Neusiok Trail Quick Over night

[gunner76]

Depending on the weather I will be be out hiking parts of the Neusiok this Sunday/Monday. Will let you know what I find.

The Forest Service supposedly hired a group to do trail maintenance. There was a fire this past spring in the Pine Cliffs section that cleared out alot of underbrush but left the trail and shelter alone.

The section I call "The Pines" (10 mile section south of Hwy 101 to Mills Creek) is the worst for mud and probably the section you are referring to.

Check out my site at www.neusioktrail.org and forum where I post about the trail. New posters to the forum are welcome.

[Bradley]

That is one wide river . . .

We have lakes here that you can prit-in-ear throw a stone across to the other side . . .

Well almost

In the one photo, you look sad . . . is it because you could only do a 1 night hang . . .

[gunner76]

That's my youngest son, Jeff. I think I woke him up too early.

[MacEntyre]

That is one wide river . . .

Just around the next bend, it opens up a bit, to about three miles wide!

[TinaLouise]

Glad to see other's out doing the Neusiok trail. I just had my scout troop out there Aug 28th 29th, on the south end. These were some of the "new" scouts (11 year olds) and they're working on their hiking merit badge. We hiked north to the first shelter. The water pump there is in sad shape. We flat out couldn't get water out of it. Had to hike back to a ditch with running water in it to get water. Course that lead to some learning for the scouts... how to get water!, how valuable water is!, how to treat water!. One kid actually wanted to know why there was no faucet to get the water from!! Also had to hang all the food, again, more lessons. And ticks!! the shelter was INFESTED with seed ticks. We saw signs of bear and bobcat paw prints. Lots of birds and odds animal sounds at night. Great trip but came home with chigger bites!!! Plenty of places to hang from, but had to watch my footing. Lot of holes in the ground around that first shelter.
I've hiked this trail in March and I can say that Aug is not a really good month, to hot, and the skeeters then the knats ate us up. March was nicer but wetter.
Trail was pretty good this time. Only had puddles to get around and never got my feet wet. In March I sank in the muck and mud a few times.
Scouts enjoyed the March trip better even if it was wetter. I think they just liked laughing at me as I'd pull my feet out of that gunk.
Gunner76, make sure you watch your water this weekend and don't depend on the pumps at the shelters working.

TinaLouise

[gunner76]

Hey TinaLousie, My son and I were at the northern end of the trail that Sat

From your description you camped at BlackJack Lodge which is the 3rd and southern most shelter on the trail. The pump was working last spring when I hiked thru there. The section of trail north of that shelter is the muddiest of the whole trail. I have been up to my knees in mud/water when hiking that section.

Good leson for the scouts on water. I always carry water with me so if the pumps fail I have a backup. Did you try priming the pump ? There is usally 2-3 gallon jugs of water at each shelter for just than purpose and even with priming I have found you may have to pump for a minute or two to get the water flowing. I will try and check it out this week end and if there is a problem I will pass the info along (I know the guy who maintains the pumps and I believe he has had to work on a couple of them this year already).

I do not like to hike the trail during the summer due to the skeets, deer flies and ticks. Even with bug spray the number of ticks is overwhelming.

I have a web site and forum devoted to the Neusiok Trail (link below) and would appreciate it if you could post you trip report on the forum or I can cut and paste it (with your permission).

Let me know the next time you are up this way to hike the Neusiok and the wife and I will try to join you.

[TinaLouise]

Hey TinaLousie, My son and I were at the northern end of the trail that Sat

From your description you camped at BlackJack Lodge which is the 3rd and southern most shelter on the trail. The pump was working last spring when I hiked thru there. The section of trail noth of that shelter is the muddiest of the whole trail. I have been up to my knees in mud/water when hiking that section.

Good leson for the scouts on water. I always carry water with me so if the pumps fail I have a backup. Did you try priming the pump ? There is usally 2-3 gallon jugs of water at each shelter for just than purpose and even with priming I have found you may have to pump for a minute or two to get the water flowing. I will try and check it out this week end and if there is a problem I will pass the info along (I know the guy who maintains the pumps and I believe he has had to work on a couple of them this year already).

I do not like to hike the trail during the summer due to the skeets, deer flies and ticks. Even with bug spray the number of ticks is overwhelming.

I have a web site and forum devoted to the Neusiok Trail (link below) and would appreciate it if you could post you trip report on the forum or I can cut and paste it (with your permission).

Let me know the next time you are up this way to hike the Neusiok and the wife and I will try to join you.

You can cut/paste my trip report!! I'll most diffinately let you know the next time I'm coming up to the Neusiok trail, would really enjoy meeting you & wife. I'm trying to get my husband to join me in hammocks too so maybe he'll go on something like this.

You're right on which shelter we stayed at. I had the scouts set up their tents then we "hiked" north for them to earn one of their "10 milers" for the hiking merit badge. I've backpacked that middle section before and it was WET !!!

The pump at this shelter is not in working condition. The top of the pump head is not conneted to the body of the pump. We tried holding the pieces together while another scout poured water into the top and another pumped the handle. We could get the water to just about pumped to where it would flow out but then would lose suction. It turned into some really good learning lessons for the scouts and I think that anytime learning is taking place, it's a good thing.

TinaLouise

[TinaLouise]

Hey TinaLousie, My son and I were at the northern end of the trail that Sat


I have a web site and forum devoted to the Neusiok Trail (link below) .

I just checked out your web site, sure wish I'd seen that before our trip, I might still pull up those pictures and show them to the scouts so they can see what other sections of the trail look like.

When you camped at the North end, did you have any worries about parking your vehical at that end of the trail?? Last year when I was out there, we did a shuttle type run where we parked one vehical at the North end and one at the South end. We just wasn't real crazy about leaving the car at the North end though.

TinaLouise

[TinaLouise]

Oh, I also forgot to mention that that shelter had a lot of trash in it. We thought about making a fire and just burning it but canked that idea due to really dry conditions around the shelter. Instead I had all my scouts working on LNT and had them all pack it out. Again, learning was taking place!!!

[MacEntyre]

We just wasn't real crazy about leaving the car at the North end though.

If you are talking about the road into the Natl Forest that takes you almost all the way to the Neuse River, and dead ends at a typical Natl Forest dump, it might be less of a risk than it looks. I've met the folks that run dogs in the local Cahoogue Creek hunt club, and use that road regularly. They are good folks, but anyone can drive out there... it's a risk.

There is a parking lot just off 306, where the trail crosses the ferry road. That should be pretty safe. I've seen people pull over on 101 and park on the side of the road at the trail crossing.