Dutchman's Creek Trail, marked with yellow blazes, starts at the same point as the Uwharrie Trail, at the parking lot on Hwy 24/27, and was constructed as a loop system to be used as an alternate route when hiking the southern portion of the Uwharrie Trail. Dark Mountain, on the northern portion of the trail offers an excellent western view. Camping areas along the trail include Wood Run Hunt Camp, Yates Place Camp, West Morris Mountain Campground and other primitive camps. Old home sites, cemeteries, and gold mines exist along or near the trail.
Hikers can thank an old-time trapper's son, Joe Moffit of Asheboro, for this trail. He blazed it over 25 years ago. Moffit grew up in the Uwharrie Mountains during the Great Depression and learned to live off the land at an early age. Moffit was a Scoutmaster when he started the Uwharrie Trail project in 1972 to help his Boy Scouts earn their Eagle rank. They completed the now well-known path in 1975 and founded the Uwharrie Trail Club.
There are plenty of streams in the forest, but all drinking water should be treated with a water purification kit before use. Ticks plague the forest and can be kept at bay with repellent or the new mesh clothing on the market. Always keep a watch for the timber rattlesnakes and copperheads that live in these woods.
