January 12, 2010
| Today’s hike was in Stephens County on the Broad River Trail. The hike started on Forest Service Rd 87 at Dicks Creek and continued to Farmers Bottom and the campground on the river and back. Total round trip hike today – approx. 8 miles.
HIKERS – John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Karen Brown, Pam Euliss, Bill Hunt, Dick Metzgar, Bruce O’Connor, Jeanne O’Connor, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Joe Raguckas, Vic Robson, Pom Sinnock and Dave Standard. TRAIL INFO. The Broad River Trail is a beautiful woodland hike along Dicks Creek and the Broad River. The trail conditions were not good on parts of the trail because of numerous fallen trees. After crawling over and under lots of trees on the way out, we decided to walk back on forest service road 87 back to our parking spot. All in all, it was a very good hike with lots of nice river views including lots of icicles today. Directions: From Toccoa take Highway 123 west and continue straight through the Jeanette Jameison intersection and continue on about a mile and a half and turn left onto Ayersville Rd. (Patterson Pump Inc.). Continue about a half mile or so and turn left onto F.S. Road 87 (dirt) continue past the game checking station for about a mile or so and look for a trail sign on the right. Park on the side of the road. (If you are coming from Cornelia/Clarkesville on the 4-lane Highway 17, turn to the right at the traffic light at Jeanette Jameison Intersection and continue as above.) Note* there is a temporary detour because highway 123 is closed between the Jameson intersection and Patterson Pump. Another great day for a hike! Fair and cold with temperatures ranging from 26 to 43 degrees F. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: none BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Chickadee, Great Blue Herron, Dark-eyed Junco, Turkey Vulture, Pileated Woodpecker, Blue Jay, and White-breased Nuthatch. |
 Starting on F.S. Road 87 at Dicks Creek. |
 Sign near the start. A natural picture frame! |
 The famous circular Hemlock tree. A natural picture frame. |
 Beautiful noisy rapids on Dicks Creek. |
 A chilly day! |
 Lots of fallen trees make the trail difficult in several spots. |
 A beautiful calm spot on the river! |
 January icicles! |
 Another great day for a hike! |
 We get this view up the river as we cross the bridge at Farmers Bottom. |
 Crossing over to the campground. |
 Walking the campground loop. |
 Lots of ice after a week of sub-freezing weather. |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike (l-r). Karen Brown, Pam Euliss, Joe Raguckas, Pom Sinnock, Dave Standard, Bruce O’Connor, June Bellamy, Jeanne O’Connor, John Bellamy, Donna Presley, Dick Metzgar, Vic Robson, Bill Hunt and Tony Presley. |