Stinging Fork Falls and Jewett Falls Trip Report

Orange jewelweed along the trail to Stinging Fork today

Stinging Fork Falls & Jewett Falls Re-write

July 1, 2011
Dana Koogler solo
Total hike distance 2.2 miles 

*Another repost of an old trip report because of damage*

Stinging Fork and Jewett Falls Photos

  One hot, clear July day I decided to get out and hike and swim.  It was very hot and so I picked a short hike. I revisited Stinging Fork Falls. I had been a couple times before, but it is always pretty.

I enjoyed the short hike to the falls and went swimming in the plunge pool and ate my lunch while there.

The wildflowers and forest and attractive along the hike.   I also went out to the overlook above

the falls. Indian Point or something like that.

Self explanatory kiosk

Pretty view along the trail to Stinging Fork 

 Trail to Stinging Fork Falls

Mini mo-mos! Sensitive Brier. along the path to Stinging Fork Falls. If you touch the leaves they fold up immediately. 

Stinging Fork Falls

   Next I was not quite ready to go home and I had the way points with me for Jewett Falls.

I decided since it was not too far away I'd try to visit that as a little adventure.  Good thing I have my dark little sense of humor.   I found it but OH! What I found.

I found this lake.

 And below the lake I found this privvy... a kind of human litter box it seems.

And I found lots of trash. see above and below

and a little further down I found what is left of Jewett Falls

This is the top of Jewett Falls. You can walk around the bank and see it from the base, but there is no water coming over it now.

The lake construction dammed the creek and now no water but a trickle ever goes over these once lovely falls.   Man's reach has usually exceeded his grasp and in the case of this land owner.. I'd say that is certainly true.   Its his prerogative to construct a fishing lake, but at the cost of a naturally occurring waterfall on his property.

  Based on what I saw there.. he'd do well to heed this along with a lot of other human pigs who have no sense. See the warning to litter bugs I posted below.