf trailhead via directions in uncle waynes post on the other thread, go to the river and cross. Take in eye of needle and recross creek and go to valentine pool and camp below it. Next day go down river to big tree or go on down and go up to eagle and the other falls in that area. Come back to river, go down a bit and camp at intersection of 209 and 202. Then come back out 202 to randolf. Not a lot of miles but lots of scenery and time for pictures.
I just keep using the filter I got as a gift from friend. I have no idea how it compares to other methods, but I'm trusting the MSR company name. It is called "sweetwater". I use it except when boiling for breakfast, sometimes if I'm at a small spring , not in a ravine. Have replaced both the pre-filter and the ceramic filter once each.
