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  1. #1
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Default Black Creek Trail near Hattiesburg, MS

    Looking for some trail info for the Black Creek Trail in MS. A couple of searches didn't tell me enough.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  2. #2
    Registered User x2pray's Avatar
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    I can't really tell you anything about Black Creek Trail. I am from Hattiesburg and have yet to hike it. I have heard that it is a very easy hike. I have completed the loop of the Tuxachanie Trail just south of Hattiesburg though. If you want any information on it, I'd be glad to help you out. I thoroughly enjoyed the hike on the Tuxachanie and would recommend it to any hiker that has at least some experience since the trail isn't always the easiest thing to follow if you don't have a map.

    For the Black Creek trail check out the following URL. It may help. The journal entries should be pretty valuable.

    http://www.theplacewithnoname.com/hi..._desoto_ms.htm
    Brian Thompson
    x2pray:sun
    Isaiah 55:12 - For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

  3. #3
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    The Tuxachanie Trail would be fine too as long as I can get their fairly easily from Hattiesburg. I should be able to get off around early afternoon tomorrow and I would like to go somewhere I can go out a few miles and stay the night, then come back in early morning Sunday. I just need a little trail time to get away from it all.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  4. #4
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    I dayhiked part of that a couple years ago. As you can imagine, it's flat and not very impressive. However it is in the woods, which beats the pants off a Wal-Mart parking lot.

    If you have an extra hour or so to drive, you could go to Homochitto NF between McComb and Natchez. The area is very unlike south Miss, with rolling hills, bluffs and creeks that seem more out of Arkansas than down here. And HUGE pines that remind me of the big trees on the West Coast. Very nice, actually. Just be careful as the Clear Creek trail (the official hiking trail) is criss-crossed 50 times with game trails which some yo-yos have blazed with the same kind of blazes, so it's easy to get turned around if you don't keep it simple.

  5. #5
    Registered User TakeABreak's Avatar
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    Rock,

    I did a quick search on www.google.com for black creek trail, ms

    I suggest trying this, the fourth item that came up was link to backpacker magazine with links to MS, info about the BCT.

  6. #6
    Registered User x2pray's Avatar
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    The Tuxachanie is very close to Hattiesburg. It is just about 35 minutes or so south of Camp Shelby in Saucier, Mississippi on Hwy 49. If coming from Hattiesburg, you will find the trail head on your left. It's in the DeSoto Nat'l Forest. A quick hike would be to hike the first five miles to Airey lake where there is water and restroom facilities and then hike back. I last hiked it in December 04 and a bridge was out about 1 mile from the trail head but it was easy to cross the creek using a little downed tree to the right of the trail. Someone had also strung a rope across the creek near the tree so you have something to hold onto. If you want to hike further, you can continue on another 5 or 6 miles past Airey Lake to P.O.W. Lake. Here you will find an old ammunitions battery used by the U.S. Army. They used to also house German and Japanese POW's here during WWII. Not much left except a few foundations and ordinance bunkers. Still a nice bit of military and American history.
    Brian Thompson
    x2pray:sun
    Isaiah 55:12 - For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.

  7. #7
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Well, if I can get off from work today at a reasonable time, I'll go down to Wiggins and try to get a map. I have seen that trailhead on 49 when I drove back from Gulfport once, I didn't know what sort of trail it was, I wished I would have stopped.

    I figure I'll just go out a mile or two and camp, then come back in the morning. I have to work tommorrow too.
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  8. #8

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    Are you currently at Camp SHelby?

  9. #9
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    I work thre,right now I'm sitting in a hotel packing my Gearskin
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  10. #10

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    I'm in Jackson.

    I've kayaked the Black. Interesting area. Very very flat, but parts are old growth areas.

    Have fun, good afternoon to go!

