Old Dan Walking

You ever have one of those brilliant ideas that you know right away will make you a zillionaire, only to find out that somebody else beat you to it? Nope, this time it wasn't the Snuggie.  

Yesterday my son Thomas and I took a little walk around Dreher Island State Recreation Area, a small park on Lake Murray just a few miles from home. While we were walking I picked up a leaf and was trying to figure out what it was when my tech savvy 13-year-old son said, "hey, there should be an App that can do that for you." I thought Thomas' idea was brilliant...

So Thomas immediately got on the phone with his Uncle Joe, an Apple App writer by trade, who burst our bubble by informing us that the University of Maryland, Columbia University, and The Smithsonian Institute were already way ahead of us. The App is Leafsnap (opens in a new window), available currently for Apple devices and soon for the Android.

I will certainly enjoy using this App, but bummer...I guess we'll have to wait a while longer to be zillionaires...

Editor's Note: For guest journal #3 we head back out West for another look at the grand Rocky Mountains of Colorado. Co-worker Jeremiah Schwartz spent a day during a recent visit to his relatives in Colorado climbing around the tree-less heights of the majestic Rockies, bagging three separate 14,000' peaks, known to those tough enough to conquer them as 14ers, in one hike. Enjoy his description and pictures from a day spent above the clouds:

Thanks Jeremiah for the excellent journal and pictures! -Dan

Triumvirate of 14er’s

 

Greetings! When Dan is not out wandering the hills, he is my taskmaster in the real world (yes, he has an actual job! :-). Thanks for the opportunity to share my latest hike with your readers Dan!

 

The access road from Alma as viewed from the summit of Mount Democrat

 

I was out in Colorado for a family reunion, and we started our day very early so as to avoid the afternoon thunderstorms. We had intended to get to the trailhead at first light, but the drive up the access road was slow going due to the above average rainfall washing out parts of the road this year. The access road originates in the quaint town of Alma where I hear they have replaced country music with reggae at the local bar. Alma, population 179, is on state highway 9 a little ways out from Breckenridge. Having engaged my 4-wheel drive I was feeling pretty rugged and manly until I discovered the Mustang and Mazda 3 already waiting for us at the trailhead.

 

 I had climbed Mt. Lincoln three years ago, but there had been low-lying clouds that time around. The net result was not all that different than if I had stuck my head in a bucket full of dry ice for a few hours (all while climbing a steep grade at high altitude of course). Thankfully we had clear skies this time, and the views were awe inspiring. Our plan was to climb Mt. Democrat (14,148 ft) and then a few of us brave (or foolhardy?) souls would continue from the saddleback up Mt. Cameron and from there on to Mt Lincoln (8^th highest peak in the state at 14,293 ft). Mt. Cameron, by the way, weighs in at 14,239 ft. The saddleback between Cameron and Lincoln does not swing sufficiently low, however, for Cameron to be considered a true 14er in its own right. But hey, it sounds better to say we climbed three 14ers in one day, so I’m going for it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kite Lake at the Trailhead to Mount Lincoln and Democrat

 

 

Kite Lake provides a scenic start to the hike, nestled in the amphitheater created by Democrat, Cameron, and Bross. Bross, at 14,172 ft, constitutes the third (true!) 14er of this triumvirate located in the Mosquito Range. We did not get around to Bross this time, opting instead to save that one for our next reunion. The trailhead follows a stream that feeds Kite Lake for a stretch on the way up to the saddleback between Democrat and Cameron. After working up a good sweat, we met with a very chilly wind blowing over the top of the saddleback. I am pretty sure some ice crystals formed on my brow while waiting for members of our troop. The moral of the story is to dress in layers because it is necessary to add and subtract along the way.

Mount Bross as Viewed From the Spine Leading to Mount Cameron

 

 

 

 

From that first saddleback we went on to a brutal ascent up Democrat. Near the end you crest a rise that previously looked like the summit, only to find a relatively flat section leading to the true summit. Once you have reached the “false summit,” however, the remainder of the climb is tame in comparison.

Mount Lincoln as viewed from Mount Cameron

 

The climb from that first saddleback to Cameron and then to Lincoln is longer than the climb of Democrat, but also more gradual. For anyone planning to do both in one day, I recommend they conquer Democrat first and then move on to Lincoln (or, alternatively, Bross, which is also on the opposite side of Cameron from the first saddleback). Otherwise, plan on crawling on all fours at the steepest part of the trail up Democrat. And speaking of all fours, there were quite a few little rodents, called picas, which greeted us along the path. We also saw a few marmots about the size of tomcats. Alas, I did not get a good picture of the marmots to share.

Pica along the way to the first saddleback

 

According to my cousin’s GPS, the entire trek was about seven miles. Toward the end we saw and heard the thunderstorms off in the distance, but we only encountered a few stray raindrops where we were at. We were good and worn out when we arrived back at the trailhead, but with that great sense of achievement that always accompanies an excellent hike.

Summit of Mount Lincoln

Editors Note: My second guest journal is from back east in the Smokies and comes from the 13-year-old veteran outdoorsman Zachary Ott. Zachary is the son of my co-worker Randy Ott, who has appeared on Old Dan Walking before. Randy and Zachary often camp at the Smoky's highest elevation frontcountry campground, Balsam Mountain Campground, where I hear Zachary prepares some mean foil pouch pineapple upside-down cake over the fire. On a previous trip they'd walked nearby Flat Creek Trail, and since I missed that opportunity to have Zachary describe his day on the trail, I didn't want to miss his take on his most recent Smoky Mountain adventure. Enjoy!

Thanks Zachary for the great journal and pictures! (you can click on any picture to enlarge it) -Dan 

Newfound Gap to Charlies Bunion

Round trip: 8.1 miles 

My name is Zachary Paul Ott, my dad and I hiked a trail his boss, Mr. Dan DeSetto, recommended to us. That weekend we had camped at Balsam Mountain Campground above Maggie Valley, NC. It was an hour long drive to Newfound Gap through many tunnels. We finally got there, and in the middle of road was a sign saying:

I couldn’t believe we had come this far, so we parked and got packed up and ready to go. We had a hard time trying to find the trail, it wasn’t on a sign.

