Anatomy of Hog Creek, Part 3

This is the final in the series of exploring Hog Creek. As usual, it does not disappoint; the disappointment is getting where we can see it. I had taken Hiwasee south and tried to find a viewpoint from Deerfield West, but the only hillside faced the wrong direction. I also had to stop and tighten up a few items on the bike. Things like handlebars have to work their way down into a fully seated position and I took advantage of the opportunity (that’s what you call it when you are forced to stop and take a bunch of things apart to get to the one that needs work) to re-position things a bit. Then I had to go back out this dead-end neighborhood and take Hiwasee south to SE 104th, the next nearest through street to Choctaw Road. Nothing branching off 104th approaches Hog Creek Valley except perhaps one private driveway.

(Click on any image for a larger view.)

Starting where we left off with the confluence of West Branch and main Hog Creeks, we simply face across the same Choctaw Road and view the valley, since the creek is hidden in the tall grass. I found a stone wall framing the entrance to a housing development that never sold any lots, apparently. While it’s not as easy as it used to be, I managed to climb up on this thing for a nice clear view over the roadside foliage across the valley where the creek dives down toward SE 104th.

It was not far, but quite a climb back up to SE 104th and a steep drop down into the valley again. Looking back upstream, this is the same valley segment as in the previous shot, but from the other end. The creed bed runs through the trees on the left side of the image. This is the area where the flood a few months ago spread out over a wide area and pushed down some fences when that upstream dam broke. Facing the side from the bridge we do catch a glimpse of the creek itself running under the trees (right).

It was good had climb back east out of the valley toward Indian Meridian. Where Hog Creek runs south between Choctaw Road and Indian Meridian for several miles, there is simply no good place to see it. There are several tributaries along the way, but the dense woods and intervening ridges block the view. In fact, there is a substantial pond just off Indian Meridian on the way south to SE 119th that is virtually invisible from the road, despite close proximity. Still, there is this majestic hill and valley stuff (MH&VS) from Indian Meridian facing SE over the biggest tributary we cross (left). As you might expect, it was a good hard climb back up before we get to SE 119th. The roads south and east at this intersection are dead ends.

However, heading back west on SE 119th was sheer beauty. The following two shots are all looking southward from the road across Hog Creek Valley from different spots. Left is a high view, while the right is from the valley floor. The final image centered below is simply a gratuitous MH&VS from SE 119th just before I got back to Choctaw Road. That’s quite a steep grassy hill there.

The reason our survey ends here is that Hog Creek runs down through private farmland to Stella Road, and I’ve posted several shots of where it comes out there (as part of the Brutal Loop). Just south of Stella it again enters very tightly controlled private property, but for those final miles the land is flat and somewhat swampy. For quite some time now, Hog Creek passing under Stella Road has been moderately high, which matches the water level of Lake Thunderbird, into which the creek runs from the north side.

On the way home I got to enjoy some moderate traffic along the road widening project on Choctaw Road between SE 89th and I-40. For now, they are working on east side of the road, so I threaded my way between those new extra tall orange traffic cones along a sudden drop-off mostly 18″ (45cm) deep. By this time next year it should all be finished on both sides.