Sassafras NRMA, 9/27/2014

With some time to myself and a beautiful day in the forecast, a hike was a definite. I thought about Hawk Mountain or The Pinnacle - but decided I'd take a vacation day sometime soon and go up there. I also had some things to do at the River, so I decided on a hike down there.

Sassafras River, looking toward Kentmore

I did some hiking and geocaching at the Sassafras NRMA near Turner's Creek a few years ago, and the views are so beautiful that I decided on a return visit. The trails are not long or extensive, but they're pretty, and they lead to river vistas and to the river's edge.

A PDF map of the reserve is here. From the parking lot, you walk up a sand/gravel path, at which point you come to a junction, and can go left, right, or straight ahead. I took the right-hand path first, and went along the edge of a soybean field, passed a hunter's camp (with two hunters in residence - perhaps I should have been wearing my fluorescent orange cap?), then the path became sandy as I neared the river.

Lloyd Creek overlook

At the river's edge was a sandy clearing near the entrance to Turner's Creek. It was protected by overhanging trees, and would probably be nearly invisible from the water. I was looking across at the far side of Ordinary Point, and could see the back side of the red barn on the Decker Farm.

I wound back around to the junction point, and took the left-hand fork, which I knew would take me near the entrance of Lloyd Creek. After going along another soybean field, I came out at a gorgeous clifftop vista of the lower Sassafras. From there, the trail descends until it comes at on a sandy beach at the river's edge, just up from the mouth of Lloyd Creek. Maybe on a warm day, wearing shorts and water sandals, you could walk to the sandbar at Lloyd Creek. I'd like to try it sometime.

Cliff top view of the upper Sassafras

I re-traced my steps again, and back at the junction point, I decided against the third fork. It was unseasonably warm, and I was thirsty and hadn't brought anything to drink. (Well, I had, but it was back at the car and not in a day-pack.) So I decided that I'd had a good hike, walked back to the car, and spent the rest of the day at the River. According to the GPS, I hiked 4.67 miles in 1 hour 28 minutes.

If you're looking for a strenuous day-hike, this isn't the one. If you're looking for an interesting trail (in terms of technical difficulty or a new vista around every corner), this might not be the one. But if you're looking for river vistas, this is very highly recommended.

Photo album from the day is here.