BJett
Member
- Joined
- May 3, 2013
- Messages
- 564
The Big South Fork NRRA is a Cumberland Plateau gem. Remote and wild with options for everyone...hiking, backpacking, paddling, horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, rock climbing...it's got it all.
I mapped out a 21 mile loop starting and ending at the Leatherwood Ford bridge which is the end of the whitewater section and start of much calmer water, except for two class 3-4's depending on water level. I paddled 8 miles, portaging Angel Falls. About a half mile from Station Camp Creek is an old logging road on the USGS quad, not found on any other map. It cuts off about 2 miles of horse trails, a nice shortcut to the John Muir Trail (the other lesser known JMT). It was overgrown and steep, no one has hiked that route in a long time. Once at the top of the cliffs I met up with the JMT and camped on the rim, waking up in the clouds. It was 13 miles total of hiking back to the car with a stop at the Angel Falls overlook. Perfect overnight trip.
Leatherwood Ford
![IMG_1100.jpg IMG_1100.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109805-b8d9c64c0b21ed303fe72bcdfb2ebd6e.jpg)
Below the Angel Falls portage
![IMG_1103.jpg IMG_1103.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109806-ca9d7100fbfab89278030a584cb3a3a8.jpg)
I ran into my good friend Bart and his buddy below Angel Falls, they were doing a 4 day trip. Nice to have a little company on the river.
![IMG_1113.jpg IMG_1113.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109807-7681a5aa05abfe4baac592f20e7718dd.jpg)
My camp in the morning, head in the clouds. Somewhere down there is a big canyon.
![2A4A2133.jpg 2A4A2133.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109808-56c06d7a4251f326302d11f6829212d7.jpg)
![2A4A2136.jpg 2A4A2136.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109809-37ffbabedf7551ae618cc1e5f38c8cdf.jpg)
Pink Lady's Slipper
![IMG_1115.jpg IMG_1115.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109810-772ab21c4c3ff3c258e424c0a5b49eaa.jpg)
![IMG_1140.jpg IMG_1140.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109811-8c13e25ac4962575e3a4acc952476016.jpg)
Wild azalea
![IMG_1123.jpg IMG_1123.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109812-7562d890b7cca21ab16465eaf9031ee0.jpg)
Angel Falls overlook
![2A4A2149.jpg 2A4A2149.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109815-3de558e11f4d0a24f1d0960ee3fa32a9.jpg)
![2A4A2152.jpg 2A4A2152.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109816-629c426d4976c39694a864aba1bc9516.jpg)
![2A4A2156.jpg 2A4A2156.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109817-fd8fc0b88cd879c2fcd4db72ddae5646.jpg)
Big, sluggish copperhead on the trail. My spirit snake.
![2A4A2158.jpg 2A4A2158.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109818-aed58d0f394bc0ba319fd5959de05e46.jpg)
Bringing my two favorite plateau's together - Colorado and Cumberland.
![IMG_1133.jpg IMG_1133.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109819-e50399b8ec2d47cde86c95d806af0576.jpg)
The route
![download - Copy.png download - Copy.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109820-3b4f6870e7e6ae094525f28813bc0a6a.jpg)
I mapped out a 21 mile loop starting and ending at the Leatherwood Ford bridge which is the end of the whitewater section and start of much calmer water, except for two class 3-4's depending on water level. I paddled 8 miles, portaging Angel Falls. About a half mile from Station Camp Creek is an old logging road on the USGS quad, not found on any other map. It cuts off about 2 miles of horse trails, a nice shortcut to the John Muir Trail (the other lesser known JMT). It was overgrown and steep, no one has hiked that route in a long time. Once at the top of the cliffs I met up with the JMT and camped on the rim, waking up in the clouds. It was 13 miles total of hiking back to the car with a stop at the Angel Falls overlook. Perfect overnight trip.
Leatherwood Ford
![IMG_1100.jpg IMG_1100.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109805-b8d9c64c0b21ed303fe72bcdfb2ebd6e.jpg)
Below the Angel Falls portage
![IMG_1103.jpg IMG_1103.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109806-ca9d7100fbfab89278030a584cb3a3a8.jpg)
I ran into my good friend Bart and his buddy below Angel Falls, they were doing a 4 day trip. Nice to have a little company on the river.
![IMG_1113.jpg IMG_1113.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109807-7681a5aa05abfe4baac592f20e7718dd.jpg)
My camp in the morning, head in the clouds. Somewhere down there is a big canyon.
![2A4A2133.jpg 2A4A2133.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109808-56c06d7a4251f326302d11f6829212d7.jpg)
![2A4A2136.jpg 2A4A2136.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109809-37ffbabedf7551ae618cc1e5f38c8cdf.jpg)
Pink Lady's Slipper
![IMG_1115.jpg IMG_1115.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109810-772ab21c4c3ff3c258e424c0a5b49eaa.jpg)
![IMG_1140.jpg IMG_1140.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109811-8c13e25ac4962575e3a4acc952476016.jpg)
Wild azalea
![IMG_1123.jpg IMG_1123.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109812-7562d890b7cca21ab16465eaf9031ee0.jpg)
Angel Falls overlook
![2A4A2149.jpg 2A4A2149.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109815-3de558e11f4d0a24f1d0960ee3fa32a9.jpg)
![2A4A2152.jpg 2A4A2152.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109816-629c426d4976c39694a864aba1bc9516.jpg)
![2A4A2156.jpg 2A4A2156.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109817-fd8fc0b88cd879c2fcd4db72ddae5646.jpg)
Big, sluggish copperhead on the trail. My spirit snake.
![2A4A2158.jpg 2A4A2158.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109818-aed58d0f394bc0ba319fd5959de05e46.jpg)
Bringing my two favorite plateau's together - Colorado and Cumberland.
![IMG_1133.jpg IMG_1133.jpg](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109819-e50399b8ec2d47cde86c95d806af0576.jpg)
The route
![download - Copy.png download - Copy.png](https://backcountrypost.com/data/attachments/109/109820-3b4f6870e7e6ae094525f28813bc0a6a.jpg)