So we started off on Boulevard Trail, (editor's note - actually it was the Appalachian Trail)  it was all uphill for the first two miles, it was torture. We saw some grouse, but they were too quick to take a picture of. I kept asking how far we had come, my Dad kept saying “don’t think about it” 

( I had a hard time with that, heh heh).

We came to a sign that said we had come 1.7 miles and Ice Water Spring Shelter was 1.3 miles away. We found a lot of backpacking campsites, and planned a backpacking trip to Maine when I was in college. That only gives me five years to train!

After a while we came to the shelter it was a crude stone shelter, but hey… it was a shelter. About a fourth mile later we saw Ice Water Spring; a thin plastic pipe had water bubbling out of it. It was correctly named… burr! There were some crossroads and we got lost.

 

Soon, we saw some great overlooks through the trees.

We finally got to Charles Bunion, it had an amazing view.

It had a small cliff to climb,

 

…so far we had come 4.05 miles and climbed 1600 feet. 

The way back was painful. I fell on a rock and hurt my knee, which made us go two miles per hour slower than we could have, not to mention the uncomfortable rash and the blisters on my feet. Every one and a half steps it was, hurt, burn, squish … hurt, burn, squish. When we finally got back, I felt like passing out.

 

Editors Note #2: Congratulations Zachary, as you can see by the elevation profile this was no easy 'walk in the Park'. You conquered 4 miles of the Appalachian Trail (8 r/t), a 6000' mountain, and 2900' of climbing overall...great job! Keep bugging Dad to bring you back to the Smokies for camping and hiking. J

Editor's Note: I'm pleased to announce that Old Dan Walking will be featuring guest journals of three different friends on three different hikes in the coming days. In the recent weeks I've become Old semi-retired from walking Dan and I thank my three friends for filling in and providing stories of their wilderness treks. The first journal comes from longtime friend of my wife and I and former Florida flatlander Jodi Patton, now living full-time at 9200' in the Colorado Rockies. Jodi is quite the outdoorswoman and has enjoyed many treks around the high mountains of Colorado. Enjoy:

Thanks Jodi for the great journal and beautiful pictures! -Dan

August 2011 hike to Devils Thumb and Devils Thumb Lake, near Winter Park Colorado

 

Hi Everyone I am Jodi Patton and am a long time friend of Dan’s. I recently sent him some pictures from one of my hikes where I live in Winter Park, Colorado. He asked me to be a guest writer this week…..thinking you might enjoy a different perspective from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. 

Winter Park, Colorado is now considered the highest town in the US since we recently annexed The Winter Park Ski Resort.  The town sits at 9200’ and the ski resort rt peaks around 12,060’!

 

The Hike I did this past weekend is known as the Devil’s Thumb Trail. There are a few choices of trails to get there and I chose the one accessible from the Town of Winter Park, Colorado via Corona Pass Road.  Corona Pass Road is an unimproved non-maintained forest road that will knock your teeth out if you are not paying close attention to all hazards on the road. The road is slow going and takes about 45minutes of travel time to access the trailhead. This trail is approximately 8 miles round trip and follows along the continental divide on the western side before dropping down on the eastern side to a couple of lakes. The peak elevation during the hike is about 12,236’.

 

Devil’s Thumb – A Historical Note

 

According to local lore, Native Americans named Devil’s Thumb – a rocky outcropping that towers high above the town. As legend goes, after the warring Ute and Arapahoe tribes settled their differences in the Ranch Creek Valley, they buried the devil, but left his thumb exposed to remind them of the evils of war.

And YES! That is snow in the pictures. We still have quite a bit along the divide from our heavy snowfall this past winter. The views from the trail are spectacular and the wild flowers were in full bloom.  Of course don’t look to long at the flowers because you don’t want to loose your footing on the many steep ledges required to get there. 

Columbine is the state Flower as seen in this picture.

And as always, I like to have a reward once I get to my destination. Here’s my catch of the day out of Devil’s Thumb Lake. Don’t worry I put him back so he can continue to enjoy that pristine alpine lake until the next angler comes lurking. 

A Colorado Cutthroat Trout

 Jodi's dog Nick takes a break and checks out the view

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Noland Divide Trail(Opens in new window) 

7.4 mile out-and-back walk in the high country of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, not far from Clingmans Dome. The walk started and ended at the northern Noland Divide trailhead on Clingmans Dome Road – June 18, 2011

When the temperatures in the Midlands of South Carolina start hitting triple digits on a regular basis, I can’t help but count the minutes until I can be walking up on the cool high elevations of a Great Smoky Mountains trail. So on the eve of Father’s Day I bolted up north for a quick walk to get my fix of the high country spruce-fir forests. Arriving in Cherokee for the Friday overnight I could see that the weather had rough around these parts recently, with an abundance of downed trees littered about and a fleet of Asplundh trucks standing by in a nearby parking lot. Some were fitted with cool fat monster-truck tires to deal with terrain, something I’d never seen before on a big cherry-picker truck. Motels were stocked full this weekend due to various activities, such as a Cam-Am motorcycle rally. Hundreds of these strange looking motorcycles were everywhere. Saturday morning, after taking in some great morning views from the Clingmans Dome parking area, it would be an early start for a short out-and-back on one of the high country trails starting just a few tenths of a mile east of the parking area.

Noland Divide – north-south ridge

Noland Divide is one of the north-south ridges that form either the ‘arms’ or ‘ribs’ of the Smokies, depending on how you look at it. If you look at a terrain or relief map of the Smokies, the main ridge, comprised of most of the highest elevation peaks, the NC/TN border, and the Appalachian Trail and sometimes referred to as the ‘spine’, runs mainly west-east from the Fontana Lake area in the west to I-40 in the east. There are several ridges that intersect the main ridge nearly perpendicular. I walked two of those ‘arms’, Forney Ridge and Hughes Ridge, last year. Today I would walk Noland Divide Ridge, another of those ‘arms’ that starts way down in the low country at the Deep Creek Campground and ends at the Smoky’s crest very near Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the Park.

