Ruth's Life is Good: Saturday 3-26 Belle Starr Trail & Multi-Use Trail

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Saturday 3-26 Belle Starr Trail & Multi-Use Trail

Springtime is here

We woke up with the temperature at 37 degrees. It ended up being a beautiful day, sunny, no wind and it got to 73 degrees.

We had cinnamon french toast sticks for breakfast. Afterwards we went on a 5 mile hike for 3.5 hours.

We started the hike on the Belle Starr trail (white for 2 miles) and moved on to the Multi-Use trail (orange/blue for 1.5 miles). Belle Starr was very challenging because we had to hike over and in between giant boulders. The boulders made gorgeous formations. The trail took us through the trees, up and down the mountainside and over coon creek via rocks. Coon creek was beautiful and made great waterfalls while going down the mountain. The CCC dammed it up at the bottom of the mountain and make Coon Creek Lake. We hiked Belle Starr until it Y's with a horse trail. We took the horse trail until we got Coon Creek. In order to get to the Multi-Use trail we had to cross the creek. Larry went first to see if we could get across. Then he helped me. I almost made it staying totally dry but my left foot got a little wet. The Multi-Use trail went through the trees and wasn't as rocky as Belle Starr. We had to cross Coon Creek again, this time it was better, I didn't get wet and Larry helped again. When we got to an old pipeline road we hiked it for about a half mile to a .8 mile loop trail. The trail wasn't on the hiking map but Larry had it on his phone. The loop trail went through the trees. It was a nice trail and we walked on a lot of pine needles which gave your feet a lot of cushion. We walked by Coon Creek Lake, it's a small mountain lake. We had to climb uphill a bit. We again had to cross Coon Creek, Larry was helping me but once again my foot slipped into the creek. The water was cold but the shoe dried very fast. Then we continued climbing up the mountain. We hiked back to the first Coon Creek crossing where rested on a boulder. Afterwards we crossed the creek via boulders. It was easier this time but Larry still helped me. Then we got back on the Multi-Use trail/horse trail, which was an old CCC dirt road. We hiked for about a half mile and got back on Belle Starr Loop. As we walked the road we saw an old pump building by the dam at Coon Creek Lake. We hiked to the building and checked it out. Once back on Belle Starr Loop we were back climbing over and through boulders to get to the top of the mountain. We were climbing like mountain goats. We finished Belle Starr Loop at the lodge where we took the road back to Whispering Pines Campground. The hike was challenging and fun.

Belle Starr Loop Trail

The rocks used to cross Coon Creek

Camp site at Coon Creek

Coon Creek Lake dam

Crossing Coon Creek

Coon Creek waterfall

The old pump house

When we got home I made a salad for lunch.

After lunch I did my Event: Klondike Mini of 10 games. It took me 34 minutes and 38 seconds to complete, which put me in 17th place in my group. I did my Daily Challenges of Solitaire and Mahjong.

For dinner we finished up our baked ziti. Then I walked around for a couple of hours to get my steps in. I ended up doing 28,000 steps , which put me in 3rd place in my group.

All around Robbers Cave State Park there are these wonderful metal signs. The signage was done by the CCC and the Oklahoma Parks and Recreation people keep them up. It's always amazes me the skill and talent some of the CCC workers had. The signage around the park was made from metal plates. Today they would use a machine to do this but in 1933 they had to do it by hand. The signage gave directions to drive, campground, trail names, restrooms and water.