I needed to get outside, but didn't want to drive too far, so decided to revisit this spot that I had come across a few years earlier.   I didn't really find anything new, maybe a few additional walls that I hadn't photographed before.   I also revisited the old Brown homestead while I was in the area.

Rock pile I started my exploration at the upper (SW) side of the complex.

A small stand of Cane (Arundinaria appalachiana)

Upper-most rock wall There were a few scattered small rock piles above here, but nothing that would considered a wall.

The stand of Cane can be seen in the rear.

I worked my way downslope past the parallel rows of walls.

Rock walls

As I walked down hill, I shot up slope, so the previous rows of parallel walls are seen in the background.

Walls...

And more walls...

As I've mentioned before, the Southeast USA doesn't have the historical culture of building rock walls like New England, for instance, where rock walls were routinely used as boundary markers and for fencing.

None of these images show it, but there are areas where there are as many as eight parallel walls.

The old maps show a homesite in the middle of this area. I've never been able to find any sign of a chimney, although this rock pile could have potentially been one.

As the topography flattens out some and approaches the creek, some of the walls are noticeably longer.

I wonder if these long lower walls fronted the old road that went through here(?)

Someone put a lot of effort into building all these walls.

It took more than one person to move some of these...

Examples of a few more of the lower walls:

Wall

Wall

Wall

Another rock pile, on my way out of the area.

When in the area, I try to get down to the old Brown homestead.   The late Melvin Brown, who lived for years at Trackrock Gap, told me that one of his early kin built this home.

I passed someone's abandoned trail cam. It had been opened and the battery pack was missing.

Front of the chimney / fireplace at the Brown place.

I've photographed it several times in the past, but can't help taking a few more pics when I'm here.

I'm always glad to see it still standing...

All of the original clay chinking is gone from the chimney. Only gravity is holding it together...

Near the chimney are corner stones and a dug cellar of a different former building.

A small branch runs directly behind the chimney. I always thought its head was where they drew their water.

So I was surprised to find this much nicer spring head about a hundred or so feet away from the old chimney.

A closer view of the rock-lined spring head.

The spring head is behind this gnarly tree, part of the reason I never saw it before!

Cupule in a rock. I filled it with water for a better view.

View across Trackrock Gap toward Buzzard Roost Ridge.

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