Noland Divide separates the Forney Creek watershed to its west with the Deep Creek watershed to its east. The trail that follows the Divide north or south, depending on your starting point, follows the Divide for about 12 miles and climbs or descends around 4500’ feet in elevation from one end to the other. This is a popular trail for those doing shuttle hikes, leaving one car at the southern trailhead in the Deep Creek Campground and shuttling another car to the northern trailhead on Clingmans Dome Road. I don’t typically do shuttle hikes, so I was going to grab just the upper 3.7 miles of the trail in an out-and-back starting at the small parking area beside Clingmans Dome Road. My starting point today was at nearly 6000’ in elevation.

Noland Divide Trail and the awesome Smokies high country

What can you say about the Smoky’s high country? Just awesome. The upper few tenths of the Forney Ridge Trail are along an old roadbed, overgrown on both sides but easy walking to allow me to enjoy my walk in the beloved spruce-fir. Signs of recent storms are just a short distance down the trail, with three big spruce toppled over and ripping the forest floor up like a can opener, exposing the virgin soil underneath. Around a bend to the right I see the acid rain monitoring tower, also a victim of the big storms. Several large spruce have toppled directly onto the tower, hitting it high up and also at the base, destroying the chain link safety enclosure. It’s tough sledding up here in these high hills. The trail bends off to the left and then comes upon a spur to the right that used to be a service road to a pump station for the Clingmans Dome bathrooms. Thanks to those newly installed vault toilets now at the Dome, there will be no need to use this road anymore. I give a moment of silence for my old friends the flush toilets at the Dome. Vault toilets are the pits..literally.

After the spur the trail thins and becomes more of a trail than a road. Alongside the trail, mixed in with the spruce and dead fraser fir, are the gnarled, twisted trunks of various types of birch and beech. The trunks of these trees are twisted in all sorts of ways by the high winds that often occur up at these elevations. Many of the red spruce trees are large, having escaped logging operations that occurred nearby because the ridges were tough to access. Dead fraser fir skeletons are reminders of the Balsam Wooley Adelgid infestation that decimated the population of mature firs in the 1970’s and 80’s. Knowing that I’ll be doing the vast majority of my uphill on the return leg, I appreciate the gentle decent, which is only noticeable steep in a few spots. Most of the descent is gradual and a pleasant walk through an aromatic and scenic forest. The only downside is ridge views of Forney Ridge to the west and Thomas Divide to the east are mostly obstructed by the thick forest.

Wildflowers zones and Upper Sassafras Gap

Today’s wildflower show was noticeably broken up into zones. At the upper elevations of the walk, Christmas fern, Hobblebush, and lilies were everywhere. None of the lilies had blooms and most did not have their seed stalks, with the exception of a few bluebead lilies that had not yet turned blue. Trillium were abundant but all had already gone to seed. In the next quarter of the descent, it was the Fire Pink show, with a cluster of blooms every hundred feet or so. Fire Pink is a distinct bright red flower with serrated or ‘pinked’ edges.

The third quarter of the descent was dominated by Squawroot, a parasitic plant that often grows on the boundaries of trails and looks like ears of corn sticking up. This marked the point where I had left the spruce-fir zone and descended into a much drier forest of dead hemlocks and oaks. Big trees were abundant as were the sprouts and decaying trunks of the blighted American Chestnut tree. The bottom quarter burst with Galax wands and flame azalea blossoms. Although technically a shrub and not a wildflower, the yellow, orange, and yellow-orange flowers of the flame azalea are a major treat this time of year in the upper-middle elevations.

Before long I reached the end of my descent at the peaceful and remote Upper Sassafras Gap (elevation ~4240’). This was the intersection with two other trails, Pole Road Creek Trail to the east and Noland Creek Trail to the west. Noland Divide Trail continued south and straight ahead towards the Deep Creek Campground. The last time I was in the Smokies I walked the southern end of Noland Creek Trail. It will be much harder to return to this spot and check off the upper miles of this trail along with Pole Road Creek Trail, a connector trail that heads east over to Deep Creek Trail. I will save those miles for another day, for it was time to retrace my steps and tackle the 1700’ ascent back to my car on Clingmans Dome Road. On the way, the heavens opened up and it stormed like there was no tomorrow. Lightning and thunder popped all around. I was thankful to be on an enclosed, rather than exposed, ridgeline. I made it to the car soaked from head to toe, but thankful for another nice walk in the Smokies high country.

Low elevation on my 7.4 mile out-and-back walk was around 4240’ at Upper Sassafras Gap and high elevation was around 5910’ at the trailhead on Clingmans Dome Road. The walk included about 1880’ in overall climbing, an easy day compared my last Smokies walk.  

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Noland Divide Trail(Opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Springhouse Branch Loop(Opens in new window)

16.9 mile loop walk in the ‘road to nowhere’ area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The walk started and ended at the Noland Creek trailhead on Lake View Drive (RTN) and included Noland Creek Trail, Springhouse Branch Trail, Forney Creek Trail, Whiteoak Branch Trail, Lakeshore Trail, and a road walk from the tunnel at the end of Lake View Drive. – May 21, 2011

With only two walks in the Smoky Mountains in the past seven months, I feel like they should revoke my residency status. I’ve been so absent the groundhogs, turkey, and elk don’t recognize my car anymore. But alas, to my relief I was finally heading back for a late May walk in the ‘road to nowhere’ area, officially known as Lake View Drive, just a short drive west from Bryson City, NC. I let the wife know that if Jesus came looking for me this morning, predicted Rapture Day, to tell him I’d be in the Smokies, about the closest approximation of Heaven that can be had on planet Earth. J I was a bit apprehensive about the loop I was going to tackle today due to its 6000 feet of overall elevation gain, 16.9 miles, and well above average temperature predictions.

Noland Creek Trail and a rare encounter

I get a good early start (7AM) for my long day. The trailhead for my first segment, Noland Creek Trail, is officially a mile south of Lake View Drive at Fontana Lake. Instead of starting there, however, I would start my loop from the large parking area beside the road.  The trail drops down off the south side of the Lake View Drive and then crosses back under the road on a wide gravel bed. I immediately cross Noland Creek on a wide bridge and am wowed by the mountain laurel flower show. Laurel was the definite star of today’s walk, with thousands and thousands of buds scattered on every trail and every elevation. Other stars included Squawroot, Speckled Wood Lily, Hepatica, Galax, Partridgeberry, and many more. Wood Betony was also very abundant but it looked like it was about a week or so away from blooming.

