Hike: 25 May 2008, Review: 29 May 2008

First and formost, if you plan to start this hike and plan on going all the way to POW lake, make sure you have the time and resources for the hike. It will take you a day to do this. I started my hike with my friend and my dog, all three of us young and full of energy with both of us being in the military. The hike started at 7:30am, and we did not return until 8:40 pm.

At the trail head on 49, the first 5 miles are easy going, good for a stroll in the woods if thats what you were looking for. Lots of little streams here and there with plenty of shade for the most part. Pretty flat too, with just the occational hill here and there. The trail is marked pretty well with white diamonds, so if you do happen to wonder off the trail, you could spot those easyily and make your way back. Each mile is marked with the mile markers, little posts in the ground, although im not too sure how accurate the distances are, but its a good mental tool in either case. once you emerge from the woods and come into Airey lake camp ground, the first thing you come to is the only bathroom you will have the chance to use the entire trip (you may want to bring your own TP for two reasons, one the bathrooms TP is like tissue paper, and two you may need it while your out in the woods). After the restroom, you can go fill all your water at one of the two water stations on the camp ground. I might also add that these are the only ones on the trail that I know of. This is a great place to stop eat and rest/relax before the next leg... IF your going on to POW lake.

When your ready to hit the trail for the next 7 miles, you continue on around to the left of the lake and follow the path. The first mile is pretty much all down hill (keep this in mind when your on your return trip, because your going to be hating this mile on the way back). The next 2 or 3 miles is pretty flat, but curvy grass land under a light cover of trees, little shade throught here, so make sure to have lots of water. Once you hit the 10 mile marker, its gets ruff. For two miles its twist and turn up and down... it really gives you a work out, and with the 11 mile marker missing, it plays a mind trick on you, makes it feel like your hiking for ever. But once you get out of it all, you come to POW lake and its a wonderfull site. Beware of the gators, so dont get to close to the shore. Once you have had a breather, time to go back.

Things you will need for your hike on this trail. Water... Lots of it. Food that does not need to be kept cool, you could bring a cooler but there is no way it is going to stay cold the entire time. TP, you never know when you will need it. Extra socks, you will be sweating heavily depending what time of year you go out. Did i mention water yet? yeah, thats the most important part, bring water and have fun.

My friend and I have recently found and started to hike the Tuxachanie trail. We started at the trail head on 49 and went to Airey lake, had a hot lunch and hiked back, which was 10 miles round trip. It was easy going with lots to look at, something great for the family and dog. Now going from Airey Lake to POW lake and back is 14 miles round trip and conciderably more difficult than that of the first leg. But all in all just bring lots of water and you'll be just fine.

Hike: 25 March 2008 Posted: 28 March 2008

Here are several GPS waypoints obtained during my 25 March 2008 hike on the western section of the Tuxachanie Trail from the Hwy 49 trailhead to Airey Camp (aka Airey Lake Campground). I had not learned of the RTC GPS Mapping Initiative until after the hike so the following GPS info is not in accordance with the RTC format and does not "trace" the trail. My intention is to return to the trail and collect a more thorough set of waypoints to submit to RTC.

One waypoint is for a geocache shown to me by an elderly gent, Ralph, who walks the trail with his dog, Sam, several times a week. He showed me the geocache and I took the GPS waypoint (I took nothing, left nothing, did not sign the log - so I gotta go back!). Rather than include the specific coords here (mine are slightly different anyway), I ask that folks go to the website geocaching.com to look up this particular geocache listing ("Tucachanie Coconut" (yeah, it's misspelled), thanks APLZ), search for additional Tuxachanie Trail geocaches (at various mile markers, thanks ZingerMTB), and to learn about geocaching in general...just like I did. Looks like an addicting activity and should add to the fun of walking and biking RTC trails.

Cheers,
Weston Anderson
aka redmetoc

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Tux Trail - Hwy 49 Trailhead N30 39.996 W89 08.013

Tux Trail - Waypoint 1 N30 39.853 W89 07.668

Tux Trail - Waypoint 2 N30 40.392 W89 06.081

Tux Trail - Waypoint 3 N30 40.491 W89 04.982

Tux Trail - City Bridge Road Trailhead N30 41.319 W89 03.722
(across the road from Airey Camp)

Airey Camp Parking Lot N30 41.347 W89 03.688


The "Tucachanie Coconut" geocache is located at one of the waypoints above....but I'm not tellin'! Go to the geocaching.com homepage, find "View a Cache Listing" near the upper right of the page, enter the waypoint name "GC13146", do the search, and read about the geocache. The "treasure" is on the edge of the trail but naturally camouflaged so look hard.