Benton Falls Hike

Benton Falls Hike

January 14, 2017

Kenny & Dana Koogler
Hiked 4 miles RT 

   I am way behind in writing this blog entry. I could not even recall the date of it. I had to look it up.  I am going to make it more perfunctory since it is so far behind the date it took place.  

  We managed to get out in January for a hike to Benton Falls.   We planned to start there and continue to Silver Creek Falls and Elora Falls at least.  We figured if they were running really good we'd push on to see Rim Rock Falls and Oasis Falls.  

        We have only hiked to Benton Falls twice before.  We were there 14 years ago and eight years ago.   Just when you think you know exactly how to get to where you're going........ you find out you don't.   We arrived at the trail head parking without any problems. It was a pretty Saturday. It was sunny and warming up.  We had a general recollection of how to start the hike.   We headed in the correct direction and crossed the earth dam at McKamy Lake. 

Once past that the trouble began.  The problem was we had only the most general recall of what direction the falls was in.  The trail sign was knocked down and propped back up.  I looked around for where it was knocked over from.  We never could figure out exactly where it had been.  We decided since it seemed to be pointing in the right general direction we'd start off the way it indicated.  We had not gone 100 yards before I began to realize it was wrong.  Kenny disputed me at first.  He then realized I was correct and all we were doing was circling back to the same spot we started from.  shoooes! We hiked that extra needless quarter mile as a "warm up" he said.  I got the map out and between the two of us we got oriented. We laughed and set off again. Same general direction but downhill.  If you hike to Benton Falls... hopefully the sign will have been replaced and be correct. Just in case.... go across the dam and at the intersection turn LEFT and follow the blue blazed trail.  

      We were still not absolutely sure we were right until we were halfway there.  We passed several signs, but not until we got to the middle of the trail at an intersection did we see one that pointed to Benton Falls. Thankfully it is a very easy hike and a short one.  We made it to the falls in no time despite our initial struggles.  The falls was running pretty good and was as pretty as I remembered.   We saw three other folks there while we were there. Not too bad.

 Benton Falls flowing so/ so today. I was surprised. We'd had recent rain, but it did not completely ease the draught.

 Elora Falls--Not much water.

 small plunge pool at Elora Falls

Then the water just goes underground for a ways... it comes out again about 50 yards down from here.  

      We enjoyed Benton Falls for awhile. It was beautiful and quiet today.  We went on down the trail with the waypoints and Brian Solomon's directions to Elora and Silver Creek Falls. 
We found Elora Falls without a lot of trouble.  It was a short bushwhack.  It was disappointing.
Not much water at all.   Kenny went down and could see where Silver Creek Falls was, but said it was even worse.   We decided to end our hike here and come back another time right after a heavy, very recent rain.  

         It was a beautiful day to get out and exercise.  It did us both a world of good. We decided to head on back home. We stopped at the picnic area on the way back and sat by the lake having lunch.  A few more people were straggling in.   We wrapped things up and decided to go home.   Good thing we did  head back early. Driving home my new jeep threw a Transmission Error and got stuck in eighth gear.  We had it happen off and on a couple times.  The message went away,but the Check Engine light never went off.   I called the dealership and found they were open until 5:30 p.m.   We made it back in time to get it down to Kodak for a check and a repair.  I was without a vehicle for a day or so, but Monday night I went down and picked it up. It has been fine ever since.  I hate vehicle trouble, but at least it did not strand me somewhere, and it is resolved.