View Full Version : Pickle Branch Shelter, anyone stayed there lately, is water source good?
Zen Monk
07-23-2019, 22:12
I am planning to stay in Pickle Branch Shelter late August, wondering if the water there will be good? if this shelter is not good place to stay, any suggestion for an alternative?
LittleRock
07-24-2019, 08:33
The shelter is nice enough, though it's about 1/3 mile off-trail. The water source is good, it's a creek (called Pickle Branch) which is a short but steep scramble downhill from the shelter.
If you don't want to stay at the shelter, I've heard of people camping near Trout Creek which is about 1 mile south of the shelter. Personally I wouldn't camp there because it's near a road and also right next to private property.
Going NOBO, there aren't really any good campsites between the shelter and Four Pines. In fact I believe there are now restrictions which prohibit camping near Dragon's Tooth.
If you don't want to stay at the shelter, I've heard of people camping near Trout Creek which is about 1 mile south of the shelter. Personally I wouldn't camp there because it's near a road and also right next to private property.
Just a side note...I camped at Trout Creek when I went through there, and only one car drove down the road (dirt) in the 12 or so hours I was there. Obviously I may have just caught it on a good night, but there were plenty of places for a tent or hammock and the only negative I had with staying there was that the water from the creek fittingly enough tasted like a trout.