Sunday, April 06, 2008

Pounds Hollow Rec. Area and Rim Rock Trail

Located on Karbers Ridge Road, off Hwy 1 is the Pounds Hollow Recreational Area and Rim Rock Trail and Picnic Area.



We specifically chose to camp at the Pine Ridge Campground in Pounds Hollow because it was next door to the Rim Rock Trail we hiked two weeks ago. This park must have left a good impression on us because we were back and we wanted to hike the same trail again. And we were right on time, according to the website the Pine Ridge Campground is only open April 1st through December 15th.



Sunrise at the Pine Ridge Campground in Pounds Hollow Rec. Area

If we had left the house on time yesterday morning we could have done the hike yesterday afternoon, but I’m kind of glad that it didn’t work out that way. In order to get the hike in this morning before doing the rest of the ride today and still to make it home at a reasonable hour tonight, my travel alarm went off inside the tent at sunrise, which was 6AM. I stumbled outside about 6:20AM. It was chilly about 40 degrees, but as soon as I got moving it wasn’t too bad. By the time I walked to and from the vault toilets and got my coffee drink started on and woke up Mike, it was 7AM. We locked some stuff up on our bikes and headed for the trail, having to walk across the entire campground to do so. It was a beautiful and sunny morning and it was supposed to warm up to 65 degrees today. There is absolutely nothing better on a cold morning then doing a nice hike to warm up.




BBQ's and picnic tables on the lake at Pounds Hollow



The glass like Pounds Hollow Lake



The beach at Pounds Hollow



Hiking along Pounds Hollow Lake on the Beaver Trail



Beaver Trail connects Pounds Hollow with Rim Rock and is 1/2 mile long. The .8 mile long Rim Rock Trail travels past old Indian Wall, Pounds Hollow Lake, Ox-Lot Cave - a large rock shelter, and Fat Man’s Misery - a narrow passageway through massive boulders.



Climbing the stairs to Fat Man’s Misery



Tight squeeze through the Fat Man’s Misery



The lighting was absolutely perfect this early in the morning. The lake was so still this morning that the reflection in the lake’s surface was a mirror image. When we were here two weeks ago in the afternoon, on a cloudy day at that, the lake didn’t look as spectacular as it did this morning. I’m so glad we got to do this hike early in the morning instead of in the afternoon. We hiked all the way to Fat Man’s Misery and climbed the stairs to the Rim Rock trail.



Ripples on the water



Approaching Ox-Lot Cave



Hiking back to the camp and Pounds Hollow Lake

As much as we wanted to hike some more, it was time to turn back around and head back to the campsite. When we arrived back at the Pounds Hollow Lake, the wind was gently blowing across the water, the reflection no longer as spectacular and also the sun has moved further up in the sky and wasn’t directly illuminating the trees and water.

Below are pictures from our hike two weeks ago.



Rim Rock Trail



Views from Rim Rock Trail






Stairs go from the Rim Rock Trail in to Fat Man’s Misery below











2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank you for the informative writing and photos. I look forward to taking some of this in on my travels from the North to the superbike races at Elkhart Lake then on to the STN meet in Eureka Springs in June. Gary

Anonymous said...

Greetings,

planning a 'week end rode' for a group and 'low and behold' found your ride post!

thanks!

Rubber side down, shinny side up
JJ