Wed, Jan 2 2019 - Gold Branch - Last Minute "What The Heck" Hike (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Holt Ward Participants: Holt Ward, Barbara, Evy, Dan R, Linda C, Shirley N, Bob G, Neil, Rob Herman, Silvia B, JoJo, Judy

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Boy did we have fun today exploring some of the extreme corners of Gold Branch.  We had 12 hearty hikers who were up to the challenge of some extended off trail hiking in the park.  We started off on the main backbone trail to head out to the western end of the park and then did some off trail exploring.  We saw some old abandoned roads, some stone walls, well sites, terraced former farmland, remains of chimneys from settlers cabins and some clues of former homesteads. 

We dropped back down to the river level and hiked along Bull Sluice Lake.  One final off trail section on an old roadbed to reach the backbone trail one last time and then back to the parking lot.  We were having so much time that the group agreed to extend the hike about 30 minutes to see a bit more before finishing our 4.8 mile, 2.5 hour hike.   ~ Holt