Weekend Gem-Twin Arches Loop Arch Hunt

Arch madness

If you have been following the trips I like to do, you know that I love to go the amazing Big South Fork area any chance I can. After covering a gang load of trail miles in the Park, I have focusing my energy in finding the semingly endless off trail spectacles like arches, chimneys and waterfalls. I tried to find them the old school ways using good maps, looking for user trails, blazes, janky carins, blah blah. The thing is that this land is very sparsely used and folks here are death till’ we part with their wilderness ethics to boot. Please keep this in mind when going off trail here to preserve the raw wilderness environment that exists here. Get started by driving to the TH to get this arch hunt on in the Twin Arches area. This is certainly one of the most dramatic parts of the Park with steep topography, huge cliff lines, extra mossy and fun to hike all around. Follow the Middle Creek’s left split headed to Sawmill TH. You can take the roundabout right split on the way back if you like, it has Hammock Arch and a nice rockhouse when it jumps over the road and heads back to the TH. Back on the left split, the way after Sawmill starts dropping creek side insuring that Slave Falls is not far off. Take the short .2 side trail to see the Falls and a  fossilized tree jam in the cliff along the way. Iron has merged with the bark. It’s much more erosion resistant than the sandstone that’s common here, so you can see logs, limbs, stumps sticking out from the side of the cliff as you make your way to the Falls. This was a ancient swamp back in the day and you would be knee deep in a marsh, fun huh? Once being overwhelmed by all the potential fossils seemingly everywhere around you at this point, arrive at the Falls. The trippiest thing about the scene is the crater like hole that the water has dug out! If you get to close to this one, it looks like you are going to eat shit and slide into the spray with all the red clay mud about. Cruise back and get your pack on for the next spot, Needle Arch. This is the kinda arch that people dream about, with it’s slender build and arcing shape. This is one of those landforms that can inspire almost anyone.
It seems to me that arches in the Cumberland Plateau are primarily three types. Ones that sit above a creek, ones that are a collapsed rockhouse or ones that sit high on the tops of ridges. The last one is my favorite kind so far. Created from a considerable amount of wind erosion, so they have sculpted edges and sandy floors. There is one in this post, Molar Arch. Leave me a comment if you like that one the best too. Once past Needle, start dropping down to Mill Creek. Keep your eyes peeled for Mill Creek Arch in about 1/4 mile in an average looking rockhouse. Once down at the Creek, enjoy the steep cliffs that now surround you. Cruise by a couple of really nice camps until in the next couple of miles before being at creek level. As the valley widens a bit and the creek side becomes less slanted, you arrive at Jakes Place, your camp for a couple of days. Make a left at the intersection and look for a good camp. My favorite is over your left shoulder, tucked next to a scenic stretch of stream. Set up quickly and hang your grub so you can head to Scorpio Arch, you don’t want to miss this one! Head up the trail to where the first trickle comes down. When you are looking directly at it, make a hard left up the hillside off trail. Once on top and the rock band stretches to your right, head left and over the ridge itself. Then simply follow it down a bit until the rock makes a left and look for the rounded boulder that is in front of the Arch. Soak in this magnificent scene for as long as humanly possible before dark hits. Retrace your steps back to your camp for dinner and chilling. Enjoy your favorite tunes before heading to bed revealing in your day’s plunder.

Slave Falls

Needle Arch

Mill Creek Arch

Scorpio

The next day after a good breakfast, head back up the trail to the Twin Arches again. Along the climb you will notice that the cliffs over your left shoulder and the trail are cuing up. Keep your eyes peeled for a black water stain on the cliff, it’s Jakes Chimney, a 25 ft long tunnel dug through the rock! More giant rock faces line your path making you feel small. A steep climb to a ridge end reveals yet another arch just above the trail on the right now, It’s Jakes Arch. As the way begins to level off dead ahead is the giant South Arch that will stop you in your tracks every time it’s visited. Find the intersection that heads back to the Twin Arches TH and make that left. When you get to a double stair set, head to the right following the cliff. Stay as close as you can to the rock and in a short distance you will see Matt D’s Arch separating from the cliff. Ride the cliff a shorter distance to a fern capped unassuming Shadowline Arch. Get down on your knees to see the light shining through a small crack with a horizontal sapling sharing the space. The cliff side starts getting steep and harder to stay right next to it. Still, traverse a small drainage keeping your eyes peeled for a rutted way trail heading uphill as the cliff faces are now a couple hundred feet higher now. Scurry up the steeeep slope to Molar Arch, now close to the cliff top. This one is really mesmerizing. It has small windows in the base of the “tooth”  rising out of the ground. Like I said before, these ridge top arches are my favorite because of their sculpted and elegant look. We stopped here because our daylight was in short supply. That said, always take more time when looking for these off trail arches. Think a mile an hour or so when bushwhacking in general, especially in steep terrain like this. If you have more time, head on to see the Jug Handle and Upper Molar before dropping down the other side of the cliff band to the trail and make a left back to the Twin Arches. I’m sure I will be back eventually to do this little loop and see the remaining arches. If you are into it, take the left split of the Loop back to Charit Creek Lodge and follow Mill Branch back to Jakes Place and your rad camp. With all the Arches, views and creek walking this is certainly one of the best loops in Big South Fork. Settle in to camp as the sun begins to set and dig into some much needed dinner. As the stars begin to shine, you can reveal in the amazing sights that you were fortunate to see today.

Jakes Chimney

Jakes Arch

Fossilized wood matter

Matt D’s Arch

Shadowline Arch

Molar Arch

Backside of the Mollar

North Arch

I don’t know what could top such a marvelous day of hiking like yesterday. With that in mind, wake up slowly and relish in the crisp morning air for a bit while your mind stews about what other hidden treasures lye in this amazing spot of our planet. Once you pack up, head back down Mill Creek in the morning light feeling inspired. In a short while you cross the Creek and make your way up to higher ground and Needle Arch. Now is the time to cook up other arch finding missions on the horizon. Discovering these gems will make you feel like a kid again if you’re wired like me. It seems to me that the best way to see multiple arches is to save a whole day for the hike if you have time. The Big South Fork area has changed the way I view a hiking trip in general. When I was younger, the high miles were my ticket to a satisfying backpacking trip. As the miles and sights piled in my head, it left me spinning in bliss. These days I still do some high mile days, but find that I like looking for arches or whatnot or just hanging out soaking it in the same. Or I’m just getting older and able to appreciate the mellow moments more. Either way you slice it I’m still hooked on pure wilderness like Big South Fork. Do me a favor and keep this area a secret so that future generations can enjoy these treasures in their pristine shape.