Moonshiners Hideout
"Forget your lust for the rich man's gold, all that you need is in your soul" - Lynyrd Skynyrd
Difficulty - ✹✹ (out of 5)
Scenic Beauty - ✰✰✰✰ (out of 5)
Directions - click here
Video Blog - click here
This small hike has one of the most unique payoffs that you will find. It's an old stone shelter built under a rock overhang and after rainfall also sports a modest waterfall. It's called Moonshiners Hideout because legend has it that it was built on the site of a moonshining still over 100 years ago. However nobody seems to know the exact story behind it or the reason it was built or by whom. At one point there was a stone block with the date 1905 carved into it but that stone was stolen by vandals so it is definitely over 100 years old. It can be found on the edge of Devils Den state park and is a short out and back of approximately 1 mile in length.
Inside Info - This is a little known and not heavily trafficked trail on the outskirts of Devil's Den. Take the state highway 74 exit from I49 until you reach the Devil's Den park sign. There is a gravel parking area across from the sign. About 50 yards west of the parking area you'll see the path that looks like part old logging road and part washout. Follow it until the trail forks and stay on the left path. Eventually you'll see an almost round, cleared out plateau overlooking a small bluff and there seems to always be the remnants of an old campfire. There will be a path down the right side of the plateau area and to the doorstep of the hideout. The trip down is easier than the trip back because the return trip is all uphill but this is in no way a hard hike. I've been here 4 or 5 times and on most occasions my group was alone. One time it was fairly loud and noisy and I didn't stay long that day. The only real difficulty is that at times the path is congested with many large, round rocks and it wouldn't surprise me to see someone roll their ankle if they are not careful. In the summer months the traffic slows down considerably and I've run into many spider webs strung across the path (and I HATE spiders.....).
Final Word - This is an enjoyable little hike that requires only moderate fitness. However people with mobility issues will find traversing the rocky, bumpy path to be very difficult.
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Trailhead Pic -
Scenic Beauty - ✰✰✰✰ (out of 5)
Directions - click here
Video Blog - click here
This small hike has one of the most unique payoffs that you will find. It's an old stone shelter built under a rock overhang and after rainfall also sports a modest waterfall. It's called Moonshiners Hideout because legend has it that it was built on the site of a moonshining still over 100 years ago. However nobody seems to know the exact story behind it or the reason it was built or by whom. At one point there was a stone block with the date 1905 carved into it but that stone was stolen by vandals so it is definitely over 100 years old. It can be found on the edge of Devils Den state park and is a short out and back of approximately 1 mile in length.
Inside Info - This is a little known and not heavily trafficked trail on the outskirts of Devil's Den. Take the state highway 74 exit from I49 until you reach the Devil's Den park sign. There is a gravel parking area across from the sign. About 50 yards west of the parking area you'll see the path that looks like part old logging road and part washout. Follow it until the trail forks and stay on the left path. Eventually you'll see an almost round, cleared out plateau overlooking a small bluff and there seems to always be the remnants of an old campfire. There will be a path down the right side of the plateau area and to the doorstep of the hideout. The trip down is easier than the trip back because the return trip is all uphill but this is in no way a hard hike. I've been here 4 or 5 times and on most occasions my group was alone. One time it was fairly loud and noisy and I didn't stay long that day. The only real difficulty is that at times the path is congested with many large, round rocks and it wouldn't surprise me to see someone roll their ankle if they are not careful. In the summer months the traffic slows down considerably and I've run into many spider webs strung across the path (and I HATE spiders.....).
Final Word - This is an enjoyable little hike that requires only moderate fitness. However people with mobility issues will find traversing the rocky, bumpy path to be very difficult.
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Trailhead Pic -
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