Lower Sidehill Trail (#137A)
Read More
Route map of the Lower Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Lower Sidehill Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479F
The northern terminus of the Lower Sidehill Trail, seen as it departs F.R. 479F. In the distance, past the gate, is F.R. 479 which is the closest trailhead...
Lower Sidehill Trail @ F.R. 479F
The Lower Sidehill Trail, departing from its northern terminus at F.R. 479F...
Starting things off along a fairly level grade...
A minute or so in the trail curves through this beautiful fern-covered gully...
As a sucker for ferns...I find this to be a fantastic way to start a trail...
Immediately after the fern grove the trail begins its first serious, but brief, climb...
At the top of the hill the trail breaks out into this grassy wildlife clearing...
There are even a few interpretive signs to enjoy along this part of the trail...
Climbing a bit higher...
...and flattening out again...
The trail now breaks out into a second large wildlife clearing...
The forest surroundings become more pine-dominated as the trail approaches Forest Service Road 479G, from the north...
Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Lower Junction
At the 2/3-mile mark the trail meets Forest Road 479G. Here the Lower Sidehill makes a dogleg right (north) for a few dozen yards before returning to the woods on the left (see the following picture)...
Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Upper Junction
Here, a few dozen yards above the lower junction, the Lower Sidehill Trail once again leaves F.R. 479G to continue south...
Lower Sidehill Trail/Forest Road 479G Upper Junction
The Lower Sidehill Trail as it enters the woods from its upper junction with Forest Service Road 479G...
Tall pines continued to surround the trail...
Perhaps 200 yards from F.R. 479G, the trail makes this crossing of the unnamed southern tributary of Yellow Branch (which I'm going to refer to as Yellow Gap Branch as that's where it flows from). Due to recent rains the flow you see here is a bit higher than average...
Lower Sidehill/Sidehill Connector Trail Junction
Just past the stream crossing the trail soon arrives at its junction with the Lower Sidehill Connector (left) which provides a shortcut back over to nearby F.R.479. The Lower Sidehill Trail makes a right to head up the valley...
The trail now begins an extended period of moderate climbing as it turns to head up the valley, alongside the stream crossed a few pictures back...
Up through the lush Bent Creek forest...
A short side path offers this up close look at a pretty series of cascades on Yellow Gap Branch...
Looking up through the rhododendron from the same spot as the previous shot...