  11. #11

    Default Black Warrior

    Sgt Rock, if you can reach Shane Steinkamp, I believe he has hiked this area extensively, he could probably help you.
    Cedar Tree

  12. #12
    Registered User camich's Avatar
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    Default Black Creek

    My family and I hiked Black Creek trail 2 years ago. There are a few small hills at the southern end but it is very very flat for the most part. We still enjoyed it. There are several nice camping areas.
    Camich

  13. #13
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    Sarge,

    Johnny Molloy's book, Long Trails of the Southeast, includes the Black Creek Trail in Mississippi. (Molloy's book is written for thru-hiking trails and includes the Bartram Trail, the Benton McKaye Trail, the Black Creek Trail, parts of the Florida Trail, the Foothills Trail, the Pinhoti Trail and the Wild Azalea Trail.) The Black Creek Trail sounds pretty good and is 41 miles long.

    He has too much info for me to try to put it here, but he does mention Black Creek Canoe Rental in Brooklyn: "Another upside is a local shuttle service for one-way hikers. Black Creek Canoe Rental not only rents canoes and offers shuttle services for Black Creek paddlers, they also serve hikers and backpackers who want to hike a portion of the trail or tackle it from end to end. I have used their service and highly recommend them." he also goes on to mention: "The only real downside for hikers is Camp Shelby, a nearby military installation that occasionally explodes bombs, breaking the area's solitude."

    My guess is that Black Creek Canoe Rental in Brooklyn ( http://www.blackcreekcanoe.com/ ) could fix you up with maps and such?

    Youngblood

  14. #14
    First Sergeant SGT Rock's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Youngblood
    Sarge,

    Johnny Molloy's book, Long Trails of the Southeast, includes the Black Creek Trail in Mississippi. (Molloy's book is written for thru-hiking trails and includes the Bartram Trail, the Benton McKaye Trail, the Black Creek Trail, parts of the Florida Trail, the Foothills Trail, the Pinhoti Trail and the Wild Azalea Trail.) The Black Creek Trail sounds pretty good and is 41 miles long.

    He has too much info for me to try to put it here, but he does mention Black Creek Canoe Rental in Brooklyn: "Another upside is a local shuttle service for one-way hikers. Black Creek Canoe Rental not only rents canoes and offers shuttle services for Black Creek paddlers, they also serve hikers and backpackers who want to hike a portion of the trail or tackle it from end to end. I have used their service and highly recommend them." he also goes on to mention: "The only real downside for hikers is Camp Shelby, a nearby military installation that occasionally explodes bombs, breaking the area's solitude."

    My guess is that Black Creek Canoe Rental in Brooklyn ( http://www.blackcreekcanoe.com/ ) could fix you up with maps and such?

    Youngblood
    I don't know if I'll get any more time to check it out on this trip. I will look into that though. Another thing is Wiggins, MS is supposed to be where the regional HQ is for that sector and where you are supposed to be able to get maps, it is about 30 minutes south of here,and that may also be a trip worth making.

    Exploding bombs can make me feel at home under the right conditions
    SGT Rock
    http://hikinghq.net

    My 2008 Trail Journal of the BMT/AT

    BMT Thru-Hikers' Guide
    -----------------------------------------

    NO SNIVELING

  15. #15

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    Is there any updated info on the state of the Black Creek trail post-Katrina? The Park service tells me it's closed except for an 8mile stretch but I'm skeptical of its real condition. I'd love any info. Thanks!

  16. #16

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    I tried to hike it after K. NO WAY at that time. I drove around till I found a section that looked doable, WRONG. I spent the day literally more off the ground than on it. Imagine trees down and trees laying over the trunks and then add another tree coming down at another angle. I camped based on finding cleared ground where a tent could be errected, nothing else. I camped on sand beside the river and there was precious little room there. I'd definately not plan to find the trail, much less hike it, unless I was assured the section had been cleared since K.

  17. #17
    Registered User SMSP's Avatar
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    I live in Harrison County and I have not hiked the Black Creek Trail yet, but have been gathering information on it. I have hiked and overnighted on the Tuxachanie. The ranger office in Wiggins is on the Southwest corner of Hwy. 49 and Hwy. 26 interchange. They have a basic 8.5 X 11 paper maps for free with the trails updated for Black Creek and Tuxachanie.

