Caves on Whites Creek
When the creek is low and the caves are not closed state-wide due to white-nose syndrome, you can explore them. Unless I fancied swimming I wasn’t going to get a closer look on this trip.
Getting here isn’t easy…
It’s not particularly hard work, but the trail is very difficult to follow or non-existent. So be prepared for a load of bushwhacking, and some woodland navigation.
Going counter-clockwise from Bliss Spring the first part of the trail is quite rugged and runs along a ridge-end or bluff with a (very) steep drop-off down to the Eleven Point River. You will not want to take a fall here. Once past the bluffs, the trail heads east, crosses the top of a large hollow and the heads back west towards the Eleven Point River. I had a lot of trouble finding and keeping on the trail in this section. The descent down to Whites Creek is steep, but there are plenty of switchbacks to keep it manageable.
Once down to Whites Creek, you cross the creek and then the trail follows the alongside Whites Creek, and the caves pictured above, towards the junction and spur trail to Whites Creek Float Camp.
Copyright © 2021 Gary Allman, all rights reserved.