On Saturday October 12th, 14 hikers met at the New Simpson Hill school on a beautiful morning, full of sun and very favorable hiking temperatures. Bill Gilmour was the leader again today, and after group introductions, we loaded into vehicles and headed South on U.S. Rt. 45 for a couple of miles, before turning East to go down Taylor Ridge lane. We headed down the trail to Max Creek. Todays’ hike was kind of a ‘reverse” hike, in some ways, of hikes we have done in years past. We did have 1 new hiker from the Logan/Thompsonville, IL. area. We, early on, saw another snake today, a black rat snake, that several stopped to watch it climb a small tree. A stop was made at an overhang bluff called Cougar cave, then we continued on down to Max creek. We crossed it multiple times during the hike. It had water, but, little to no flow. We made a quick stop at a waterfall spot that we have often ate lunch at on previous hikes, but, kept moving on down the trails. We got to the vortex, and also found the picnic table that was set out last year by some hard-working Trail Society members. It was still safe & sound. We made it to Gay cave for our lunch stop and group picture. Several got up into the rock “fort” that had been constructed. We moved out, and did some bushwacking along the lower part of a bluff, then climbed up onto the bluff, and worked our way out. We hiked about 4.5 miles for the day. We also saw 2 equestrian groups during the hike. 

Next weeks’ hike will be on the Tupelo Trail North of Belknap. 

Until then, “See ya’ll On the Trail”