On the lower section of Noland Creek Trail I’m frustrated at the fact that the trail is not close enough to the creek for photo ops. I chose this (counterclockwise) direction for my loop because I wanted to walk beside the creek in the early morning, but never really walk in too close proximity to it on the wide road-like trail. Fortunately there are several wide bridges where I can take in the beauty of Noland Creek. At about 1.3 miles, I reach the spur trail that goes off the left to campsite #65 on the banks of Bearpen Branch. After this point the trail curves around to a wide flat area that obviously had a homesite in the pre-Park days. I enjoy the easy, gradual climb and the picture taking ops at each bridge crossing.

Near the third or fourth bridge I stop in my tracks to see what looks like a large mammal, about the size of coyote, sauntering on the trail’s left ridge. I quickly realize it is not a coyote, but rather a cat…a big cat. The white tufts on its ears tell me it’s a bobcat, but I had no idea they got this big. He hasn’t spotted me yet, and I’m not very close to the creek so there isn’t much sound to drown out my fumbling with the camera. I attempt to get a movie, but am trying so hard not to move I can’t get it focused. My pictures and movie are lousy, but the experience of watching this big guy dig at the trails edge for his breakfast is awesome. I watch him for about two minutes, trying not to move a muscle. He finishes digging and begins moving northward up the trail; I try to follow quietly, but he turns back and sees me, then bolts off to the right edge of the trail and out of sight. What a rare and incredible experience to see this elusive nocturnal cat for such a long stretch! Click the link to my Youtube video of the bobcat having a snack! (opens in a new window - 720p HD available)

...or you can just click on the embedded video.

 

As is typically the case when you spot a rare Smokies mammal on the trail, every rock and tree from that point forward looks like another bobcat or a bear. I continue up the easy path enjoying the creek and flower show and much faster than expected I cross over Mill Creek on a large bridge and am at the intersection with Springhouse Branch Trail, 4.1 miles from my starting point. This area, the Solola Valley, was heavily settled in pre-Park days, with a post office and school nearby. To the left of the trail is large and fancy horse camp #64, with picnic tables and horse ties.  

Springhouse Branch Trail and another large Smokies resident

Springhouse Branch Trail begins climbing beyond the camp and crosses Mill Creek at a couple of times on pleasant rock hops. Mountain Laurel explodes in bloom all over the place. As I climb I the side of Jerry Bald Ridge I notice many flat areas with rock piles, sites of former houses and mills from the once thriving community. The trail turns sharply to the left and climbs steeply away from Mill Creek, then switches sharply left again into an area of large trees and abundant wildflowers. At another sharp switchback, this time to the right, I reach the ridgetop and the forest changes to laurel and rhododendron. From this point the climb is much easier and very enjoyable, through an area of dead chestnut stumps and logs with some new sprouts bordering the trail.

2.8 miles from campsite #64 I reach the intersection with Forney Ridge Trail at Board Camp Gap. The sign says Andrews Bald is just a tantalizing couple of miles to the right, but as tempting as it is that segment will have to wait for another day. Mentally I’m expecting the climbing to be over here since I reached another ridge, but from here I have about another mile of up and down. This section of the trail has nice views to the southeast, although most are fairly obstructed this time of year. It will be nice to walk this segment in the Fall on a loop down from Clingmans Dome on Forney Creek Trail and back up Forney Ridge. It’s never to early to plan your next hike. J

At a large rhododendron tunnel the trail switches sharply back to begin its descent down into Bee Gum Branch valley. Here a tree has begun to swallow the trail sign it has mounted on it. The descent is pleasant, not too steep, with occasional ridge views through the trees. At a few places the beautiful flame azalea were blooming. Around on wide bend I hear the rustling beside the trail and stop in my tracks again…this time it is a black bear! This appears to be a young adult, stout and strong looking with a good coat. He begins to retreat uphill by jumping up on a large tree that has fallen perpendicular to the trail, giving me a stellar view of him as he climbs up the fallen trunk. Fantastic! Again, I try to get a picture but can’t get my camera in a good position before he crests the ridge and is gone. My 26x zoom is nice, but one downside is it takes longer than the average camera to be ready to shoot. I miss another golden opportunity. I feel pretty blessed today for such fine animal encounters, finishing up the long descent down Rough-hew Ridge and reaching the intersection with Forney Creek at campsite #71.

Forney Creek Trail, Whiteoak Branch Trail, and Lakeshore Trail

Campsite #71 is a large flat area beside Forney Creek that is the site of an former CCC camp. The large chimney still remains. Here I spend several enjoyable minutes talking with one of the campers, Dr. Tom Warren of Hickory, NC. He is here trout fishing with friends and has caught several nice rainbow trout. We talk for a while and I admire his catch before heading southbound on Forney Creek Trail for the 5 mile trek back to Lake View Drive. It is blazing hot now and the gnats and flies are getting to be a nuisance. I’m happy I brought a lot of water today because I will use every bit of it. There are few spots to view boulder-filled Forney Creek and stop to take a couple of pictures.

In 1.3 miles and seemingly no time I reach the intersection with Whiteoak Branch Trail. From here I have two choices to connect to Lakeshore Trail, either continuing 1.5 miles along Forney Creek Trail to its end campsite #74 on Fontana Lake, or 1.8 miles on Whiteoak Branch Trail. I choose Whiteoak Branch Trail. I immediately cross Whiteoak Branch and take the opportunity to dunk my hat to cool off. It is blazing now and I’m careful to continue drinking even though I don’t want to. Whiteoak Branch Trail climbs about 300’ through a dry pine forest, crossing over Grey Wolf Creek and other trickling tributaries. The trail bed is dry and sandy, which the abundant grasshoppers seem to enjoy. I’m overheating now and am relieved to reach the intersection with Lakeshore Trail so I can drop my pack for a quick break.I

i’ve done the remaining two miles along Lakeshore Trail two other times, but not this time of year. Although it’s not my favorite Smokies area it was nice with Mountain Laurel blooming and the trees fully leaved.  I don’t appreciate the two climbs in the heat though, and am relieved to reach the tunnel for a chance to get some cool shade. I complete my loop with a road walk along Lake View Drive, finishing the 16.9 miles in just over 9 hours. This is much faster than I expected to finish and I make it home before the sun is down, completing another glorious May walk in the Great Smoky Mountains.

