We have routed the trail on the south hillside to avoid disturbing then fen areas in the valley.  At the beginning of the hillside route, the terrain is relatively mild and follows a near 0% grade until we climb to avoid a small spring/fen, then return to the same contour until we reach the next major drainage.

After crossing the drainage (a small creek with a few inches of water at normal flow) we begin an aggressive climb.  From here to the road crossing, the hill is highly eroded, with many gully washouts, some 40' across and problematic to cross.  We chose to route the trail higher on the hillside to avoid constructing 3-4 bridges, and the ascent/descent is at or near 10%.  As we approach the road, we put in one switchback.  The ingress/egress to the switchback crosses an old roadbed, and we hope to use the trail dozer to smooth out the trail bed in this area.

There is but scant USFS land to the west of the road crossing, which features 20'-30' rock bluffs adjacent to Neals Creek.  We don't have enough room to climb above the bluffs, and there isn't enough room at the bottom to construct a trail without building an elevated platform.  At this time we've decided to run the trail along the gravel road to a point where the trail resumes through a short riparian forest, across the creek, and to the base of the next hillside for the final ascent of this subsection.

Once the Karkaghne section has been constructed, we may consider applying for RTP funds to build an elevated platform at the base of the bluffs, thus avoiding the use of the gravel road. 

From the gravel road, we pass through a power line easement, then once again across Neals Creek.  From this point we have a 250' climb with limited USFS land and no long side-slope runs.  As a consequence, we had to put in four switchbacks to complete the ascent.  The first three switchbacks will be relatively easy to construct, but the forth will require significant hillside excavation to accommodate bicycle and equestrian traffic. 

A short distance from the last switchback the trail enters an older clear cut.  We maintained a near-level grade through this area, after which the trail averages a 6-7% average grade to the saddle at FS 2702.  This last portion is a part of a future black oak timber salvage; we will attempt to construct the trail before the timber is cut and ask for a trail preservation clause to be included in the timber contract.

NOTE ON BARTON FEN  

A few hundred yards from where the trail crosses the bottom field adjacent to Neals Creek is an area known as Barton Fen.  (What is a fen?)  In the summer of 2001, a state biologist discovered the presence of the Hines Emerald Dragonfly in this fen.  This dragonfly is an endangered species, originally from Ohio and Indiana with current concentration in upper Michigan.  The only two sightings of this dragonfly south of Northern Illinois are in Missouri: in Grasshopper Hollow, and Barton Fen.

There numerous regulations & rules concerning habitat protection of endangered species found on federal lands.  USFS and state biologists examined the area and made a determination in March that we could place the trail though the valley 100 yards or so above the deep-muck fen.

During our initial scouting of the area, I spoke with Blane Heumann, Director of Stewardship in the St. Louis office of the Nature Conservancy.  The Nature Conservancy owns and manages Grasshopper Hollow, the largest fen complex in North America, and home to the Hines Emerald.  Grasshopper Hollow has an interpretive trail that runs through the fen complex, so I asked Blane about his concerns about affecting the dragonfly's habitat.

A quick summary of his comments:

• Do not run the trail through the fen
• Do nothing to alter the water supply or water quality of the fen
• Dangers to the Hines Emerald are: fen destruction, pollution and motorized vehicles
• He sees no habitat issues with the placement of the trail in Grasshopper Hollow
• He sees no problem with having a foot/bicycle/horse trail near the fen

Here are some pictures from the Neals Creek Area.  Note: during 2002 spring floods, the main beaver dam was washed out. 

- John Roth & Paul Nazarenko