FS 533

As you turn off Highway 35 onto FS 533, there will be well-maintained, hard-packed gravel for a while. Then, as you traverse the trail, the first obstacle is a gnarly washout that spans across the width of the road, followed by a muddy downhill descent. You'll eventually come across a bridge over Shongelo Creek, a spring-fed creek that feeds Shongelo Lake. Keep going and you'll come to a "T" in the road, technically 533A. The path to the right takes you through a pretty cove with wildlife, eventually bringing you to a locked gate and a wide open spot to camp or turn around. If you take a left, the trail runs much further and is mostly heavily wooded, minus a small cutover. If you take an immediate right after turning left at the "T," you'll run into a locked gate with a road closed sign. There are usually trucks at this spot during hunting season. If you pass the gate on your right, you can continue down 533A for a while, and it consists of some beautiful places to camp and a lot of red mud. 533A eventually ends and has a wide spot for a turnaround.