Always on the hunt for a new place to go as part of the Georgetown
Running Club’s 2020 Summer Tour, this was one I just happened to stumble
upon. After a visit at place for
non-running-related reasons, I was going west down Route 2769 from Anderson
Mill Road towards Volente. I saw the
Twin Creeks Golf Course there on the right, and I swore I saw a trailhead sign
near where the maintenance shed was. It
took me a moment to turn around, get back to the section, and pull in to make
the confirmation. Sweet! Well, I wasn’t prepared for a long walk then,
but I knew where I was going on my next opportunity.
At first the trail really wasn’t all that interesting as it was a
paved road. Well, the walk would be good
anyways. There was the golf course to my
left (west), and I wondering if this trail was a bust if I could walk the
grounds a bit. Soon a came to a
T-intersection, with a woodsy trail going to right (east). What interested me more was the ruined house
a short distance ahead. I don’t believe
I’ve ever just stumbled upon a historical area while hiking.
Known as the “King Log House,” according to the sign it was built
circa 1859, and it was occupied at least until 1917. It also noted it was used by a politician to
entertain guests after that, but not for how long. Nor did it mention when it was
abandoned. The structure certainly was
not safe to go inside, but as there was an opening at one of the doors I was
able to lean in and get an interior picture.
The grounds were well-kept, and there was an access road to the
north. I spent a few minutes checking
out the area before heading on to the trail to the east I’d seen earlier.
The creek was to my left as I headed upstream, and after a short
time the paved trail became packed earth.
There were a few people walking here and there, who’d come in from some
of the nearby residences. I was told
this trail would eventually come out at an access point off Zennor Court. Don’t know what neighborhood that was, but it
gave me something to work towards.
At one point the trail seemed to end on some bare rock directly
behind someone’s house. But I’d just
seen people coming that way a few moments earlier, and this was not an access
point by any means, so it mean the trail continued somewhere here. About ten feet to the left on the rock face I
located the continuation. There was an
area on Google Maps marked “Queen’s Bath,” but I have no idea if the bare rock
was that.
Anyways, the trail opened up and I started back with a good pace. I heard something at my feet to the
left. It was a very light sound of
something moving leaves, and something which would’ve been easily missed if you
weren’t paying attention to your surroundings.
I took a quick look, and saw that I had a visitor near me. Most things in nature will leave you alone
and tend to move away from you as long as you don’t screw with them. Since I stepped back a little as not to be in
its way, it was safe to get a picture.
Yes, because there were yellow bands between the black and red
sections, which identified it as the poisonous coral snake. A bite from them would require immediate
medical attention before the venom stops your breathing. The good side is the fangs of a coral snake
are small, and can’t always get through clothing (this where I’d be screwed
because I was wearing shorts), but they’re not aggressive by nature. He was content to go on his way, and I was
content to let him. I saw a couple on
the trail a few moments later, and made them aware of this.
I got to the access point, turned around, and came back. I didn’t see any signs of the snake on the
way back, but I was more alert for others.
As I headed downstream I did take some pictures of small waterfalls
(which I couldn’t on the way up, because there were people there). Once I got home and checked the map, it
appeared there may be a cave in the area, which I think I could’ve reached from
the King Log House access road. Chances
are it’s just an area marked and blocked off so stupid humans like me can’t go
inside.
(As an aside, near here I noticed some trails in the vicinity of
Cypress Creek. While there was a
“Cypress Creek Park” which was a lakefront area, it wasn’t the hiking place I
saw on the map. I went up and down both
2769 and Buck Hollow Road a couple times looking for an access point, but was
never able to locate it.)
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