Ok, so here goes. If you're looking for a good little weekend hike, don't let this description fool you. This hike is long and very strenuous, pay close attention to everything. My buddy and I decided to take this trip during the last of our summer break before school started, late July early August. After driving forever on Wolfpit rd. we stayed the night in the car the day before starting the trip. We started on a Monday and began our hike. It was a beautiful day, the sun was out, mid to high 70's, little to no humidity...all around a great day for a hike and a awesome start to the trip. After you leave the parking area it's a steady climb up to connect to the MST, a few switchbacks here and there and awesome views of Lake James. After connecting with the MST (this is a good break point if you're like us and like long hiking days) you have amazing views of the gorge. From the MST as you walk along and look to your left you can see some farm land, keep that in mind cause it comes it handy later. Ok so we made our way along the trail, by the way this is the absolutely easiest hike I think I've ever had backpacking, for about 7 miles it's light gradual slopes up and down and even flat in places, but once it starts climbing it doesn't stop. Take lots of water with you too, cause there is no water up top. After climbing some steep grades you'll see some exposed mountain sides off to the right where people aren't allowed to climb cause of the falcon nests. That's where you're going. After about 10 miles you'll hit the camping area near table rock, take this time to refuel, drink water, eat something or set up camp if you're done for the day, but if you're running low on water I'd keep going cause there's none there either. So as you leave table rock camp ground you're gonna stay right and continue to follow the ridge, it'll start down a very wide path, easy to follow, you'll hit a clearing about 20 minutes in, you're not near water yet so keep going. You'll start to see a road off out of the woods, don't be alarmed you're on track still, go out and stay left til you hit the boy scout trail, this one is very wide, very easy to follow and very well marked. Should have no trouble here. You'll start seeing a little tributary to the river on the right and tucked back in the woods is the best camp site we found, we stayed there for the night. Rain moved in that night and we got wet...and stayed that way. Second day starting out was ok, the rain and soaked a lot of our stuff but we were relatively dry. the hike to the river was short where we came from. You cross a couple boy scout bridges to the other side of the river, continue following the trail but don't get too comfortable, you won't have it for long. As you follow the river you'll see spotted campsites where fisherman like to stay it's far too early to make camp so don't even bother. We decided that we wanted to make the river food before making camp because we knew if it rained again this night we may not be able to ford the river. So we continued along the river side, following a poorly marked trail that completely disappears a couple times. About halfway through the second say rain hit again, we rested up and ate some food and waited for it to pass. Once back on the trail or what we could make out of it we kept going. for a while you're actually bushwhacking so get comfy cause the next 2 miles are hell. The trail, when it does reappear veers out the the right and moves away from the river, this is the part where things get funny. There's a trail that's running straight away from the river don't take that, stay left. When you get back by the river keep following it a trail will show up trust me. On up you'll see the trail dead end at a shear rock wall. THIS IS NOT YOUR FORD. We made that mistake and paid dearly for it the next day when we had to climb a mountain with no ropes and no gear to speak of for 900 ft in fog so thick we stayed soaked. But we made it out. Now back to that dead end, if you remember me telling you about that farm land, well you're about a mile away from it at that dead end. on the same side as it. On back before the dead end and the clearing this is a trail, that at this point looks very uninviting, it goes straight up to the right, take this trail it'll circumnavigate the farm land and lead to the real ford and then make your ascent and go home you just completed one of the most difficult and fulfilling hikes of your life. Hope you found this useful and good luck on your trip.