Low elevation on my 16.9 mile loop walk was around 1800’ near at the trailhead on Lake View Drive and high elevation was around 4100’ on Springhouse Branch Trail. The walk included about 6000’ in overall climbing.  

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Springhouse Branch Loop(Opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Green Knob Fire Tower Trail(Opens in new window) 

5.7 mile out-and-back walk to the Green Knob fire tower on the Blue Ridge Parkway in the Pisgah National Forest. The walk started and ended at the Green Knob trailhead at the Black Mountain Campground near Forest Service Road 2074, a short distance off of the Blue Ridge Parkway (milepost 348) – May 1, 2011

I wanted to get a walk in on the first weekend of May, but since it was Sunday I needed to stay reasonably close to home. I’ve completed almost all of the trails in the eastern half of the Smoky Mountains, closest to home, so I decided on a walk near my second favorite, the Blue Ridge Parkway. Today I would take the long way up to the Green Knob fire tower from the Black Mountain Campground, just off of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Mount Mitchell State Park. There is a short trail from an overlook on the Parkway that takes you to the tower, but I chose the more difficult 2000’ ascent from the campground to get an appropriate workout and feel like I earned it. Boy…this little trail really does make you earn it. (on the trailhead sign it is rated “Most Difficult”…I must say I agree)

In my own little world on the hiking trail, I was unaware of how important Sunday May 1^st would be for America and our Allies, with the news of Usama bin Laden’s death making big headlines soon after I got home. Celebrations went off around the country like V-J day. Unfortunately, there was no country manning up and laying down their arms..but that’s a story for another day. Remember I said I wouldn’t get controversial because you get enough of that? Let me just say God Bless our country and our brave men and women that have toiled and sacrificed for far too long against an ‘unconventional’ enemy!

Uphill to the tower

If you’re coming from Asheville along the Blue Ridge Parkway, the dirt road that is designated Forest Service Road #2074 is about ½ mile north of milepost #348. You’ll turn left and descend through an area of campsites in Pisgah National Forest land. When the road comes to a triangle intersection, stay to left and you’ll hit the Black Mountain Campground on the banks of the South Toe River. There is a large parking area near an information kiosk, just before the entrance to the campground. The trailhead for the Green Knob Trail (#182) is yellow blazed and begins just behind the kiosk.

The trail starts out with an ascent through an open hemlock forest. As usual, most of the trees have already been killed off by the Hemlock Wooley Adelgid (HWA). Ferns burst from the ground to signal the arrival of Spring . I will see no one on the trail this late morning nor the remainder of the day, probably because the fire tower was closed. A short distance up the trail I spot the first of many Crested Dwarf Iris I’d see today. They sure stand out in early Spring. Painted Trillium were the other abundant wildflowers on this walk.

Soon the River Loop, a white-blazed trail that returns to the campground after a 3 mile loop, splits off and descends to the right. I continue straight and begin to climb into the tunnels of Mountain Laurel and Rhododendron.

The upper section and the tower

I continue to climb southward up Lost Cove Ridge, struggling against the congestion and sinus junk I’ve been fighting this week. The ridge thins in a laurel patch, and here I can begin to see the adjacent ridge and mountain off to the north and west, which I believe were Whiteside Ridge and Higgins Bald. In a few spots the climb gets intense, steep and then flattening again in a dense forest with blooming Fraser Magnolia. I stop to catch my breath and notice my reflection in the shiny mica on the trail bed. Further up a couple of large trees stand like sentinels, with the trail passing between them. I see the first little spruce tree growing beside the trail, unknowingly marking the beginning of the spruce-fir zone.

After another steep section there is finally the first, and very welcome, trail switchback. Nearby there are nice specimens of Squawroot, Star Chickweed, and more trillium.

I really get the feeling the tower must be close because I’ve been climbing hard for a long time, but unfortunately I’m way wrong. The trail narrows, then switches sharply back and begins climbing on rocks. These rocks would be somewhat tricky on the way back, causing me to crawl down to avoid slipping. The Black Mountains are now in plain view, with Clingmans Peak, Mount Mitchell, and Mount Craig visible in the increasing cloudiness. For the remainder of the climb, these peaks would be visible off to the west as well as nice views down the South Toe River valley. I hear the sounds of motorcycles now, and with each crest I get that same “I’ve got to be close” feeling, but the tower is not there. Big spruce trees are now all around and the trail is closed in with Hobblebush, blueberry, and laurel. There is an unmistakable aroma of the spruce-fir forest.  I’m tired. Finally, when all hope seemed lost..the tower. J

The live-in Green Knob fire tower, built in 1931, is closed for its third refurbishment. It sits at 5080’ elevation on the Eastern Continental Divide with a commanding view of the Black Mountains, as well as many other peaks in all directions. It is clearly visible from the Parkway. With the refurb in full swing, wood debris and other junk is all around the mountain ridge.It is mid-afternoon now and the views are only so-so, with the clouds completely obscuring the eastern views and the western views beginning to cloud over too. It didn’t really matter, I was proud to have tackled this rough trail to get to the tower the hard way. Now next time, I’ll surely take the easy route from the Parkway Overlook. I return the way I came up and make my way home, happy with another good workout in the southern Appalachians. The bin Laden news is about to break.

Low elevation on my 5.7 mile out-and-back walk was around 3000’ at the trailhead at the Balsam Mountain Campground and high elevation was 5080’ at the Green Knob fire tower. The walk included about 2310’ in overall climbing.  

