Weekend Gem-Leatherwood to Honey Creek Loop
Honey Creek Falls
This trip in Big South Fork is one of my all time favorites in the area. I’ve called it the Little Loops Traverse and such over the years because it incorporates three small loops along the way that you can explore deeper into the BSF. To be quite frank, it never disappoints me every time I’ve done this tremendous trek. Anyway, get your ass to Leatherwood Ford and head left on the Sheltowee Trace Trail making your way to the O+W Bridge. Cruise along this section as it stays close to the wild River itself most of the time. Once you hit the bridge, the cliffs along the valley become easier to see and stoke the imagination with their dramatic nature. On the other side of the bridge you climb up some rocky and loose tread to always lovely Jake’s Falls and onwards past Devils Den. If you need water for the next few miles, get some here past the scenic rock house as it cascades over the rounded shelf that makes its roof. Keep on keeping on a little more to the top of the rim of the River where you can make a sharp right to a great viewpoint. When you see the old picnic table you hit the flat part of today’s excursion where nice camps can be found in the sparse forest to the right, water is beyond that. The way continues on past a puddly section before dropping down to a small stream crossing. If you head left here you can make your way to off trail Welder Arch just above the creek to the left, well at least supposedly. Continue dropping to a sign signifying the Honey Creek Loop and make a right staying on the Sheltowee down past Belly Arch located in a big boulder/small rock house on your right. Continue on dropping to a stream crossing where you can see Boulder Falls between the big rocks placed seemingly erratically along the valley floor. Soon after you do a little light scrambling around some boulders that lead you headlong to Ice Castle Falls and a great camp at its base. Set up here and enjoy this peaceful setting as the sun fades away and the cold returns to this January day. Snuggle up with some good tunes as the night sets in and the falls keep rocking.
A fossil of an ancient tropical tree
Boulder Falls are back there
After a restful nights rest with the rumbling Ice Castle, hook up a good breakfast and break down your camp and get rolling. Begin a very short climb to a slaby and mossy stretch above the creek where the sunlight can finally be enjoyed to its fullest. Soon a rumble can be heard as you wrap back over a falls below, it’s Honey Creek Falls! Take a short and scenic side trail down to the left to a chasm that surrounds the beautiful Falls. Take in the scene for a bit before climbing up and out of the creek bottom to the road where the trailhead is. Cross the road and head up the hill on the opposite side to the Sheltowee making its way to the Beaver Falls beyond. Before too long make a left and continue on the Honey Creek Loop as it makes its way back down where the goods are in this area. Woods soon lead on to big cliffs where you skirt the edge of. The scale of the land changes so dramatically here, it kind of sneaks up to you. The tread is also more rugged than the other half of the loop that you hiked yesterday. A moment that almost stops you in your tracks is when you round a corner to impressive Moonshine Falls that’s slender stream is dropping from high above. Small Hideout Falls is next while you begin a big drop to just above BSF and a nice camp along its banks. The next stretch hops over the creek, squeezing between boulders and has a few short climbs and dips to keep you from hiking in the creek. Keep an eye out for a big boulder that you go to the right of, it has a whole fossilized trunk imbedded in it. This stretch of trail is especially fun as it squeezes you and climbs around massive boulders that this seemingly small creek has apparently deposited here. Next up the way takes you up the creek itself. You can stay in it on the right side and meander along rocks up the creek or go on a rough tread to your left that bypasses the creek all together. Either way, keep on cruising as the dirt trail reappears on the right of Honey and begins climbing away. Check out rad Hideaway Falls cascading off a cliff side before hooking withe the Sheltowee again. Retrace your steps back to your car and soak in the goodness of this very special wilderness that is always surprisingly amazing.
