another 0.2 miles reach “The Forks”. There is good camping on both sides of the Left Fork. After visiting “The Forks” retrace your steps and turn right onto the Breathed Mt Tr. Climb very steeply for about 1/3 of a mile through a predominantly hardwood forest. At the crest the woods will open up to a beautiful scene … a highlands plateau complete with blueberry bogs and young Red Spruce. For 2.3 miles you’ll weave in and out of the bogs with parts of the trail being pretty muddy. The beaver ponds shown on the map are mostly gone, filled in by the heath. I can’t note the exact location but about halfway across you will pass through a pretty impressive stand of pine (Great for camping but not sure about water availability.), then some more bogs, then a mixed forest with a lot of Red Spruce (The trail is very rocky here.), a few more bogs and a final climb through more woods to the intersection with Big Stonecoal and Blackbird Knob Trails. There will be a gray Forest Service Kiosk and trail sign in the middle of a grassy field.

Day 2: Side Trip to the Lion’s Head: From the campsite, sans packs but with cameras, snacks and water in hand, travel downstream on Big Stone Coal Trail. Cross the run at 0.16 miles. Visit the waterfall on your right. In another 0.56 miles or so Big Stone Coal trail will veer to the right and downhill at the junction with Rocky Point Trail. You want to go straight on Rocky Point Trail, crossing through a rocky area marked by cairns and a very small part-time stream that crosses the trail. At 0.5 miles from the last trail junction and about 5 minutes from the small stream, look for a large cairn on your left. There is a labyrinth of trails here. All will eventually get you to the top but the best one is to the right. You’ll have to step up onto the rocks from the trail. Watch out for the crevices and snakes as you explore the area. On the eastern edge of the rocks you’ll find cairns that will lead you down through a large fissure in the rocks and reconnect you to the unofficial trail. Follow it back down to Rocky point Tr and retrace your steps back to the junction of Big Stonecoal and Dunkenbarger Trails.

Head southwest on Dunkenbarger Trail. Be prepared for a lot of mud, roots and rocks, especially on this side of the hill. In about 0.75 miles come to Dunkenbarger Run and a great campsite along the run. There is more camping on the other side and to the left, a short distance down stream. Cross Dunkenbarger Run, turn upstream a few steps and then left to regain the trail. More camping is available to the right of the trail in a meadow. Just before the crest of the hill, on the left, is another great camping spot under 2 of the oldest Hemlock trees in the forest. Water is back at the run.

In approximately 0.8 miles from the Dunkenbarger crossing reach the junction with Little Stone Coal Trail. Turn left and descend rapidly along Little Stone Coal Trail as you get glimpses of the waterfalls to your right. Bushwhack to some of them at your own risk and enjoyment. A really big one is about 1/3 of the way down.  

High water route from Little Stone Coal Run: Walk downstream from the ford. Sometimes you may be able to walk along the rocky bank. Cross what appears to be a stream. Actually it is a backwater of Red Creek. Shortly pass this point probe the brush for access to what appears to be an old overgrown road leading generally down stream. Eventually this will bear away from the creek and stop in a marshy area near a beaver dam that blocks the previously described backwater. If you look out beyond the backwater, over the beaver dam, you may spot an old forest road going up the side of the hill. This is the continuation of the road you are on. If you cannot easily make your way to it from the marshy area regain the creek bank as quickly as possible. Walk down the bank, searching the opposite shore for the confluence of that first backwater you crossed in the morning. When you find it turn your back on Red Creek and bushwhack in a northerly direction through some relatively open woods, crossing the backwater at a more manageable point and climbing steeply to gain the old forest road. Walk up the road keeping an eye out to the left for a well worn but narrow footpath. Follow it steeply down to the old steel bridge on Rt 45 which you drove across in route to the trailhead on the first morning. Cross the bridge and walk back to your car.