Hawksbill Crag Trailhead

Just a heads-up for some folks who may have been tempted to use the "short cut" parking area and trail to reach the Crag in the past. Everything from Cave Mountain Road on east along county road 406 is private property on both sides of the road, and there is no public parking nor access to the wilderness area at any point along this road (there are in fact 14 different private property owners). Actually the wilderness boundary does corner on the road at one point, but it has been determined that there is no legal way to access this unless you jumped from your car into the woods! (It might be OK to have someone drop you off at this point, which is located about 1/2 mile in from Cave Mtn. Road, then you could step out onto the tiny property corner, although it is really better to just park at the legal trailhead and hike in from there.)

The "short cut" parking area at the Faddis Cabin has always been private property, and there has been not one, but two "no trespassing" signs there for a while. Folks seem to disregard these signs for some reason - they actually mean that you cannot enter nor park there (the county road stops, but where the road stops just before these signs it is private property on both sides of the road and no access either). A previous property owner has allowed parking and access in the past, but he sold the property several years ago. The new owner does not like folks trespassing on his property. This was all made worse by a couple of drunks from Rogers who trashed his property out last month, broke into his cabin, then failed to pay for all of their damage (the jerk left his ailing grandmother, who is on social security, to pay his bill - quite an upstanding guy!). The kid is facing jail time if they ever catch up with him.

The proper place to park is at the official trailhead on Cave Mountain Road (hint - this parking area does NOT have a no trespassing sign on it!). It is only a 1.5 mile hike out to the Crag, and it is quite a nice hike at that - lots of great photo ops along the way. Please respect private property rights no matter where you are, and do keep in mind that photographers have no special access rights- we are just like everyone else.

Thanks for the heads up, Tim. I've only been out to Hawksbill once, and it was back when it was OK to use the shortcut (around 2003 or 2004). I certainly would have heeded the "No Trespassing" signs if I had been back.

I think it's a good reminder too that we don't get an exemption. I think sometimes there is a mentality that since a photographer is just there to get photos, that no harm comes from him ignoring the signs. That of couse misses the point. Given the quality of people I've met from this forum, I doubt that this is a problem with this group, but it's a good reminder nonetheless.

In a sort of related matter, was the dispute over access to Pearly Springs ever settled?

The Pearly Springs deal was between the land owner and the park service and I doubt anything more has ever become of it. The guy says he did not give an easement to the park service for the bottom of the falls - that's what the deal was about - although the park service told me otherwise. The Buffalo River Trail corridor goes across the top of the falls. At one time the county road through this property had been closed off but I hear it is back open again - so perhaps something has become of it, who knows. I've learned not to trust what the park service tells me to I'm keeping the waterfall out of any guidebooks...

The Boxley access issue is a giant mess right now overall. Some of the property is private but the public is allowed access; some of the property is public but leased to private folks - but the public is allowed access. Their new signs don't actually say to keep out, only to "respect the rights of the property owner" - that would be obvious no matter where you were, but I think the public still has access to these lands. Only one parcel of land that I know of has actually been posted with no trespassing signs, while some of the other lands only have the park service signs that don't really mean anything. There were those god-awlful giant white signs around the mill pond that someone put up last year - it was not the park service, even though it stated they were. Those were removed, thank goodness. The best way to do things is to always ask before doing anything, although sometimes it is tough to get a straight answer!

Wasn't me.

Thanks for the heads up. The actual trail was fairly messed up the last time I was there due to ice damage. Could have seemed worse than it was because I hiked it in the dark.

Any update on the condition of the trail?

As far as I know the main trail is fine. I don't think there was ever much damage to it - at least the early reports I got last spring did not indicate anything, and there have been thousands of folks using it this year. There was some clearing work done to it this fall as well, so it would be in even better shape.

Hey Ed, I know a guy who tried to ride his four-wheel-drive wheelchair all the way down to the Crag one day. I don't think he made it. He also tried to drive all the way up to Eden Falls - someone should have given him a ticket...

Boy do I know how that guy feels.

Fortunately I'll be walking in a few weeks and should be up to strength by waterfall season.