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@@jilletta1 Thanks jilletta. I know where several of those marker trees are in Big South Fork and Pickett State Park. It just never entered my mind about this one. I appreciate you pointing that out. It makes total sense now that I think about it. That ridge is the only one close where you can actually get down to Laurel Fork. All the others end with big cliffs on the end. Take care my friend.

@@karlo8093 It was a very good day Karl. But I’m not going back until cold weather comes. Yes, the little copperheads are out. I’m surprised I didn’t see more than one. I have some more places out there to check out on my search for the homesite. I eliminated a ridge today so that narrows the search area. Thanks Karl. Take care my friend.

Yeah, off trail this time of the year isn’t the best idea in the world. But then sometimes I do dumb stuff… lol … It really was a good day though. I’ll be going back to try to locate the homesite this winter. Winter is when I do the vast majority of my off trail exploring anyway. I study maps a lot and have a pretty full winter coming up. I have found some places with great possibilities of undocumented waterfalls! I can’t wait! Thank you Cocohikes. I sure appreciate it. If you’re ever in the area and need anything just let me know. I’m always happy to help folks out. Take care and be safe!

@@papawinthewoods thank you! I’m excited for fall and winter, it’s the best time to hike and explore in my opinion!

@@Cocohikes You’re right about that. I almost always have a lot of hikes planned out by the time cooler weather arrives. This year is no different. I’m extremely excited for the possibilities!

Hey Angie! I’m still alive kicking! I have to get back up there in the winter. As of this hike, Divide Road/Peters Mountain Road is still shut down in Tennessee from Fork Ridge to Three Forks. That’s why I had to drive through Pickett to Parker’s Mountain, down to Bell Farm, then up to Peter’s Mountain. The NPS won’t allow the crews to clear the debris from the late May storm when the temperatures and humidity is high. Hopefully it’ll be cleared by the time the fall colors arrive. It’s always beautiful then. That copperhead was just doing its thing. It never moved at all. I was within a step and a half from it. It just wanted its camouflage to do the job and let me move on, which I did. It lives there, I’m just passing through… There’s a big, resident male bear up there. He’s all over the place out that ridge. The worst part of the day was the hundreds of seed ticks I picked up in that field. They were awful. Another reason to hike off trail in the winter! Thank you so much Angie. I’m looking forward to October. It’ll be a great time. Please take care, stay healthy and safe!

Sometimes we see darker shades of copperheads here in BSF. Maybe it’s getting close to shedding its skin. I’ve always wondered if there are different subspecies of copperheads here but I’m no biologist. It sure had the tell tale colored head! Thanks Fire Puncher. Take care!

The danger was real and everywhere I turned! Yet, I survived to hike another day.. 😂 No, really the worst part was those seed ticks! I had to put lotion on my ankles really thick, get them to start turning loose and scrape them off with a knife. I’m still itching! It was a good day anyway. Snakes, bears and bees are all part of the outdoors, always will be. Having said that, I do believe it’ll be cooler weather, like after a good frost or two, before I venture off trail again. Thanks Kerry. Take care my friend.

I do believe I’ll wait until late fall before hiking off a well defined trail again. I really don’t mind the snakes. It’s those tiny seed ticks that grab onto my pants by the hundreds that gets me. I knocked hundreds of them off with the pine switch and still had dozens on my ankles when I got home. I had to cover them with lotion and scrape them off with a sharp knife! I hate them! … 😂 Thank you once again Eventyrsoren. I really appreciate it. Take care, stay healthy and safe.

Thank you nationalparksprincess. It was an awesome day in the woods. The homesite is there, I just have to keep looking. It’s the homesite of William Riley Hatfield, a relative of the Hatfields from the Hatfield & McCoy feud in the late 1800s along the Kentucky/West Virginia State line. Their branch of the family had moved away long before the feud began though. I’m pretty big on the history of the area as well as finding off trail waterfalls, arches and other rock formations. If you ever make it to Big South Ford I’d be honored to show you some of the amazing features here. I think you’d enjoy it. Thank you so much. Take care!

Today was little more than a recon trip just to get out of the house for a day. I might have hiked a mile and a half. Of course I wanted to locate the homesite but I got that area pretty much out of the way and narrowed the possibilities down. That bear is spending a lot of time on that ridge and by the looks of his marker trees, he’s been there for several years. Copperheads are my favorite snake. That one never moved at all. I was about a step and a half from it. It just didn’t want to be seen. I honestly believe I could have walked right on past it and it wouldn’t have struck me. They just want to be left alone. I had an excellent day by getting out for a little while. Saw a lot. I’ll be back in the winter to continue my search for the homesite. Thank you my friend. We’ll meet up for a hike sometime. Take care Jim.