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Green Knob Fire Tower Trail(Opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Schoolhouse Gap Loop(Opens in new window)

15.2 mile lollipop walk in the Cades Cove area of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The walk started and ended at the Schoolhouse Gap trailhead and also included Scott Mountain Trail, Crooked Arm Ridge Trail, Rich Mountain Loop Trail, a bit of road walking, Crib Gap Trail, and finally Turkeypen Ridge Trail – April 2, 2011

In May 2008 I officially became a crazed fanatic of walking on the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains after finishing a short but tough 4 mile out-and-back on beautiful Kephart Prong Trail. I’d been on Smokies trails before, but for some reason that walk signaled a transition in me from tourist to Smokies ‘resident’. Since that time. I walked the trails in my beloved Park every chance I got, never going more than a few weeks between visits. Fast forward to today….and it had been 6 months to the day since my last visit, an early-Fall stroll on the Cataloochee Divide Trail. I was long past getting the itch to return.

Woo-hoo, it’s Friday night and I’m FINALLY going back! The first weekend of April’s weather forecast was better for Sunday than Saturday, but I couldn’t let that deter me. I screamed up I-26 and the long drive didn’t even phase me, making it to the brand-spanking-new Oconaluftee Visitor Center past closing time, but still officially on opening day. A couple of pictures to mark the occasion and it was off on the long, dark and winding drive to Townsend, TN for the overnight. In a few hours I’d be back on Smokies ground for the first time in a long time…Praise God!

Schoolhouse Gap Trail

Schoolhouse Gap Trail starts at a small parking area directly beside Laurel Creek Road, 3.7 miles west of the Townsend “Y”. I was biting off a pretty big chunk today by walking 15.2 miles after so little walking during the Fall and Winter, but Schoolhouse Gap Trail’s gentle grade and wide, flat road-like surface would be much appreciated later in the day when I returned to the car worn out. The trail is part of a roadway system that was originally planned to give Townsend an over-the-Smokies-crest hookup with Hazel Creek in North Carolina in the 1840s, but the project was abandoned when the NC side was not completed. The roads that were completed on the Tennessee side are now trails, but none are very trail-like, including this one.

Laurel Creek comes in on the right side of the trail, flowing under a picturesque bridge. Wildflowers are immediately seen popping on the left and right trail edges, with trillium being the most dominant. Most of the trillium have not yet open. As great as the flower show was on this entire walk today, I think it will be even more spectacular in a week or two. The trail climbs slowly beside tiny Spence Branch, a tributary of Laurel Creek. Climbing is easy right now, but not so later on today.

I reach the Turkeypen Ridge Trail intersection at Dorsey Gap in 1.1 miles.  Here I talk with a nice couple from Walland that are on their way to unofficial spur trail to Whiteoak Sink, a lowland area of caves and a ‘blowhole’ that is just west of the trail. The spur trail is just beyond the intersection and marked with a “No Horses” sign. Beyond there the climbing is a bit tougher, up into a nice white pine forest, with western views of Scott Mountain beginning to appear and stiff, cool breezes whipping through the trees. Ah…I’m back in the Smokies again.

The Chestnut Gap Trail intersection appears on the right, just 0.2 miles from Schoolhouse Gap and the end of my first segment. There is no schoolhouse here but there is a private residence just feet from the Park boundary. The name of this gap apparently came from children following this route to school in Townsend.

Scott Mountain Trail

I really enjoyed the 3.6 miles of Scott Mountain Trail. It is a big contrast from Schoolhouse Gap Trail. This is a real, albeit very narrow, trail that follows the Park’s northern boundary westward towards Cades Cove. The mountain itself drops off dramatically on the north side and there are views in both directions, at least during this time of the year. I’ll get almost half of my total elevation gain for today on this one trail.

There were a few blowdowns to navigate, but other than that it is nice ridge climbing. After a brief pass through a pine forest boulders begin to appear. The middle section has lots of boulders strewn about. In one saddle the breeze was whipping over the crest, and there was an abundance of wildflowers. I stop every two seconds for pictures of yet another awesome view to the south of Pinkroot Ridge and occasionally to the north into Tuckaleechee Valley.

The trail turns to the south and it is here that the real wildflower display begins. A shaded hardwood cove at about 3100’ in elevation is lush and exploding with dutchmens britches, bloodroot, trillium, violets, spring beauties, and other flowers that are no match for my meager identification skills. A small creek has a nice cascade and contributes to the cool splendor of this area. I briefly stop for a chat with three friendly young backpackers from Chicago who had overnighted at nearby campsite #6.

I continue on, swinging to the southwest again and into drier forest. I come across a cool limestone mini-cave a bit further up the trail, then finish the climb to today’s high point with a walk through rhodo-tunnels. Campsite #6 is on the right just before the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail intersection. It is a small camp with water provided by Green Branch, tiny up at this elevation.

Crooked Arm Ridge and Rich Mountain Loop Trails

My next two trails are repeats of an October 2009 walk, but this time I’m traveling downhill. Going this direction Crooked Arm Ridge Trail is much more pleasant, dropping 1300 feet to the floor of Cades Cove in 2.2 miles. At the top it plummets through pine and oak with views to the west of the bright green fields of Cades Cove. Further down it comes upon Crooked Arm Branch, flowing much stronger than my previous visit. Crooked Arm Falls puts on a nice display near the bottom.

At Rich Mountain Loop Trail I turn left for the easy 0.5 mile walk beside a manicured field. Two wild turkeys graze on the other side of the field and give me a chance to try out my 26x zoom lens. I reach Cades Cove Loop Road and the western end of my walk for today. Now back east to the car some 4.5 miles away as the crow flies. Unfortunately I’m not a crow, so it will require more than 7 miles of walking for us mere humans.  

Anthony Creek and Crib Gap Trails

The wind is blowing strong through the Cove, carrying with it the sweet aroma of the horse camp. But just a 0.5 mile east and I’ll be dealing with a different, albeit much more pleasant aroma. I have to walk to the far end of the Cades Cove picnic area to reach the trailhead for Anthony Creek Trail. The smell of burgers and steak grilling after 10 miles of walking with nothing but a Nature Valley granola bar to eat is tough to take. J We hikers are a tough lot, so I press on.