    Tuxachanie Info.: They also have fold out maps for the Tux, but the Tux is so easy to follow, the fold out map isnt necessary. The Tux fold out map will not be updated since Katrina. The changes to the Tux include a short re-route at the begining. Again, the Tux is very easy to follow. The sheet map is sufficient. I took the free sheet map and had it laminated. Also, the Tux used to have two portions between Airey Lake and the POW Camp. The longer portion will not be repaired according to the ranger office.

    Black Creek Trail Info.: According to the Ranger office, the entire trail is open with the exception of the Wilderness area. Because the Wilderness area is a protected area, it has to repaired by hand, no machines. The ranger office indicated that there is a contractor working on the Wilderness area. The free sheet map has the updated reroutes for the trail that is open. During the repair after Katrina, the trail was relocated closer to Black Creek. The current fold-out map is available, but is all old info. Once the Wilderness area is done, then a new fold-out map will be made with current infomation. They related a new fold-out map could not be done until the trail within the Wilderness is complete b/c there will be some re-routing done there as well. So, what you end of with is a short section South of the Wilderness area, and then the rest North of the Wilderness area.

    DeSoto Ranger Station in Wiggins #: 601-928-4422.
    They will mail the maps, not sure of the fee. I got mine when passing thru awhile back.

    SMSP

  18. #18
    Registered User bpitt's Avatar
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    I've hiked it. Yes, they'll tell you the wilderness section is still closed, but we hiked it anyway. It's been cleared since Katrina, FINALLY, but they haven't gotten all the white diamonds up, but you can tell where the trail goes. They've been working on this trail for a while now. It's not a difficult trail. The Tux futher south is nice as well, but no hills. The Black Creek trail has a few hills mainly towards the end, as previously mentioned. I myself live about 10 miles from the trailhead and plan on doing some hiking there this winter.
    "You hiked up a mountain? Why would anyone want to do that?"--question posed to me by friend

  19. #19
    Registered User SMSP's Avatar
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    I think you may be th fella I bought the Kelty external from???

    I recently bought an REI Flash 65 and am looking at putting it to use soon.

    Either way, I want to start doing some stuff on the Black Creek Trail in the next month or so. Did you all encounter any workers on the Wilderness area? How far did you all go? Day hike? Overnight?

    Since the Wildereness section is doable, then the entire trail can be done, that sounds promising. I am guessing the mileage thru the Wilderness are is about 5-6 miles. Did you all GPS it by chance or by some other method?

    Thanks for the update - SMSP

  20. #20
    Registered User bpitt's Avatar
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    It wasn't me who sold you a pack.

    I hike with another guy and sometimes my oldest daughter. We've been calling the Forest service since after Katrina about getting the trail open/cleared.

    The last time I talked to them, the lady on the phone told me that the wilderness section was not 'open', though, it had been 'cleared'. They still had to put up some of those white diamond trail markers and had a bridge or two to fix. However, she let it slip that if I hiked in noone would probably say anything, as it is public land, etc.

    I haven't used a GPS on it, as it's fairly easy to tell where the trail is. I do have one of the older maps, but look forward to one of the new ones when they come out. I haven't overnighted on the trail yet, we've just done 'sections'. I do think, however, that one could do the whole trail in a two/three days.

    I too, plan on hiking on it soon, as the weather has finally gotten better. I have to work this coming Saturday, or I'd hit it then. I'll let you know when we go, etc. Maybe you could meet us and we'll all go.

    I see you've hiked in the Smokies. My hiking buddy and I just did the entire Smokies section at the end of September, was awesome. I've done most of the Georgia section, and he's done all of Georgia and most of N.C. now.
    "You hiked up a mountain? Why would anyone want to do that?"--question posed to me by friend

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