US Southeast Keowee-Toxaway Camping Trip

[Sasquatch SC]

Again, all I'm hearing here is confirmation that you'll be joining us.

I have confirmed and even RSVP'd on the Rally Point.
However, I don't have a campsite. I'm either going to have to piggyback on someone else's site or I'll be camping at a dispersed site nearby.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

I have confirmed and even RSVP'd on the Rally Point.
However, I don't have a campsite. I'm either going to have to piggyback on someone else's site or I'll be camping at a dispersed site nearby.

Nice! I didn't even see that you'd RSVPd.

We've got six sites claimed, so you should be fine fitting in. You still using the Gazelle T3?

 

[Sasquatch SC]

Nice! I didn't even see that you'd RSVPd.

We've got six sites claimed, so you should be fine fitting in. You still using the Gazelle T3?

Yup. I'm going to the Roof Top Tent Rally with Jason and Tom the weekend before who are representing at the BunduTec booth with their insane electric open/close RTT's... and I will be crashing it by having my own Earth Top Tent Rally (party of one) in the T3!

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

Yup. I'm going to the Roof Top Tent Rally with Jason and Tom the weekend before who are representing at the BunduTec booth with their insane electric open/close RTT's... and I will be crashing it by having my own Earth Top Tent Rally (party of one) in the T3!

ETT for the win.

@JButtress , when did you get a BunduTec? I thought you'd upgraded to a Roam from that Hi-Vis?

 

[AlphaJD]

Hi Everyone, I need to drop out of this one. I have some work conflicts now. Hope everyone has a great time.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

Hi Everyone, I need to drop out of this one. I have some work conflicts now. Hope everyone has a great time.

No worries.

 

[johnniac57]

Hi Everyone, I need to drop out of this one. I have some work conflicts now. Hope everyone has a great time.

Did you have a campsite reserved by any chance? I'm in the same boat as @Sasquatch SC. Gonna have to primitive camp nearby or squat on someone else's site.

 

[AlphaJD]

Did you have a campsite reserved by any chance? I'm in the same boat as @Sasquatch SC. Gonna have to primitive camp nearby or squat on someone else's site.

Nope, I was gonna join up and share a site. (There was no primitive nearby, the ones on the trail are about a mile hike away) Just ask, I'm sure someone will let you share their site.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

Looking forward to the trip this upcoming weekend. FYI, we're going to head up to the campground around midday on Friday so we should be there when anyone else rolls in.

As for where we'll be trekking on Saturday, it looks like Musterground is out. I haven't confirmed it (because the only way to do that is drive all the way up there and see if the gate is open) but I saw a post from the SCDNR from back in March that said the entire Bad Creek area would be closed until further notice.

So we'll either do Gorges or Horse Pasture Rd (and any other open trails that branch off - a few of them should be open). Gorges would offer some slightly more technical trails. And Horse Pasture Road, while not technical, is a really nice drive and goes to an amazing lookout, Jumping Off Rock. Assuming another piece of the trail is open, which it should be, it also goes down to Lake Jocassee and has a neat power line trail.

Any one want to throw out their vote for which they prefer?

 

[JButtress]

Looking forward to the trip this upcoming weekend. FYI, we\'re going to head up to the campground around midday on Friday so we should be there when anyone else rolls in.

As for where we\'ll be trekking on Saturday, it looks like Musterground is out. I haven\'t confirmed it (because the only way to do that is drive all the way up there and see if the gate is open) but I saw a post from the SCDNR from back in March that said the entire Bad Creek area would be closed until further notice.

So we\'ll either do Gorges or Horse Pasture Rd (and any other open trails that branch off - a few of them should be open). Gorges would offer some slightly more technical trails. And Horse Pasture Road, while not technical, is a really nice drive and goes to an amazing lookout, Jumping Off Rock. Assuming another piece of the trail is open, which it should be, it also goes down to Lake Jocassee and has a neat power line trail.

Any one want to throw out their vote for which they prefer?

Looking forward to it

 

[johnniac57]

Looking forward to the trip this upcoming weekend. FYI, we\'re going to head up to the campground around midday on Friday so we should be there when anyone else rolls in.

As for where we\'ll be trekking on Saturday, it looks like Musterground is out. I haven\'t confirmed it (because the only way to do that is drive all the way up there and see if the gate is open) but I saw a post from the SCDNR from back in March that said the entire Bad Creek area would be closed until further notice.

So we\'ll either do Gorges or Horse Pasture Rd (and any other open trails that branch off - a few of them should be open). Gorges would offer some slightly more technical trails. And Horse Pasture Road, while not technical, is a really nice drive and goes to an amazing lookout, Jumping Off Rock. Assuming another piece of the trail is open, which it should be, it also goes down to Lake Jocassee and has a neat power line trail.

Any one want to throw out their vote for which they prefer?

I just called Gorges and they said:
a) The gate at the river is open and you can go through Gorges all the way up to Musterground.
b) As far as they know, the gate at Bad Creek is open and hunters have definitely been coming in from the SC side, but suggested I follow up with the appropriate SC DNR resources to be certain.

