AHT Trail Report

“AHT Trail Report

Friday nite was cold and clear in south central Indiana. We camped at Stage Stop campground, which Id highly recommend as a car camp meeting spot. There were only 2 other camp sites taken even though it was the first weekend of gun hunting season. It sits rite along the Blue River too. The only thing that would make it better is if it had a direct access to the AHT. We scouted for this saturday morning and did not find one.

After dropping some water at the southern end of Cold Friday Road, we started the trail at the NE corner, number 5 on the AHT map, and hiked clockwise. We started at this point so we could camp somewhere along the Ohio Saturday nite. Our plans were almost nixed by the numerous and strategically placed blowdowns along many spots on the entire East side of the trail! These were perfectly placed so as to obscure all signs of the trail in many parts, including totally covering,burying the AHT post style trail markers. With lots of fallen leaf cover added, this made for a few difficult times to refind the trail. Also there are several Horse and old forgotten trails intersecting the AHT, some with a similar green blaze.

We made it to a couple of Shelters on the east side including the INdian Creek shelter, 7, and another one or two small emergency shelters in between that were just like small wooden mangers and not much more. We stopped for lunch at the bluffs just before INdian Creek shelter with a great, late Fall view overlooking the INdian Creek it makes a great lunch spot and perhaps a great future campsite.

Beware! the Southeast corner section of the trail is currently a bit of a mess. Although there was a warning sign that logging lay ahead, and that there may be a reroute, we didnt expect the trail posts signage to dissappear. And it just so happened at a junction with about 2 other unmarked trails.
After searching for some sign of the trail or Trail post signs for a while, we found a sign post in an unlikely spot and followed it! Within about an hour we reached the Homestead shelter,8, where we camped for the nite. This a great and large camp site, complete with a roomy shelter , charcoal grill, and an old stone chimney. This site was once an 1860s farmstead home and sits on a high ridge overlooking the Ohio.

After a much warmer nite about 50 degrees, with slow moving barges and a few close encounters with some very active Coyotes, we got an early start and jumped on the trail in a big way. Made one stop at Cold Friday road, 9, for the stashed water, about 1.5 miles away then got moving again. The trail signage marking was much better for most of the rest of the trail. This section of the trail had many good Ohio River overlook spots with no leaves on the trees. We passed through the old Ohio River shelter location,10, of which the shelter is totally destroyed still. But it still makes for a very large group campsite. Oh and I think we saw an item that RANDALL may have left there from his infamous Adventure Trail Story!! Indiana John may post a picture of it...

On to the Iron Bridge,3. We made it to the Blue River portion of the trail which was low lying and easier hiking. The bridge is not finished for crossing and the trail just passes by it, parralelling the Blue for a while. Theres no need to get dangerous and try to walk on it or anything, but it does cross a very nice section of the Blue. After getting a little more water from a convenient small stream that actually had water in it and a frog too, we made it to Trail Rendevous,4, at the North end of the trail. We did not take the spur trail that dead ends and is an additional two miles of hiking.

Instead we continued on the main trail back to our cars at number 5, where we started the previous day. Despite the poor trail signage and maintenance, its a great trail to hike....really. Great views, great campsites, shelters, and wildlife.
Its definately a rugged trail that lives up to its name for one reason or another!

Water. This trail could be done without cacheing water, if you dont mind drinking murky water out of fireponds. We saw about 3 to 4 on the East and South sides close to the trail. And theres also the Blue River close by to the West.

Mileage. Per my GPS was 26.5 miles, not including the spur trail to the North.

FYI all the caves in the area are currently closed due to White Nosed Disease that is killing off a lot of Bats and spreading.
last edited: 11/16/09 9:58:19 PM”

“Attila,

Nice TR. Good to know the trail is pretty much open again. Like to get down there in the Spring, and hike it. Hope to catch you on a hike soon.”

“test11”

“rite on hiknmachine.
randall whats up w the test?”

“I cant post fer some reason”

“oh...
Never mind!!!”

“wadda know Atilla can type!!”