For todays’ hike, we gathered at a curve on a gravel road…on Bowman Bottoms Road. We weren’t ‘in the bottoms” tho. Megan Henderson led 14 hikers, none of which were “new” to the Society. We headed off South along a power line cut, then turned east into the woods, to find the “rabbit hole” a place where you start on top, bend over and crawl thru a cavity, probably created by running water eons ago, and end up coming out a few feet lower. Some also wandered along a bluff wall…to another “crawl thru” area. Along that stretch, we also found some graffiti. 

Next, we headed back out to the power line cut, cut across it to the west side, and worked our way South thru the woods. Megan had told us that most of the day would not be on a trail. We ended up following a small stream, heading west…and Then…we found the Schwegman Sentinels. About 4, Large , independent Rocks, spaced 30-50 feet apart, all in pretty much of a line. After we all climbed up to them, and around them, we continued following the creek, , made a few turns, and then came upon a large bluff line, with a big overhang, shelter bluff. We ate lunch there, took the group picture, and ended up going past them and getting up “on top” of the shelter bluff. By then, there were distant sounds of thunder, skies to the North were getting darker, and, cell phone signal coverage was good enough, that we made the decision we needed to move quickly towards the vehicles. We got out juuuuust as it began to rain. Megan had planned to go to Bulge Hole to look for possible water falls, but, alas, another time. We ended up hiking about 3 miles. 

Next weeks’ hike, on Saturday May 9th,  the Last of the Spring 2026 season, will be led by Bob Mulcahy, in Alexander county, meeting at the Horse Creek trail head, east of McClure. 

Until then, “See ya’ll On the Trail”.