I've also seen posts from the last few days on AllTrails where folks drove Musterground from Bad Creek.

TL;DR: It looks like Musterground and Gorges-to-Musterground are both in play, but I'll try to figure out who to call about Musterground/Bad Creek tomorrow.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

I just called Gorges and they said:
a) The gate at the river is open and you can go through Gorges all the way up to Musterground.
b) As far as they know, the gate at Bad Creek is open and hunters have definitely been coming in from the SC side, but suggested I follow up with the appropriate SC DNR resources to be certain.

I've also seen posts from the last few days on AllTrails where folks drove Musterground from Bad Creek.

TL;DR: It looks like Musterground and Gorges-to-Musterground are both in play, but I'll try to figure out who to call about Musterground/Bad Creek tomorrow.

Ah right on!

In that case, how about we plan on starting at Musterground and go into Gorges from there, since we have to pass Bad Creek anyways on the way to Gorges? As far as I know, none of us have done the section of trail between where the gate at the river is at (where everyone camped at in Gorges a year and a half ago or so) and where Gorges connects to Musterground, so that should be fun to explore.

 

[Sasquatch SC]

I was planning on coming up on Saturday morning but after Jason guilt tripped about not coming on Friday I agreed w/ the caveat some terms are met since I’m probably going to be coming in after dark.
1.) Leaving the wagon in the park office parking lot isn’t going to be a problem.
2.) Jason is going to share his spot w/ me.
3.) Berkley & myself are not limited on the decibel level of our combined snoring.
4.) Jason Buttress must drink a minimum of 2 adult beverages per campfire built.
5.) Someone needs to capture some some solid high quality photos of the rigs in motion. Not video. High resolution still shots. Not of vehicles in stationary but of then rocking down the trail.
6.) Lesbaru jokes are only applicable to Subaru manufactured vehicles equipped with less than 5 cylinders or less.

To Jeff & Kyle, I am sorry for condition 6, but I just went to the James River Roof Top Tent Rally last weekend & the Wander Wagon took enough verbal abuse.
Side note: we need to remember to get a good group shot of the offbeat overlanders on this trip all together.

 

[ziggy stardust]

is there still room for one more rig at the campsite? looks like I can make it and if there is a space on someones campsite for a taco with a RTT- I can cover my costs?

 

[Apdski]

is there still room for one more rig at the campsite? looks like I can make it and if there is a space on someones campsite for a taco with a RTT- I can cover my costs?

My buddy and I will be tent camping so I don’t think my site will have room unfortunately

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

I was planning on coming up on Saturday morning but after Jason guilt tripped about not coming on Friday I agreed w/ the caveat some terms are met since I’m probably going to be coming in after dark.
1.) Leaving the wagon in the park office parking lot isn’t going to be a problem.
2.) Jason is going to share his spot w/ me.
3.) Berkley & myself are not limited on the decibel level of our combined snoring.
4.) Jason Buttress must drink a minimum of 2 adult beverages per campfire built.
5.) Someone needs to capture some some solid high quality photos of the rigs in motion. Not video. High resolution still shots. Not of vehicles in stationary but of then rocking down the trail.
6.) Lesbaru jokes are only applicable to Subaru manufactured vehicles equipped with less than 5 cylinders or less.

To Jeff & Kyle, I am sorry for condition 6, but I just went to the James River Roof Top Tent Rally last weekend & the Wander Wagon took enough verbal abuse.
Side note: we need to remember to get a good group shot of the offbeat overlanders on this trip all together.

Re: leaving car in parking lot – if you call the park office ahead of time to let them know what time you'll be arriving, they're great about working with you to get you in after the gate is closed.

Re: snoring – as long as you're sharing a spot with Jason, I say let 'er rip.

Re: Subies – I'm willing to accept this condition.

 

[Jeffrey Dill]

is there still room for one more rig at the campsite? looks like I can make it and if there is a space on someones campsite for a taco with a RTT- I can cover my costs?

Unfortunately, I don't think that there is. I believe between all of us there are 5 reserved spots. @Apdski 's is full, mine is full, and we have 3 people already – @johnniac57 , @Sasquatch SC , and @Darunner – who are going to be sharing with someone else. You may be able to find a spot at a nearby campground. Or if you just want to join us Saturday morning for the ride, we'll plan on meeting at the trailhead to Musterground Rd at 10a.m.

Here's the parking lot we'll be meeting at: Google Maps

 

[ziggy stardust]

serves me right for waiting so long but I did not want to commit until I knew for sure- I will probably still go up there this weekend and stay inside either off of musterground or the NC WMA lands- I recall there being a nice single campsite on the road a mile or two past the border gate. If you see a white tacoma say hi

 

[johnniac57]

Mark actually transfered his site over to me, since he can't make it. So I'm not squatting on someone else's site anymore, if that helps out.

 

[Trevor Atchley]

is there still room for one more rig at the campsite? looks like I can make it and if there is a space on someones campsite for a taco with a RTT- I can cover my costs?

It looks like I am not going to be able to make it. My son has a soccer game on Saturday and I have been told that my attendance is necessary. I have campsite 6 reserved. for Friday and Saturday.