Anthony Creek is another road that is called a trail, at least for the 0.3 miles of it I saw before reaching the Crib Gap intersection. Anthony Creek flows beside it and I leave the sweet smell of glorious charbroiled protein behind. Crib Gap is described in the book as a “short and simple 1.6 mile” trail. If it wasn’t for those other 10 miles I might have agreed with the book. But this little horse trail climbs a bit toward Crib and Incline Gaps beside Laurel Creek Road before finally intersecting it. I was over the climbing for today and my dogs were barking. The trail intersects the road at a diagonal, so you have to cross the road and then walk a few yards up before rejoining on the north side.

On the north side the trail descends through former homesteads, but the only visible remains are piles of rock common where foundations once stood. Bears are supposed to be frequent visitors here, but they are still sleeping this early in April. I’m ok with that. I stop and empty my bag looking for ‘vitamin I’, but to no avail. I must’ve taken it out of my pack to use at home..rats! I’ll have to suck it up. (we hikers are a tough lot, so I press on J) A bit later I reach a 4-way intersection. To the right in 0.2 miles is Laurel Creek Road, officially part of Turkeypen Ridge Trail. Straight ahead is the Finley Cane Trail in 0.1, officially part of Crib Gap Trail. As is often the case for me, I’ll have to come back and hit those tiny segments if I ever want to officially be a 900-mile club member. Doubtful. I head left for 3.4 miles on Turkeypen Ridge Trail.

Turkeypen Ridge Trail

All the literature I’d read about Turkeypen Ridge Trail had glowing remarks about what a pleasant walk it is. Again, if it wasn’t for those other pesky 10 miles I'd already walked I might have agreed with them. Although never exceeding 2105’ in elevation for its whole length, Turkeypen adds another 1000’ of climbing to my tired extremities in a series of ups and downs. But it certainly is pleasant, climbing and descending through pine forest with ridge views on either side. There is a small crossing soon after the intersection that might get your boots a tiny bit wet as it did mine. Another crossing of Pinkroot Branch about half way is easier to stay dry. After the crossing I decide to slow down and quit worrying about the 4.5 hour drive home, and low and behold all my pain vanishes and I feel like $100 climbing the ridges again. I’m relieved to see the backward sign for Schoolhouse Gap Trail at Dorsey Gap, where I was several hours earlier. I skip easily down the trail to complete a fantastic and challenging day, at long last back in God’s Country. The 4.5 hour drive is a piece of cake.

Low elevation on my 15.2 miles of lollipop walking was around 1630’ on Schoolhouse Gap Trail and high elevation was about 3300’ near the Crooked Arm Ridge Trail/Scott Mountain Trail intersection. The long day included more than 4000' in total climbing, a good way to knock off some winter rust. It was great to be back in the high Smokies life again, and I’ll try not to wait 5 months to get back.  

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Schoolhouse Gap Loop(Opens in new window)

  

 

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Dreher Island State Recreation Area, South Carolina(Opens in new window) 

2.1 miles lollipop walk on the Little Gap Trail in Dreher Island State Recreation Area, near Columbia, South Carolina – March 13, 2011

As I was heading out the door on Sunday for what was sure to be a glorious walk in the mid-70 degree weather of the Upstate mountains, I made the mistake of checking my phone before shoving it in my pocket. It doesn’t happen often, but there it was…a text message from my boss’ boss. “Need some urgent info right away for meeting with the VPs”…ugh. So much for my day in the mountains.

After spending several hours taking care of the urgent requests for data I paced around the house…what to do….what to do? Mountains? Nope, it’s too late for that long up-and-back drive. Walk the neighborhood? Nope, too nice of day. Nearby Congaree National Park? Nope, I’ve been twice and next time I wanted to bring the family. They were busy today. So I scanned the South Carolina map, finally deciding on a local park that I’ve visited before for birthday parties, but never really walked.

I must admit I typically make a habit of banging on the area I’ve called home for the past 10 years, for two reasons really. One, it is enemy territory, smack in the home of my college’s arch rival, the University of South Carolina. But more important, from mid-June through mid-September this place is hotter than Hades. On typical weekends I can’t get up I-26 fast enough to escape the oppressive heat. I’ve lived four places in my life…Florida, Atlanta, Phoenix, and now the middle of South Carolina. It seems God has a sense of humor when it comes to me and the heat. But even I, the staunchest critic of the Midlands, must readily admit, this time of year is pretty darn nice. And Lake Murray, the 78 square mile lake that supplies the entire Midlands with power and recreation, is pretty darn nice as well.

Dreher Island State Recreation Area

In 1930, the Lexington Water Power Company relocated 5000 people, and removed 3 churches, 6 schools, and 2000 graves along the areas adjacent to the Saluda River to build the Saluda Dam, once the largest earthen dam in the world. Hundreds of years prior, the Catawba and Cherokee Indians roamed these lands. After that, European settlers set up the communities that would be relocated to make the lake. Once the lake filled, Colonel Jimmy Doolittle and his boys worked on their skills here before the famous bombing raid on Tokyo just after Pearl Harbor. One of the early European families, settling in the area prior to the Revolutionary War, was the Dreher family. The small State Recreation Area near the town of Prosperity, SC now bears the family name, and sits on the property once owned by Billy Dreher.  

It is an easy drive for me, being just 15 miles or so from home. Dreher Island SRA has day use areas like picnic pavilions and a few short hike and bike trails, but most come for the lakefront campsites, boating, and fishing opportunities. Today I’d just enjoy the nice weather on a short stroll on the Little Gap Trail, a 2.1 mile lollipop that meanders in and out of the fingers created by the flooding of the Saluda. I hear ya, and you’re right..I keep getting more and more pathetic with my trail mileage, huh? Last walk was 5 miles and this one only 2.1? The benefits of my Smoky Mountain workout program from ’08 and ’09 are a distant memory now.   

Little Gap Trail

There isn’t too much to say about a walk on this little trail on the ‘Island’. After spending 35 years in Florida just a few miles from the Gulf of Mexico, I certainly don’t consider this place an island. But again I must admit, it was a pretty nice little walk. It even has a tiny bit of elevation change to remind me that I’m walking in the woods instead of on pavement. The trail starts out in a thick forest of pine near one of those picnic shelters but eventually enters a forest of large hickory and oak, some of impressive size. There are even some relics on this trail, a la Smoky Mountains. The old two-sided fireplace ruin is not made of the river rock so common in the Smokies though, instead made of bricks of South Carolina clay. The oaks were bare, but the Eastern Redbud announces Spring’s appearance with showy pink flowers. I see no other wildflowers today.

