I had heard about Bear Run Nature Reserve via social media and a recommendation from an acquaintance. The only problem was that awareness had no additional information. My usual sources were turning up empty, and since all the campsites are “hike-in only”, there was no easy way to scout the area. So, I took a chance, and I’m happy to report that it’s well worth the trip.

Trailhead and Parking

Be prepared for patchy cell phone reception, especially when in the valleys. There are also no park offices or public restrooms at the trailhead. The parking lot for hikers and backpackers is behind a large barn that has been turned into an event venue. The trailhead is at the far end of that upper parking lot, where six trail loops start and end.

The Hike Out

Once I found my way to the trailhead, I hiked the mile into campsite #5. It was a pretty easy walk with modest elevation gain and a mostly obstacle-free path. There were occasional stone-lined grooves to allow small runs to flow through the path without washing it out. There were several areas where large moss-covered stones were nearby, which were very similar to the terrain I encountered on my Pine Run Loop and Couplers Run Loop hikes. But soon enough, I was at the campsite, and with plenty of daylight to spare.

Campsite and Setup

The descriptions I read were accurate, and the site was about 20 feet from the trail. This may seem very close, but at least there was plenty of dense Mountain Laurel to provide a natural barrier. However, aside from its proximity to the path, it had an ideal layout. It had a spacious gathering area with a fire ring and several large stone “seats.” There was a sandy level area for tents, and two perfectly-spaced trees for my hammock. In addition, there are two streams within a few feet, providing an easy water source and excellent white noise.

I set up my hammock, underquilt, and tarp with no issues at all. Then I started my cold soak of ramen and some homemade dehydrated vegetables. Due to the vegetables, it took about an hour for my meal to be ready. Unfortunately, I had forgotten a book, so while my meal was soaking, I took the opportunity to explore the surrounding area and gather water for the night. With freshly filtered water, I mixed my dehydrated milk powder and started a container of Oats Overnight for tomorrow’s breakfast.

Dinner and Sleep

My ramen was a bit spicier than expected, but still enjoyable. I finished off with a protein bar to help balance out my carb-heavy dinner. After washing up, I took some time to record a few short-form videos (more to come on that soon) and got ready for bed. I wanted to get an early start to the morning, so falling asleep at dusk made sense. Additionally, I was feeling hot and wanted to cool off in a bug-free hammock. Once the sun went down and temperatures dropped, I was finally able to fall asleep. I got about 7 hours of sleep and was only up once for a bathroom break. I think a major contributor to my good sleep was the wealth of white noise from the nearby creek.

Cleaning Up and Hiking Back

I woke up at sunrise around 6 AM to the sound of many songbirds. I changed out of my sleeping clothes and ate a breakfast of oatmeal and chocolate-covered espresso beans. Yes, on hikes I chew my coffee. I took down my tarp and tent, packed my gear, and was on the trail by 7:30 AM.

I was glad to get an early start while temperatures were still low. There was quite a bit of shade along the trail, but gnats and flies eventually moved me to don my bug net. This second, much longer half of the hike had about 400 of the 538 feet in elevation gain. However, none of the hills seemed so steep or so long that I was exhausted. I only took a few short water breaks and one more extended snack break.

The previous rainy weather and humid conditions must have been ideal for mushrooms and fungi to grow. The tail out was littered with so many varieties, and I tried to capture each with my camera. While there were great views, it was nice to zoom in on the smaller things in life.

It may be the terrain or my age, but I experienced knee and ankle pain for the first time on the trail. It was later in the trip, but after walking more than 3 miles on uneven terrain, I was feeling it. Additionally, I developed a hot spot on my thumbs from using my trekking poles. I’m not sure if I was fidgeting too much with my hands or if I had to adjust my grip for the terrain regularly. Those were new obstacles to encounter, and I will take them into consideration when planning future trips.

General Takeaways

• When cellphone reception is spotty, have a backup plan to navigate back to an area with coverage, even if it means taking screenshots of turn-by-turn directions on the way to the trailhead.
• Do not count on the trailhead to have any amenities, including restrooms. The amount of foot traffic with six trails starting and ending in one spot had me walking for quite a while before I felt comfortable relieving myself.
• I need better training and/or preparation given the aches and pains I encountered on this trip.

Lessons I Learned the Hard Way

• If your phone has advanced features like satellite communication, try to learn about them before you’re out in the field. My phone had clear visibility for satellite connectivity, but I wasn’t sure about how it worked or what it cost.
• Be prepared for the unexpected by not cutting too many corners. I only packed four compressed towelettes in my poop kit, and a greasy meal before leaving for my hike did not sit well with me. I used all four, but thankfully did not need a fifth.