Sideling Hill hikes |

Sideling Hill hikes Jun 26, 2015 21:38:53 GMT -5

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Post by AegisIII on Jun 26, 2015 21:38:53 GMT -5

Part 1

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I had wanted to go back to Sideling Hill WMA for a while, to explore more of the area around Sideling Hill Creek, with its great rock cliffs over the water. Since that'd by itself be a bit short of a hike, I'd add in a loop to the top of the road cut, which is always about 4 miles.

I've done the road cut loop a few times now. I started by taking some of the switchbacked woods road up the mountain. Since the last time I was there, one old structure has since collapsed, and a second is tilting precariously. Some deep leaves and some fallen branches, but otherwise steady going. Atop the ridge, the trail gets a bit more grassy, generally short but with assorted plants getting to around six inches high. A view toward the Bellegrove interchange I've not seen before, somehow. Poison ivy in some spots just coming out, not bad yet.

Made it to the overlook at the end of the ridge as a line of clouds was passing by. Took in the views to the north including the cut, to the west towards Town Hill, and to the east towards Hancock and the Potomac. By going down about 15 vertical feet more than I had before, I could get a view of the rest area and old exhibit center. Don't think anyone there noticed me looking down at them.

For the way back, I took the outermost trail, a wide woods road but with a few blowdowns along the way. I took a spur to check out a parking area along a dead end road. The shoulder parking on old Rt 40 is better. Headed back to the main root and crossed a clearing. Past there, I left the outer trail and climbed partly up the mountain to explore a different woods road. Not really in good shape, plenty of blowdowns and brush. But more than followable. At the end of this level I found yet another old vehicle shell, at least the fourth I've seen in the area. Just past, I made it back to the old roadbed, and headed back to the road.

Sideling Hill hikes Jun 26, 2015 21:40:27 GMT -5

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Post by AegisIII on Jun 26, 2015 21:40:27 GMT -5

Part 2

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After the first hike, I headed back up Sideling Hill on old Rt 40, and turned onto gravel Riser Rd, taking the narrow gravel road a long way back down the mountain to a small parking area. After having a bug-free lunch in the car, I started out on the clear woods road. Heavy poison ivy at the trailhead, but it immediately cleared out afterwards. I then follow a fairly level woods road with some big blowdowns and a couple of wet areas. It drops to cross a steep ravine. A blowdown jungle right at the crossing has to be detoured around; no way through. I climb back up a short distance, and start descending. I expect to reach the next ravine, but do not. Instead, the trail follows a faint ridge down to a bend in Sideling Hill Creek, with the woods road continuing across an obvious ford.

I first explore the immediate area, and the creek has steep rock bluffs of tilted and bending layers rising straight from the water. A rhododendron lined little side stream from a ravine. Some light cascades along the creek.

After taking in the area, I ford Sideling Hill Creek, slightly over knee deep. Easy going until the sand and mud bank to climb up on the other side. After cleaning my legs, I continue on the other side, past a couple of illicit campsites in the floodplain. A bit more grown on the Allegheny County side, no good way to continue upstream. So I soon climb away from the creek on an obvious jeep path, leveling out along the hills up top. At a trail junction, I turn sharp south on a maintenance road, crossing a small stream before reaching a small clearing. The trail here unexpectedly stopped; I expected it to head back down to the creek. I explore the woods on the other side of the clearing, and find a faint trace and nothing else. Deciding this must be the trail, I follow the faint woods road lightly downhill, generally to one side or the other. I reach a small level area where the trail seems to end once more. Instead, it continues down a wet streambed, a long curve heading downhill. I stay above, until it reaches the Sideling Hill Creek floodplain.

The trail becomes distinct again, and seems to split into two forks. I go left, as the trail, while followable, becomes highly overgrown. I hack out to the creek to find a good view of the bluffs on the Washington County side, with a small shelter cave near some minor rapids. I soon have to hack back to the trail, and once again to the creek near the foot of a bluff on the west side. Looking across, the view is familiar; I had explored the other side here a year or so ago.

So, after a second knee-plus deep ford, and am on familiar land, so do only a small bit of exploring. I then find the trail heading uphill, first indistinct. As the trail leaves the creek floodplain and enters a ravine which is an old oxbow, the trail becomes fully distinct. There are still blowdowns, if fact the same one I saw a year or so ago. At the top I merge with the woods road I started on, soon making it back to the trailhead. An area I still want to explore more of.