If you ever make it over this way I’ll show these waterfalls and some other off trail things that are rarely seen. I swear, if either of these were in the Smoky Mountains there would be trails to them and a half million people every year would hike to them. There are some other waterfalls as nice or nicer than these are here in BSF. You gotta work a little to get to them but you never see anyone else out there. No waiting for people to clear out so you have a minute to take a photo or two. I guess that’s one of the things that makes BSF so special! Thanks my friend. You take care, be safe and stay healthy.

Yes, yes, WOY needs to spend some time in Big South Fork! There are still some undocumented formations and waterfalls here. I’m trying my best to locate some of them. I’d be happy to help you get to see some of them. Please take care and be safe!

@@papawinthewoods thank you! We will keep that in mind if we get that way!!

No trails to either of them. BSF has several spectacular waterfalls like this. I believe I can locate another one this winter. Thanks, be careful and stay safe!

@@papawinthewoods looking forward to seeing!! Same to you!!

Yep, Northern Kentuckians for sure… “FLORENCE Y’ALL” like it says it says on the water tower by I-75. These are a couple of BSFs finest waterfalls and not terribly hard to get to. Appreciate it! Take care!

There was once a startled bear near Bandy Creek Falls if I remember correctly… 😂… There was also a startled hiker too! I just about needed an underwear change! 😮…

Thank you Juan! There are a lot of waterfalls like these in Big South Fork without trails to them. I’m trying to get them out there for the world to see and hopefully trails will be built. I appreciate it! Take care, stay healthy and safe.

I sure appreciate that ervinslens. I just try to do the best I can. Thank you, be safe and stay healthy my friend.

Thanks Steve. If you ever make it out this far East again, spend a few days and nights in Big South Fork. I’d be more than happy to show you around. It’s definitely not crowded here at all. Google “Charit Creek Lodge” sometime. That would be a great place for you and Kristy to spend a night. Take care and stay safe!

Thanks jilletta! Big South Fork has several gorgeous waterfalls without any trails to them. I’m just trying to get some information on them out for folks to see. Take care, be safe and stay healthy!

@papawinthewoods It's all breathtaking beautiful country there. I want to go back so bad.

Thank you for watching and leaving the nice comment. I’m so fortunate to live in a beautiful place like Big South Fork. I’m sure there are more off trail, undocumented waterfalls like these. I’m going to try to find them this winter. I appreciate it so much nationalparksprincess. Please take care and stay safe.

There’s a lot of amazing things like this in Big South Fork. What more could anyone want than a nice hike to spectacular waterfalls and not seeing anyone else all day! Take care and stay healthy!

Yep, you’d love to see both of these falls. They’re beautiful. Thanks Karl. Please take care.

It sure is Cindy. I have to go back when there’s a lot of water flowing. Thanks, and take care!

Thank you Roy. I’m not stopping any time soon! Take care my friend.

@@karlo8093 I sure hope we can get together this fall. My health pretty much shut down the spring season. It’s too hot now. Hopefully this fall will work out. That storm did so much damage parts of BSF and still off limits to the public. I was about a mile from ground zero. Someone up there was looking out for me! I gotta get back over there soon and look at the damage. Some of it will never be the same. Thanks Karl. Take care my friend.

@@TrespassinTroy Thanks so much. BSF is such a diverse place. It really has everything any outdoor person could want. I hike off trail a lot. That’s where a ton of amazing formations and little known waterfalls are. If there were trails to a lot of these places BSF would be a lot more well known… Maybe that’s a good thing! Take care, be safe and stay healthy.

@@homesteadingwithsadie That’s exactly what I said several times Robin… The whole day was a “wow.” Thanks so much, take care.

@@JamesRobertSmith I was probably safer out on the trail I was on than I would have been in my Blazer driving out Divide Road. The number of downed trees was amazing! The Park Service crews cleared just enough trees out of the road to let us stranded people get out. Some people had to spend the night out there. The Park Service crews are still out there on these not, humid days clearing the trails and the trees hanging out over them. It’s a mess. I don’t envy them one little bit. I sure want to thank them and let them know how I appreciate them for what they do! Take care and be safe!

@@karenwilliams1458 Thank you Karen. After my hike was complete, it took me almost another 8 hours to get home. I absolutely came out of it in good shape. It could have been really bad! Thank you Karen. Take care!

