Mapping the Sheltowee

[rootman]

We are 61 and 51 year old backpackers section-hiking the ST and trying to finish before we die. This 3 day venture was actually two trips. We parked at the Cumberland Falls parking lot on June 12th for a shuttle (Sheltowee Trace Outfitters -- $40) to Hwy 27. We camped one night and stayed in the lodge the second night because the heat (91 degrees) had us pretty wiped out. The second trip was another shuttle ride from the Cumberland Falls parking lot to the "top" of the Bark Camp Creek trail (Sheltowee Trace Outfitters -- $30). For that one we had just daypacks. Some observations:

1. The trail is easy to follow. Kudos to the Forest Service and volunteers who have done some heroic work clearing huge trees out of the way. There is the occasional tree still across the trail but no major detours. In several areas it was obvious that a weed trimmer had been used to widen the trail, just like walking in the park. We had only one "Y" intersection where we had to scout a bit. We headed in opposite directions with a plan to blow a signal with our whistles when we found a trail marker. Not a good idea for two geezers with high frequency hearing loss! Fortunately Tom's manly voice was loud enough to get my attention. Also, at the end of Thunderstruck Road there is a "Y" (for northbound hikers). You can take either leg and get to the Cumberland River. There are no ST markers but the right leg is the "official" route.

2. Our camping night was at a great campsite -- very large (room for 10 tents), flat, clear and near the water. N36*47.2778, W084*24.3029. Even the flying insects were minimal. This appears to be the last really ideal campsite for northbound hikers before you get to Rte 700 and no great campsites for a long time.

3. Bark Camp Shelter has a huge amount of trash and needs a cleanup badly. There was no sign of Star Shelter. Is it still there?? Bark Camp Creek bridge is still out but, unlike the time we were there last year, we were able to ford the creek easily.

4. On the first day we passed a cave at N36*46.6101, W084*25.7475, opening about 40 feet from the trail. Atmospheric conditions must have been just right because there was a very cool breeze blowing right across the trail like someone had turned on an air conditioner. I had been near cool caves before but this was by far the coolest breeze I had ever encountered from one. It sure tempered the 90 degree temperature elsewhere.

5. As mentioned in a recent trip report, the ticks were everywhere. I picked off at least a dozen of the little buggers.

I hope this is helpful if somebody is planning to hike this section. Thanks for this outstanding website.

[jbd]

Thanks for the trip report!

[Traildust]

Excellent Info. I will forward to FS District Rangers so they know of the conditions. We will probably have to get a few volunteers together to go out and clean up Bark Camp. Star Camp is supposed to still be there.

Thanks again for the info. We will get someone out to mark the Trace at Thunderstruck.

[bdpalace]

I did the same section about this time last year and Star Shelter was nowhere to be found. Of course I went two weeks after the massive windstorm and all the trees that have thus been cleared were still there and full of leaves so it was almost impossible to find the trail. However, I did have the coordinates in my GPS and we climbed all around the downed trees in the vicinity and couldn't find a structure.

That is a great hike and I'm glad to hear that it is passable.

[hiker1]

The cave you passed was not a cave, it was an abandoned mine opening, a number of those from Hwy 27 to Hwy 700. DO NOT enter these.

[Traildust]

According to FS in London, the Star Shelter is there.

[veela-valoom]

It seems like it would be hard for a shelter to disappear without any trace. My boyfriend once cleaned up some Shelters along that section of the river. I'll ask him if he remembers where Star Shelter is (though when we went to Bark Camp he thought the Shelter was much further away than it was so he may not be reliable).

I saw Bark Camp just a few weeks ago. It was bad then too. I think people come across the river from McCreary county (Sawyer area). At least that's what it looked like to me.

[veela-valoom]

Boyfriend said that it's up the hill from the Star Falls to the right (but closer to the river than Bark Camp). He also said that it is closer to the river than other shelters and we have had some VERY high water the past 2 years.

He thinks he could find it again if he looked for it (but his work schedule is unpredictable and current weather conditions are miserable).

[Traildust]

Thanks Veela,

Doug Cook, our Cookerhiker is out today walking the Sheltowee Trace getting some photos and checking conditions at Bark Camp and going in search of Star Shelter. Once he gives us a full report we will plan some sort of clean up activiity maybe for next week or after the 4th of July. Thanks for the info.

steve
traildust

[Bale]

I hiked there last fall, and it was there then. It was damaged slightly, but it is less than two miles south of the falls from Bark Creek shelter. It is partially hidden, if I remember correctly, by some blow down.

[Traildust]

Thanks everyone. We are working with FS to get a plan for repairing the shelter and getting volunteers in there to clean up the area. If you are interested let me know. It will be mid to late July most likely.