Homestead

Homestead

Homestead Trailhead

Here’s the sign at the Homestead Trailhead at the back of the parking lot just off of Shangri-La Road.

Description:

The Homestead trailhead is a takeout point with a parking area between the Denby Bay and Tompkins Bend trailheads. Reference the map on our Big Picture page for details.

From the trailhead you have three options:

  • you may enter (on the west) the main Denby Bay trail. Turn left and continue for 2.9 miles to P1b Denby Bay trailhead,
  • or you may also cross Shangri La Rd. (see the highway crosswalk signs)  and hike/ride about .25 miles to merge with the  P3 Tompkins Bend Trail as it heads for P4 Joplin trailhead.

After crossing  Shangri La Road heading east for the Joplin Trailhead, keep your eyes right about 20 steps into the trail and see the remains of the Old Homestead for which the trailhead is named. A 10 x 20 foot cedar split rail fence surrounds the old root cellar.  To the right of the root cellar and adjacent to Shangri La Road is the remains of the homestead’s hand dug well.  The homestead dates back to the very late 1800′s.

Surrounding Area:

This trailhead is just off the Shangri-La road, about a mile before arriving at the resort.

Length:

2.9 miles to the Denby Bay trailhead; 1.75 miles to the Tompkins Bend trailhead.

Difficulty:

Easy, but rocky on the 1.75 mile section to Tompkins Bend.

Amenities:

There are no amenities at this trailhead.

Directions to Trailhead:

Go east from Mount Ida about 9 miles or west from Hot Springs about 25 miles on U.S. Highway 270 to Shangri La Rd. You can’t miss the Shangri-La Resort sign on 270. Turn north off Highway 270 onto Shangri La Rd. Continue for about 1.5 miles and look for trail signs on the left.

Trailhead parking is on the left side of the road.

Accommodations:

Continue on Shangri-La Road past the Homestead trailhead to Tompkins Bend Campground and Shangri-La Resort and restaurant.

Recent Articles about the Homestead Trail Segment:

LOViT Marathon – Dec. 8, 2012

A bunch of Traildogs worked the LOViT Marathon this morning. The race is put on yearly by Phil and Bonnie Carr of Shangri-La Resort.  About 70 runners participated this year and enjoyed moderate and overcast weather, perfect for the run. The course begins at the corner of Shangri-La Road and the corner of old Highway 270, proceeds to the Denby Bay Trailhead on the LOViT, and then follows the Trail up to the top of Hickory Nut Mountain, for an out distance of 14+ miles.  The return trip takes the cutoff from the Joplin to Tompkins Bend segment across to the Homestead Trailhead, and then back in, accounting for the remaining 12 miles of the marathon. The ‘Dogs working the various aid stations want to thank Bonnie and Varine Carr for supplying the chili and banana pie.  Very much appreciated! This was a great event, and everyone, runners and Traildogs, … Click to read the full article

Homestead Interpretive Site Cleanup – Feb. 22, 2012

We had five volunteers today working on rehabilitating the Old Homestead Trailhead site.  Our goal was to stabilize the walls of the 100 year old root cellar and clean and clear the old hand dug well. We purchased cedar split rail fence which we installed around the old root cellar to help prevent further damage from folks climbing into the old cellar and knocking loose the carefully dry staked walls of the cellar. We cleaned the cellar of decades of debris and carefully rebuilt two places where roots from nearby pine trees had disturbed the west wall and where some trail users had removed some stones on the south wall.  Fortunately the stones from the walls were in the bottom of the cellar, covered in debris. Once the walls were rebuilt and stabilized we installed a 10’ X 20’ rail fence around the site. We also cleared the old hand … Click to read the full article