@@cindyclark9230 Maybe the deer did try to warn me but I don’t speak their language.. 😅. You do need to get out there and see the deep pink laurel next year. It’s beautiful! There was just a peacefulness over me that day. I was never worried at all. I think the “big guy” upstairs was watching over me. Thanks Cindy. Take care my friend.

@@nationalparksprincess3216 I can count my blessings on that day. The worst part of the storm missed my location by about a mile. Pretty sure someone up there was looking out for me! Thank you so much. Please take care and be safe!

@@EventyrsorenDenmark Yeah, these storms can come out of nowhere it seems. I thought I might get a bit wet but not a severe thunderstorm with a possible tornado too. But, as my Grandmother used to say “Alls well that ends well.” Thanks Eventyrsoren. I appreciate it my friend. Take care!

@@JimJayroe I actually thought about going out to Stearns when I passed thru Bell Farm. I didn’t expect there would be trees down in Pickett State Park too. The trees in Pickett took down some power lines. I would have got home hours earlier had I went out to Stearns… Oh well, hindsight is 20/20 as they say. Thanks Jim. You take care.

@@jilletta1 It could have been a lot worse! Jilletta. I eventually made it home that night. Crazy bad storm! Some trails and roads are still closed to the public. Thank you so much. Take care and stay safe.

@@super_yummy I’m glad you enjoyed it super_yummy. Thank you so much. Please take care and stay safe.

I appreciate the nice comment super_yummy. I try my best to show nature’s beauty and any historical aspects along my hikes. I’m just an old country boy that loves getting out in the woods, especially off the beaten path. Take care and stay safe!

I’m going to have to make my way back up your way sometime. It’s been quite a while. Thanks for checking out my videos and commenting. I wonder who the locals are and if they have their stories straight about me.. 🤣 Take care Jim. Hopefully our paths will cross someday soon.

nationalparksprincess, what a great name!! Thanks a million for the nice comment and the sub. It means a lot to me! Take care my friend, stay safe and healthy.

Thanks a lot Steve. I value it all, waterfalls and cascades, overlooks and their views, historic homesites and cemeteries, arches and rockhouses, both spring and fall wildflowers, wildlife, whether they fly, walk, slither, swim, or grow from the ground, they all are part of the ecosystem. I especially value the close friends I share the love of the outdoors with. But neither me nor my friends are the focal point of any of my videos. They’re all about the amazing experiences that only nature can provide. These run deep into my heart and soul! Take care Steve, be safe and stay healthy.

@@papawinthewoods Wow, just think how many people can watch that have no ability to walk, get out and see all of these places you are visiting. I am so thankful every day I can take off walking in the woods in a different location in rain, shine, or snow. :)

moccasin orchard or my lady slippers which ever you wanna call it granny called them moccasin flowers

I have never heard them called moccasin flowers. It makes sense though. Thanks for that bit of information. I like knowing the old stuff. I always heard they have medicinal properties. Thanks for letting me in on that too! Take care and be safe!

I have mentioned it in the past.. WOY should pay Big South Fork a visit someday. Bandy Creek Campground is really nice, hot showers included. It would be an honor to show you ladies around a bit. All you have to do is come on over! Thank you so much WOY. Take care and stay safe.

The guy who put the rope in Maude’s Crack is not to be trusted. He’s a big dud… lol.. Yes we did hit the jackpot on the Kentucky Lady Slippers! We were at 3 different locations. The one is the biggest by far that I’ve ever seen! Thanks Kerry. Take care old friend.

We’re considered a temporal rainforest. The terrain in Big South Fork and surrounding area isn’t all that much different than the desert southwest here in the United States. We just have lots and lots of trees! I love it! Thank you once again Eventyrsoren. Take care and be safe my friend.

I’ve yet to prowl around Brewster Bridge. I used to get down around Mt. Pisgah several times a year when fishing Little River. I have been thinking about driving back over there soon. I know several families living here now who can trace their roots through that area, especially the Kidd family. Thank you jilletta. I’m glad I can make videos that folks can enjoy, especially those that can trace their ancestry through these parts. Please take care, stay healthy and safe.

@papawinthewoods Family history says Jesse Brewster (or Massengale as went by sometimes) and his family was traveling from Brewster Bridge area to see family in Mt Pisgah in 1859 and a storm came. The family sought refuge in a rockhouse near Mt Pisgah and Jesse and his young son William, whom he was holding, were struck by lightening, killing them both. It's said to have left strange marks on the stone in the rock house. Always wanted to go find it but never have.