I took my GPS and recorded my route so you could download the GPX track in case you want to follow this route. This is a very scenic hike (if you hike it in daylight!) and it is hilly. The topology is pretty amazing for this area. The entire loop, including my occasional tangents, is 5.1 miles (8.2 km), according to my GPS. There were a couple places where we stopped for a while. I’m not sure how the GPS records those places where it seems to think I’m bouncing around in one area.
Fred Bear met me at the spot where you see the most squiggles. I had to stop and wait for him, there. This loop begins and ends on Hillfield Rd and you only have about 1/4 mile (0.4 km) to walk on the road. I started at the south entrance on a connector trail that takes you to the Weetock trail, and I came out just north of where I went in, at what is now the southern terminus of the [unofficial] Weetock trail.
There was a little daylight left when I arrived, but it was raining and pretty dark, so I only got a couple pictures at the beginning of my hike. By the time I met up with Fred, it was dark dark. I expected the moon to come up before we finished our hike, but it wasn’t evident, if it did.
I really only have one thing that I’ve been meaning to mention, and that is that the forestry service has bulldozed the road (fire break) that runs from HW 58 down to Hunters Creek between the forest and Heavenly Stables. They’ve been doing controlled burns all over the Croatan. I’m not sure if this means they are going to do a controlled burn south of Hillfield Rd, or if they were just clearing the fire break.
