THE GRAND TOUR OF COURTHOUSE CREEK
This weekend started with a quick visit to Cathy's Creek Falls. It’s a nice waterfall that is very close to a forest road, but for some reason I’d never visited it previously. That was waterfall #98 of the 100 Waterfall Challenge. I guess I might just have to do those last two one of these days!
I then met Dillon and Lauren at a large parking area where Courthouse Creek Road meets 215. The road is closed because a bridge is being replaced in preparation for logging the area. One of my motivations for this hike was to see the area before it is ruined by logging. I was surprised to find 8 other cars here. I thought the road closure would discourage people from visiting the area, but it was a holiday weekend.
We walked up the road to Kiesee Creek, and then creek walked upstream. This was mostly easy since the water level was low. At times we followed an overgrown railroad bed, too. The final stretch was tough, with some scrambling along a steep, wet rock face that was sketchy. Kiesee Falls is small, but pretty. It is a two-tiered drop into a small but deep pool.
From Kiesee Falls it is impossible to hike directly to Upper Kiesee Falls due to the surrounding cliffs. We backtracked downstream a short distance and then endured a horrific bushwhack up the side of the gorge on River Right. We came out on an old logging road and headed back upstream. After a short distance a scramble path took us to the base of Upper Kiesee Falls. This one is similar to Kiesee Falls, which is immediately downstream.
This one would be much easier to reach from Courthouse Creek Road than Kiesee Falls. Both of these waterfalls are pretty, but I’d like to see them with more water. They were pretty thin due to the typical late summer drought. After a quick lunch, I took a swim across the pool to the base of the falls.
We ran into two guys and a poodle several times during our hike. We saw them at the trailhead, on our way towards Kiesee Creek, and at Upper Kiesee Falls. Later we met a family at Courthouse Falls, and we saw several groups hiking in on our way out. One couple was camped where Kiesee Creek flows under Courthouse Creek Road.
From Upper Kiesee Falls we backtracked to the logging road and then bushwhacked through open forest to the top of the ridge. We joined another logging road and then picked up a short trail to the base of Chestnut Falls. This was surprisingly easy and it was a huge shortcut. Otherwise we would’ve hiked all the way out to Courthouse Creek Road and then back to Chestnut Falls on a different logging road. My favorite part of Chestnut Falls was a small spout of water erupting from a crack in the cliff adjacent to the falls. I’m not sure if that was part of the flow from the creek, or if it was a spring.
We then backtracked to the logging road and followed it down to Courthouse Creek Road. We followed it and a short trail to Courthouse Falls. This was the largest and most spectacular waterfall of the day.
From there we scrambled downstream. This had some sketchy places with slippery rocks and deep potholes. When we reached Mill Station Creek we walked upstream to the base of Cody Falls. This one isn't big, but it is pretty! It was a fine ending to a great day. From there we bushwhacked up to the Summey Cove Trail, reaching it right where it meets the Courthouse Falls Trail. From there we followed the road all the way back out to where we parked.
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