We’re camped by what looks like a tiny lake in Natchez Trace State Park, and we want to get a hike in before the day is over, so we decide to try to find our way around the lake. It’s easy enough at first as we follow roads through the campground and cabin areas. Then we find a trail that meanders along the lake shore in the oak forest, and that seems fine too.
Natchez Trace Campsite
Nest
It’s after we cross the dam that the trail starts to wander more. The forest thickens and gets a little boggy and creepy. We both think of the Blair Witch Project independently. Soon we realize the lake has some unknown number of fingery tendrils along creeks on this side, and the trail goes way up each one of them to get around it. And the tendrils have little tendrils as well. We realize that we are indeed going to see what these woods are like in the dark, without headlamps.
Cub Lake Dam
Cub Lake Trail
At least we have Ann’s GPS, so we figure we can beeline through the bog toward a road if necessary. Thankfully the trail remains clear enough to follow until it emerges on a road just as it gets really dark. Just as we wander back into camp the heavens open up and pouring rain begins that lasts all night.
7 responses to “Benighted on Cub Lake”
Yes, I had that HUGE bag and my headlite was NOT in it. That will not be happening again. I did realize however, that I had a small light on my keys. However, it really would have been a rather miserable night and I don’t think that having a light would have helped us out of there!
Thank goodness there weren’t any skeeters!
What kind of GPS do you have, Mrs. CH? Do you like it? If the screen lights up, heck that could have been another light source. Surely you would have survived the bog then.
You guys do know about free campgrounds on the natchez, right?
Cheers,
Jenn
http://freecampsites.net
http://hitekhomesless.net
Hi Jenn! Funny you asked… I’ve just been perusing your website and added you to my reader. My gps is a Garmin etrex Visa HCx. It’s not the uber new fancy touchscreen models, and probably not as easy to use: However, I think it was a good purchase because I can add all kinds of maps and levels of detail and it’s very heavy duty (i.e., the guy that sold it to me did a good job of convincing me by throwing it hard across the cement floor, twice). And it seems pretty accurate to me. So far I only got lost using it once and that’s because I stopped using my brain and relied solely on the gps. Anyway, possibly TMI. As far as the free camping at Natchez Trace–we really really needed electricity for a bit, so we were willing to pay! 🙂 I’ll look forward to following you. I’m trying to figure out where you are now?
Who needs uber new? What good is it if you can’t drop it (or throw it, lol).
We aren’t nearly as good as you two when it comes to keeping our blog updated. We are currently freezing our rears off in central Kentucky. It’s snowing right now. Brrrrr… We will be here until around the first of the year. I think we are going to head back to California for the winter.
Funny, we’re thinking of heading north to freeze our rears off for a while in early/mid January.
I hope it’s to go skiing. Otherwise I don’t recommend it 😉
Yes, skis are in the plan. As is winterizing the camper and shifting to couch surfing in structures with insulation while we’re up there.