112
Rock Creek
3/2/2013
Looking over my maps I see this valley just over Parker Ridge to the northwest from Hurricane Creek Wilderness Area. It looks curious so I go there. But not before eating breakfast at Denny's in Russellville, don't ya see. I go there via Parker Ridge Rd which is a subsidiary of Hwy 16 coming out of the hamlet of Deer. This creek enters the Big Piney Creek just north of where Parker Ridge terminates at the Piney. I arrive and head in around 6:15 a.m. just 30 minutes afore sunrise. The morning was cloudy, breezy and right near 32 degrees.
The creek had water flowing but quickly went subterranean right at the base of a bluff. Luckily it did reappear a ways upstream. This lower section had many large boulder-like rocks in the stream bed as its name promises. Just up the hill to the west there is a lower bluff line with some very tall rock faces. I only ventured near this line once to check out a small fall. My plan was to follow the uppermost bluff line so as to see more of the vistas up and down the valley.
There was a nice fall encountered just off Rock Creek on a side creeklet to the east. Not long after that the base of Rock Creek turns to bedrock and two more cool falls appear in rapid succession. After eating lunch at 1:00 the clouds took off an revealed a fine blue sky with a temp in the low 40's. I then went towards the upper bluff line and followed the top edge back the way I came. There are some unique rocks above and below the bluff line here. I was quite impressed. Evidence of fire and possibly some logging did mar some areas around here. Otherwise this is a very cool valley that should have been protected. I made it back to my origin about 4:45 and did not see or hear another person the whole day.
