2018 TRACE NOTES Helpful information for your adventure on Section 7 of the Hiker Challenge. Start Point S-Tree Rd. End Point Intersection Todd Rd. / Hale Ridge Rd. WEATHER DECISION Weather Alert!!!! Potential heat and humidity for both teams could reach dangerous levels for backpackers. Pack light, plan on carrying an extra liter of water, plan stops to rest and eat a snack to maintain energy. Section 7: Pick Up Where You Left Off! S-Tree Road over the Todd Road Your 32 mile journey north on the Trace continues as you start off where you left off in June at S-Tree Road. The first few miles are along well maintained and hard trail. Be alert for ATV s and dirt bikes as this section is open to their use and on weekends they can be out in force. You ll leave the DBNF at highway 421 so be careful as you walk toward McKee WALK AGAINST THE TRAFFIC. At the daycare its back into the woods and over to Turkeyfoot Campground for the night. Sunday you are in the woods most of the day until you hit the final road walk for the weekend on Todd Road. Because of the July hot weather, we are cutting the hike short and while you will park at Heidelberg City Park, you will not have to walk the road miles to your car. Those miles will be your start, a warm up for August s climb up Heidelberg Hill. We have included some extra maps with this version of Trace Notes to help you navigate along the Trace. SATURDAY: The first few miles you will walk parallel to S-Tree Road until you turn right and drop down over the hill at about (Mile 143.5). Be careful at the bottom of the hill not to make a right turn down Hooten Branch. We will check blazing there to make sure the direction is marked. You now follow a creek on your right and a few mud holes will slow your pace. Out of the low area you climb out to a gravel road (near Mile 141). GO RIGHT. If you go left you will hike out to S-Tree Road, your direction only in an emergency. (Mile 137) From the trail head on Elisha Branch you of course have an immediate climb up a steep hill that features loose rock. Be alert for the sounds of dirt bikes as this section is open to their use and most weekends you will have to give way for a few. At the top of the hill you begin a transition from Rte 421 over to where the Trace climbs a small valley up to Rte. 89 where you cross. Look to right slightly across the road for a wooden trail sign. Through this small wooded section you will cross at a gravel road (Mile 133) near a small fenced in building. The Trace is straight ahead. You are now on flat ground for about 1/2 mile where the Trace crosses the gravel road and heads down the hill into the valley that leads to Turkeyfoot. (Continued on Page 3)
Section Seven Trace Notes: S-Tree Road to Intersection Todd Road and Hale Ridge Rd. FRIDAY NIGHT CAMPOUT: For those coming in on Friday night we will camp at Turkeyfoot. This will make for a longer travel time on Saturday morning but there are limited places we can camp in this area given the road miles. The advantage is, you get to leave your tent or hammock set up for your return on Saturday. Be advised, you will have to carry out all your gear on Sunday. Pack accordingly. DIRECTIONS TO TURKEYFOOT: Get to McKee buy whatever route you choose. At the courthouse you want to turn onto Rt 89 which leads out of town and up the hill. Stay on 89 for about 3 miles. At the top of the hill you will turn right onto Turkeyfoot Road. Follow Turkeyfoot (watch for left turn about one mile in there is a sign). Turkeyfoot turns into a gravel road which may require you to slow down. At the bottom of the hill there is a bridge and before the bridge you go left there is a sign. This road leads you down to a creek crossing, careful, and then on the right is the bridge dam across into Turkeyfoot. We should be near the front of the camp loop as you turn left into the campground sites. From the North, come from Richmond to Irvine on Rte. 52. At Irvine turn onto Rte 89 and look to intersect Rte. 1209. Proceed on 1209 for about 20 miles. This road leads to Arvel where the Trace comes out. Just past the ST trailhead on your right, you will turn right onto 587. On 587 you will go about 10 miles til you see the sign on the right for Turkeyfoot. Turn and follow the gravel road (SLOW DOWN) and at the bridge you turn right and down to the campground. Saturday Shuttle: The shuttle point is the parking lot at Heidelberg City Park on highway 399. new McKee trailhead. Shuttle leaves at 7:30 am. Plan on hour back to S-Tree. Coming from the North: From Richmond to Irvine on Rte. 52. Stay on Rte. 52 all the way to the intersection of 399. Turn right and go about 10 miles till you come to the bottom of the hill and Heidelberg. The park will be on your left before you cross the river. Coming from the South (Tennessee) : Take I-75 north to exit 41. Go right on Highway 80 til it intersect Highway 30 a left turn here. Take Highway 30 now to Annville and beyond til it intersect 421. At 421 turn left and head north to McKee. At the top of the hill where the High School is located you will turn right onto 587. For about 30 miles you are on 587 over to the intersection 1209 at Arvel. Turn right and stay on 587 winding around and down to where it intersects with 399 and there you go left and into Heidelberg. From where you leave the interstate it is about 90 minute drive over to Heidelberg. Water / Water Obstacles. There is plenty of water to draw from along the Trace. Treat water. There are several small streams that you will need to cross and the water maybe up at War Fork so water shoes may be a great idea. Bring a towel to dry your feet or yourself if you go in. 5lb Drop. THE FIVE POUND DROP IS NO LONG- ER IN EFFECT.
