This off trail outing began at Jumpin Off Rock trailhead. Here the Uwharrie Trail heads into the woods by the homemade sign. A bit further into the wood, there is a nicer sign, placed there to prevent vandalism.
One of the renditions of the Joe Moffitt era Uwharrie Trail, went right over Long Mountain. Several years back, I was able to decipher some trail blazes heading that way but they have had their day and are no more. I took a likely route, following an old road. That road soon ended on private property with major league deer stands. A gnarly bushwhack got me back on track and it was up the side of Long Mountain.
Once I was on the long ridge of Long Mountain, I could walk more easily, following an old road which, apparently, ran the length of the ridge. It is not driveable today but was back in the day. The remnants of this old school bus must have arrived here by some motorized means.
As with Little Long Mountain, Long Mountain sports a healthy community of Prickly Pear cactus. It, also, is facing south, as the cactus on Little Long does.
GIS and my gps say this is state land but, oh no, even the state has restrictions. It looks something grows here that is worth preserving. There was also a sliver of private property that invaded the top of the ridge. So I had to make a detour down the side of the mountain, dodging eroded roadbeds and a steep hillside. A small price to pay.
I end up back on top of the ridge and things are looking good until the tire dump makes its ugly appearance. Who hauls worn tires to the top of a mountain? Oh, never mind, we're in Montgomery County.
The walk down to Poison Branch was through nice forest and the walk along that branch is exceptional. I paid a visit to Dania Woodell's gravesite and had lunch with her. The penny I left there in early October was still there.
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