Date: 06/04/2024
Name: Dead Man Branch & Trestle Loop Trails to Contentment Falls & Cave and Wells Viaduct
Distance: 6.2
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
Total Climbing Elevation: 856
Type: Out & Back with Loop
Notes: As a first hike on this trail, this turned out to be an adventure and fun . The weather was mild, but quite humid from the overnight rain making the trail quite wet. Dead Man Branch Trail is unmaintained and not blazed. It is still in fair condition with several shallow water crossings where getting your wet feet from the slippery rocks is a real possibility. The Trestle Loop is actually a old road now used for ATV activity. Nevertheless, the Trestle Loop is also in fair condition and a pleasant walk. However, it did have a number of short hills topped with large mud puddles. Contentment Cave/Falls is a single feature with a small falls cascading over an extended ledge creating a cave beneath. Access is via a side trail off of Trestle Loop marked by a cairn. The view at the top of the falls is quite limited, but the ledge beneath the falls can be reached by carefully traversing across the hillside adjacent to the falls. Access to the bottom of the falls was not attempted today due to wet and slippery conditions. While not a large amount of water over the falls, it was still quite scenic and fun under the waterfall. Continuing further down the trail, we worked our way under the massive supports of the Norfolk Southern Wells Viaduct. This structure is quite impressive from beneath. Internet information states, "Named after W.H. Wells, chief engineer of the project, it is sometimes called North Broad Trestle. Spans north fork of Broad River just west of Toccoa, GA. Construction began in 1915 and was completed in 1919. Part of a larger Southern Railways project to reduce curves and grades along Southern Railway's Atlanta – Charlotte mainline, it is over 1500 feet in length, and just over 200 feet in height at its highest point. This makes it the highest bridge on the Norfolk-Southern RR between Washington DC and New Orleans. All in all, this was a great adventure hike and one worth repeating. TODAY'S HIKERS: Pam Hembree, Shelia Getman, Kim Johnson, Lynn Steele, Jack Treadman, Ken Kellerman & Cutie Pie, Linda Shultz, Renee Corbett, Rich Brown, Mary Smith, Jane Brown, Matt Henderson & Toby, Jenny Bell & Mike Bell.
AllTrails Link: Dead Man Branch & Trestle Loop Trails from Toccoa Falls College, GA
Additional Search Terms: June