W. Fork MontgomeryCreek

Obtuse Angler · 02-26-03, 03:32 PM

Okay, I found the campground on the mainstem of Montgomery, but I was only passing through there trying to get to the West Fork. I understand that I have to go upstream from the campground for some distance before I reach the mouth of the West Fork, but I didn't see a trail going upstream. Was I just overlooking the trail, or am I supposed to bushwhack my way up? Is it hard to spot?

DAWGFISH · 02-26-03, 03:53 PM

OA,

If you go all the way back to the end of the parking lot at the campground, you will see a trail on the right hand side of the stream, facing upstream. It traverses a gorge section for awhile, and it gets pretty steep. Also there is quite a bit of downfall on the trail through that section, so be prepared to do a lot of climbing over and under a lot of fallen timber. You will eventually make it to a small water fall section, and the creek levels out beyond the falls for a while. Use the stream chanel and bank at this point. The West fork will be upstream from the falls about a mile and will enter on your left. Hope this helps

lone_angler · 02-26-03, 04:40 PM

watch out for the rangers. they do alot of manuevers in the blue ridge wma and the weat fork actually runs out of camp merril. one night the and me were buzzed by an apache over near rock creek. they hovered close enough to us that i could see dials in the cockpit!! Suppoedly the rangers are told to be "unseen", but sure scared the h*ll out of me the two times i've run into them.
p.s. when i say rangers, i mean the military type.

------------------
fishing is not a matter of life or death.
...it's much more
than that!

trout whisperer · 02-26-03, 05:43 PM

whisperer sez: OA, i was up there a couple of years ago and hiked the main stream up to a waterfall and then on up to the west fork. as i recall, the path started out at a large clearing and it seems like you had to cross over a small vehicle barrier to get on it. the trail went up on the right hand side of the creek. when i came back down, i followed a trail on the other side and found it a little easier. regards, TW

Obtuse Angler · 02-26-03, 11:29 PM

I remember there was some trail going pretty much straight up the ridge to the right, but it looked like it was going away from the stream perpendicularly. Is that the trail I wanted? Does it turn and follow the stream pretty closely after the top of the hill?

TangledUp · 02-27-03, 09:09 AM

You can park at the turnaround at the road's end (big stocker hole on left)and follow the trail on the right side of the bank up (and up some more) It will eventually come back down to stream level, and you'll have to cross back & forth to travel. Up near the top, there is a big waterfall with a large plunge pool at the bottom. Last time I was there, there were 2 guys corn-dunkin' and getting quite a few stockers out.
Try nymphng really deep at the bottom of the small falls (about 5 of them) on the way up to the big one.
You probably will see a few Rangers if you go that far up the creek, if we have any left stateside now.

Can't wait for regular season to open.

------------------
TangledUp

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02-26-03, 03:32 PM	#1
Obtuse Angler Native Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Centre, AL Posts: 683	Okay, I found the campground on the mainstem of Montgomery, but I was only passing through there trying to get to the West Fork. I understand that I have to go upstream from the campground for some distance before I reach the mouth of the West Fork, but I didn't see a trail going upstream. Was I just overlooking the trail, or am I supposed to bushwhack my way up? Is it hard to spot?

02-26-03, 03:53 PM	#2
DAWGFISH Native Join Date: May 2001 Location: Gainesville/Brunswick/St.Simons Island Posts: 422	OA, If you go all the way back to the end of the parking lot at the campground, you will see a trail on the right hand side of the stream, facing upstream. It traverses a gorge section for awhile, and it gets pretty steep. Also there is quite a bit of downfall on the trail through that section, so be prepared to do a lot of climbing over and under a lot of fallen timber. You will eventually make it to a small water fall section, and the creek levels out beyond the falls for a while. Use the stream chanel and bank at this point. The West fork will be upstream from the falls about a mile and will enter on your left. Hope this helps

02-26-03, 04:40 PM	#3
lone_angler Native Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: lawrenceville,ga Posts: 382	watch out for the rangers. they do alot of manuevers in the blue ridge wma and the weat fork actually runs out of camp merril. one night the and me were buzzed by an apache over near rock creek. they hovered close enough to us that i could see dials in the cockpit!! Suppoedly the rangers are told to be "unseen", but sure scared the h*ll out of me the two times i've run into them. p.s. when i say rangers, i mean the military type. ------------------ fishing is not a matter of life or death. ...it's much more than that!

02-26-03, 05:43 PM	#4
trout whisperer Native Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: jasper ga. Posts: 314	whisperer sez: OA, i was up there a couple of years ago and hiked the main stream up to a waterfall and then on up to the west fork. as i recall, the path started out at a large clearing and it seems like you had to cross over a small vehicle barrier to get on it. the trail went up on the right hand side of the creek. when i came back down, i followed a trail on the other side and found it a little easier. regards, TW

02-26-03, 11:29 PM	#5
Obtuse Angler Native Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Centre, AL Posts: 683	I remember there was some trail going pretty much straight up the ridge to the right, but it looked like it was going away from the stream perpendicularly. Is that the trail I wanted? Does it turn and follow the stream pretty closely after the top of the hill?

02-27-03, 09:09 AM	#6
TangledUp Native Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Chattoccoatootla Posts: 429	You can park at the turnaround at the road's end (big stocker hole on left)and follow the trail on the right side of the bank up (and up some more) It will eventually come back down to stream level, and you'll have to cross back & forth to travel. Up near the top, there is a big waterfall with a large plunge pool at the bottom. Last time I was there, there were 2 guys corn-dunkin' and getting quite a few stockers out. Try nymphng really deep at the bottom of the small falls (about 5 of them) on the way up to the big one. You probably will see a few Rangers if you go that far up the creek, if we have any left stateside now. Can't wait for regular season to open. ------------------ TangledUp