Date of volunteer work: 10/21/2018.
Site Name: Indian Creek Natural Area.
Number of hours worked: 0.25.
Field notes:
As I arrived at Indian Creek Natural Area I immediately noticed a new big pile of garbage dumped at the wooden fence.
I walked on and entered the area at the new trail and walked the loop. At one point I heard crashing through the brush and spotted a deer with a large rack as it leaped and disappeared in the bushes.
As I finished the loop I could see across to the bowl area and saw that the piles of bikes and stuff and garbage left by the illegal campers from the previous weekend are still there. I did not go close enough to see if any people or a tent was there.
I left via the new trail and walked along the road to the creek and waterfall. Someone has dumped a truck canopy and a bunch of garbage in the creek there. I was going to climb the steep trail up to the boulders to see if the full cart of stuff from last week was still there but heard noise of something moving through the bushes on the North side of the creek.
A car with the back end opened was parked nearby with a large pile of garbage next to it. I had driven past there earlier in the morning and there had been a big RV parked behind the car. I assumed the car had been abandoned since it was open and nobody was around.
The movement though the brush got louder so I crossed the street and started walking up the road. As I did I saw a man in black clothes working his way down the steep side of the hill to the road. He then got in the car and drove away. I have never explored the area on the north side of the creek but I’m assuming he must have a camp up there somewhere.
Also, when I was at the creek it smelled and seemed like there could be smoke from a campfire up past the waterfall somewhere but with the lingering fog I couldn’t be certain.
