Big Piney (Backpack, 17 mi)

BIG PINEY TRAIL
(Backpacking, 17 miles, 2 days (9 mi / 8 mi))

The Big Piney Trail is a beautiful section of the Paddy Creek Wilderness in the Mark Twain National Forest.

We will meet at the Commuter Parking lot on Lenoir St (https://goo.gl/maps/DSPMxjoqXtpbAJ1f7) at Saturday at 9:30 AM. We will then carpool about 2 1/2 hours to the Roby Lake Trailhead of the Paddy Creek Wilderness (directions: https://goo.gl/maps/NVyMwBuMnoW2MwPL7).

Once we get to the Roby Lake Trailhead, we can take a bit of a break so anyone who wants to eat lunch can eat before we set out to hike along the Big Piney Trail in a counter-clockwise direction. We'll plan on staying at the Paddy Creek Campground if there is room available; otherwise, we'll stay at the Big Piney Campground. There should be plenty of daylight this time of year when we get to camp, so you may want to bring a book or plan on exploring the area a bit before we turn in for the night.

We'll plan on getting an 8 AM start on Sunday morning, which should get us back to the trailhead around lunchtime and back to the commuter lot around 2 - 3 PM. This is of course an estimate.

There are several water crossings which appear to be reliable water sources (no guarantees). We will plan on filtering/purifying water along the way as needed.

Because this is a wilderness area, trails are not marked or maintained as well as you may be used to.

DISCLAIMER:
This is not a guided tour. You are responsible for your own safety and should plan on being self-sufficient and come prepared. You should always have your own food, water, compass, map, shelter, first aid, fire making tools, and other backpacking essentials. If this is your first trip with this group this year, you'll need to sign the liability waiver. If you have any questions, please ask an organizer ahead of time.

MAP (you can use this to download the GPX): http://www.hillmap.com/m/ag1zfmhpbGxtYXAtaGRychULEghTYXZlZE1hcBiAgICp2uegCww