Start of trip selfie, Paddy Creek Wilderness — I’ve not taken one of these in ages, so why not? The only issue right now is that it is just after two pm, my campsite is seven miles away, and it gets dark between five and six. I’d better get moving!
Trailhead
Hot Pink Mess at the Roby Lake Trailhead — I was confronted with this pile of what appears to be hot pink trail blaze tapes as I was signing in at the Roby Lake Trailhead of the Big Piney Trail at Paddy Creek Wilderness. My initial guess was that someone had been over-enthusiastically blazing the trail, and had some spare blazes left over. Whatever.
February 18, 2026 14:05
Trail sign, the western end of Narrow Gauge Trail #1432. With my short road hike and excursion up a brief bit of Section 14 of the Colorado Trail, I managed six and a half miles for my second hike. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025. 2
October 7, 2025 14:42
The western end of Narrow Gauge Trail #1432. The Denver, South Park, and Pacific Railroad Trail. Day 7 – Road Trip October 2025.
October 7, 2025 14:41
The trailhead parking lot was a bit crowded — it makes a change to find someone else at this trailhead. Irish Wilderness, April 2025. 5 6
April 10, 2025 13:39
New trailhead signage at Camp Five Pond — And a rant about apparent illiteracy/lack of care. 3
April 7, 2025 12:32
Gary at the Camp Five Pond Trailhead — It’s time for another visit to Irish Wilderness. This trip I’m going to abandon the main, Whites Creek Trail, and see if I can find some of the older trails, south of the Whites Creek Trail South Loop.
April 7, 2025 12:25
Another empty trailhead parking lot — This time there might be a good reason. There’s a winter storm due in nine hours. Six-minute read, +2
January 9, 2025 11:44
Camp Five Pond, Irish Wilderness. From the western side looking towards the trailhead and parking lot. Once more, ours is the only vehicle present.
December 15, 2024 14:20
Camp Five Pond, Irish Wilderness. December 2024. What a wonderful afternoon to be hiking in the woods! This is the view from the trail across the Camp Five Pond earthen dam. +1
December 12, 2024 14:36
Camp Five Pond, Irish Wilderness. December 2024. +1
December 12, 2024 14:34
Gary at the Camp Five Pond Trailhead, Irish Wilderness — It’s late in the day (14:30), and I’m carrying 4 liters of water. I want to get around four miles in and camp set up before it gets dark, in about three hours.
December 12, 2024 14:32
End of hike selfie — I Hiked over twenty-two miles in two-and-a-half days. I’m happy with that. Three-minute read, +1
March 29, 2024 15:23
Checked in and ready to go — I got away without any major delays, and here I am at eleven-thirty all ready to hit the trail.
March 27, 2024 11:25
Ready to get on the trail — I’m planning on spending four days hiking the Whites Creek Trail. This time I’m starting with the South Loop (I don’t know why they call it a loop it is not. But hey!).
January 30, 2024 13:10
At the Camp Five Pond Trailhead — It’s good to be back. It might be a challenging trip, it’s very early in the season so the trail is going to be difficult to follow. I’m hiking the trail backwards — clockwise, leaving the eight-mile, possibly water-less, section for the last two days.
January 30, 2024 13:02
Roby Lake Trailhead — The Big Piney Trail, December 2023. And my plans for a four-day, three-night trip. Three-minute read, +1
December 4, 2023 11:27
New Parking Lot for the Big Piney Trail at Roby Lake. Big surprise, our car is the only one parked here. +1
May 21, 2023 16:10
Hike over, back at the new registration point. There’s a new parking lot, and they’ve moved the trailhead so it is on the parking lot. 18 miles hiked and 1500 ft of elevation climbed.
May 21, 2023 16:09
Another evening, another trailhead — I am at County Road CC Trailhead in Ozark County to be precise. I have a couple of hours before it gets dark to get to my planned campsite and set up camp for the night. That shouldn’t be a problem as I’m only going a mile or so.
March 17, 2023 17:46
End of trip selfie – and a summary of the trip. Three-minute read, +4
December 4, 2022 15:31
State Highway CC Wrangler Trailhead, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri. +2
December 4, 2022 15:27
McGarr Ridge Trailhead, Devil’s Backbone Wilderness, Mark Twain National Forest, Missouri – Approaching the McGarr Ridge Trailhead. Almost at the end of my hike. +2
December 4, 2022 15:17
It’s always good to see the car where I left it.