Near (Mile 128 1/2) be alert as the trail rolls back to the left and around the hillside. If you go straight you will come out at the bridge / dam entrance to Turkeyfoot. Camp for the night. The support vehicle will have water etc. If need be you can filter water out of the creek. If you had a hot days walk in the woods, maybe treat yourself to a little wading in the cool waters of War Fork. (Continued on Page 3) SUNDAY: Up and out. Don t forget you have to carry all your gear from camp. NO 5 LB DROP. Back out the road, over the dam and up the small hill to the right turn and back on the Trace. For the next mile and half you will be up on the hillside with the gravel road down to your right. At (Mile 128.5) the Trace comes out on a gravel road. You follow the road to the left for 500 feet and the Trace returns to the woods on your right at the end of a small pull off parking area. From (Mile 127.5 down to near (Mile 126) you are in the woods. Be alert here as we battle the invasive species multi-flora rose along the trail. Before the downhill to the creek you pop out on an old Forest Road. Go right and then left down the hill. The Trace is marked. At the bottom of the hill you come to Resurgence Cave, a great location for a cool break after you cross the creek. The natural spring coming from the cave is on your left. At (Mile 120) the single track trail comes out onto FSR 3022 where you make a left and within a couple hundred feet you go back right and down the old badly eroded road which ends at Arvil and Highway 1209. The support vehicle may be at this location. At the hard surface road, you go RIGHT and follow the road up the hill. Highway 587 connects on the right but you continue on the 587 straight ahead. Here you are standing at the corner of three counties. Past the Beattyville watertower be alert for dogs. At the bottom of a small hill the road intersectons with Hale Ridge Road. Go left. About 300 feet from the intersection the trail goes back to the right into the woods near (Mile 119). You are now in the forest till you get to Todd Road. At (Mile 116 1/2) you come down a hill and cross a stream. Across the stream the trail pops out on old road called Virgil Todd Road. You walk through a farm field with landslide on hill to your right. At the railroad tie bridge you go right down into the creek bed. For about 1000 feet you are in the creek bed or on the shore line til you come out on Todd Road. WE ARE WORKING WITH THE FOREST SERVICE TO FIND A BETTER ROUTE. At Todd Road you go left and you are now on gravel road and asphalt road til you get to where Todd Road intersects Hale Ridge Road and the support vehicle will take you the rest of the way to Heidelberg. If the vehicle is not there, please sit down and wait. It is a 40 minute round trip from end point to Heidelberg Park. HEAT PREPARATION: Hydration is the key and you can t get fully hydrated if you wait til you get on the shuttle. On your way to the shuttle point drink some water or fluids to get the body heat reduction system going. Throughout the day watch for signs that you are not drinking enough. Low energy, heavy legs, stop sweating, short of breath. Stop at least once per hour more if needed and drink. The support vehicle will be
along with extra cold water. If at anytime you think you need to stop because of the heat, please STOP. Hopefully it is near the road where we can assist you. TICKS SNAKES: Tis the season so prepare. On Saturday past Turkeyfoot you will come in contact with more ticks than at any time on this section. The trail is true single track so you will brush up against them and they will take a ride with you to the next county. When you stop for a drink, check for ticks. Have a hiker buddy check where you can t see like your back. They like to get in your waist line so give a look when you have to go to the restroom. CAMP FACILITIES: Turkeyfoot vault toilets.
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