Caney Bottom Trail (#361)
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Route of the Caney Bottom Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route of the Caney Bottom Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Caney Bottom Trailhead @ Cove Creek Group Camp -- 2,650'
The southern terminus of the Caney Bottom Trail (left) is located approximately 4/10-mile from Forest Service Road 475, at the Cove Creek Group Camp access road entrance. This spot is just before the access road reaches the first of the group campsites...
Caney Bottom Trailhead @ Cove Creek Group Camp -- 2,650'
The Caney Bottom Trail as it departs the access road...
The lower portion of the trail remains fairly flat as it circles around the adjacent group camping area...
It's a good idea to pay close attention to trail blazes on this stretch near the campground as numerous spur paths cut away from the main route...
The tempting smell of a campfire cooking often wafts through the woods along the lower Caney Bottom Trail...
The trail starts to gain a bit of elevation between the lower and upper camping areas...
Steadily climbing now, the trail begins to veer away from the campground up the valley of Cove Creek...
Caney Bottom/Cove Creek Trail Lower Junction -- 2,780'
Around a half-mile above the access road the Caney Bottom Trail veers down the hillside to the right, at its lower junction with the Cove Creek Trail (straight, left)...
Leaving the junction the trail now heads down to the adjacent valley floor...
As the trail makes a number of turns alongside the creek it is important, once again, to pay close attention to blazes to keep on the right track...
This narrow footbridge takes the trail across Cove Creek...
On the far side of the bridge is another sharp turn, to the right...
Paying close attention to the signs, the Caney Bottom Trail now veers left. Straight ahead is a spur path over to the upper group campsite...
Climbing slightly, the trail is now crossing over from the valley of Cove Creek to that of Caney Bottom Creek...
The trail as it rounds the end of the low ridge into the valley of Caney Bottom Creek...
The forest surrounding Caney Bottom Creek is incredibly beautiful...
The forest here is also incredibly lush in the warmer months...
The trail begins to gain a bit more elevation as the valley narrows...
The trail is now a good distance above the creek, which can be heard clearly but is rarely seen...
The trail as it continues its way up the valley...
Waterfall on Caney Bottom Branch -- 2,840'
Suddenly, through the trees ahead, appears a small unnamed waterfall on the creek below. It may seem tempting to scramble down to get a closer look but it's doubtful the view would be any more impressive from below due to the clutter at its base...
Waterfall on Caney Bottom Branch -- 2,840'
A short 30 second vid of the unnamed waterfall on Caney Bottom Creek, as seen from the Caney Bottom Trail...