The 125,000-acre Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area has a multitude of scenic gorges and sandstone bluffs, arches, cliffs, rock houses, chimneys, and of course the free-flowing Big South Fork River. A great place for backpacking and I’ve hiked many of its trails but tried a new one on another solo backpack on May 12-13. Down the somewhat obscure John Angel Smith Trail to the Big South Fork River and a nearby campsite, then day hiking upstream to the always impressive Angel Falls. Saw only two-day hikers so it’s really a remote and unused area. Tail end of the wildflower season but did see a few. Evidence of recent flooding was everywhere, including wet campsites (the highest flood ever occurred on March 23, 2024, when the river crested at around 83,000 cfs and 42.5 feet (that’s an at least 4-story building). Afterward I drove to an undisclosed location in the Park to see the fairly rare and extra beautiful flower, the Southern Lady Slipper (some call it the Kentucky Lady Slipper). Yellow and turning white as they age and larger than the Pink Lady Slippers we see more often. See this link for more photos of the backpack. For photos see: theskeltonview...
Негізгі бет BIG SOUTH FORK: SOLO BACKPACK TO ANGEL FALLS (May 12-13, 2024)
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