In a few spots the trail straddles the shoreline, so having not too much ground to cover today I stand and watch the sailboats and bass fishing boats scurrying here and there. It almost reminds me of my hometown. I gander at the McMansions lining the shore and chuckle at the site of Little Mountain across on the far banks, a monadnock not quite living up to its mountain cousin’s grandeur. The shore has been weathered away by the small waves of the boats, causing it to look as if it is a natural lake that has always been here. In reality, just 81 years ago it was a series of hills and homesites with no water in sight. It must have been odd watching the area flood that first time. Before long this pleasant stroll is over and I sit lakeside to enjoy lunch before the short ride home, arriving in time to get the next series of urgent requests from the boss’ boss.

Low elevation on my 2.1 miles of lollipop walking was around 350’ at the shoreline and high elevation was about 400’ along the trail somewhere. If you’re a camper and like to sit lakeside and enjoy the views or have a boat that needs a shakedown, check out this little gem of a park near my new hometown, but don’t wait until mid-June.

 

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Dreher Island State Recreation Area, South Carolina(Opens in new window)

To skip the chatter and go right to the pics of this walk, click the link below:

Gorges State Park, North Carolina(Opens in new window)

5 miles of out-and-back walking on three different trails in Gorges State Park in North Carolina. The walks were on Rainbow Falls Trail, Bearwallow Falls Trail, and Bearwallow Valley Overlook Trail – February 21, 2011

I know what you’re thinking…5 miles on three hikes? Yep, not very impressive, but I could really get used to this…actually two things about this. 1) 70 degree days with zero humidity and 2) Walking short trails with great payoffs, leaving me with lots of time and energy to really enjoy being there. But when you get right down to it, it is the variety of walking the southern mountains that is the real draw for me. Those who’ve followed my site know that I’m not a big fan of long he-man treks. Oh, I’ve done plenty of them, but give me a nice 8 miler any day over an exhausting 17 miler. Having walked up to 20 miles on previous jaunts makes me really appreciate days like this one. And when it comes to the weather, the same holds true. Give me the extreme southern seasons over the cushy and consistent San Diego Chamber of Commerce conditions any day. Walking the southern Appalachians in a driving July rainstorm or the oppressive humidity of an August afternoon helps the appreciation factor of a humidity-free 70 degree day, a blasé San Diego norm. Variety, most definitely the spice of a walker’s life.

I was excited about visiting a new-to-me place for a Monday walk, driving up in the early morning to the SC/NC border to visit nearly-new Gorges State Park, the westernmost State Park in the state of North Carolina. I’ve been over, around, and through this area countless times over the years, but never managed to set foot in this Park. The 7100-acre Park sits on land purchased from Duke Energy in 1999, covering the Blue Ridge Escarpment area between two gorgeous (pun intended) lakes, Lake Toxaway in North Carolina, close to Brevard, and Lake Jocassee in South Carolina. The Toxaway River bisects the Park as it travels down from Lake Toxaway and drains into Lake Jocassee just north of the South Carolina border. Waterfalls, cascades, pools, and rock walls abound in this area due to the 2000 foot elevation drop from top to bottom. Like many areas of the Blue Ridge Escarpment, it is a falls lover’s paradise.

An empty parking lot

Gorges State Park re-opened in 2005 after being closed for a year for renovations. You can feel the newness here, with perfect roads, unfinished parking areas, and shiny new signage. Plans are in the works to add camping areas, Ranger facilities, and a visitor center, but for now this Park is no-frills. An unmanned gate, a nice road to drive in on, two porta-johns, and a large empty Grassy Ridge parking area are all that await me to start today’s walk. The weather is spectacular.

I check out the nice new signage at the trailhead for today’s first trail, the popular 3 mile out-and-back Rainbow Falls Trail (1.5 miles each way), which is rated as ‘Strenuous’. Rainbow Falls Trail is only partially within Gorges State Park. The former method for hikers to get to Rainbow Falls and several nearby falls, by parking alongside NC Hwy 281, is now closed for safety reasons. After reading the wealth of information at the four large kiosks at the trailhead I immediately traverse downhill on the wide gravel roadbed through a forest of White and Virginia pine. The orange circle blazes on the trees and the small wooden bench seats beside the trail are all in pristine new condition. Walking is quick and easy going this direction, but it will be a nice uphill trudge on the return trip. One small brook is crossed and then I reach the Park boundary, entering Nantahala National Forest for the reminder of the walk. The orange blazes end here but the trail is still very wide and easy to follow.

Before long the trail reaches another, wider crossing. Rocks are strategically placed to avoid wet boots. Next to the creek is a large campsite with a rock fire ring, but there is nobody using the camp today. Now the trail reaches the edge of the Horsepasture River. This strong-flowing river is strewn with huge boulders, and the trail now turns to the right (northwest) to follow along its edge. Here the trail is thinner with more rocks and roots, traversing uphill and then downhill again twice before a final climb to the falls. There are many spots to drop off the trail and stand beside or on a huge mid-stream boulder to enjoy the many cascades. (use caution, the currents are strong) Up the last pull and the unmistakable sound of plunging water becomes audible.

A spectacular Rainbow

Wow! Rainbow Falls is a 125 foot masterpiece. It reminds me a lot of popular roadside Looking Glass Falls on steroids. Water crashes over the edge and hits a jutting ledge about ¾ of the way down the falls, sending a plume out several feet to hit the large boulders in the deep blue pool at the bottom. The namesake rainbow is very clearly visible at the bottom of the falls. Very nice…in fact so nice a cell phone picture message to wife, kids, parents, and brother is in order. “Wish you were here”. J

I stay awhile and enjoy the views and perfect day, but can’t help but think of the many people who’ve lost their lives playing in the falls above this one, being swept over the side to fall to their death. The most recent was just last year, a young woman who I’m sure is sorely missed. A wooden fence keeps visitors away from the dropping sides of the front observation area, but the trail continues on around the falls and you can see many side trails used to get that ‘perfect picture’. Be careful folks, because I know someone would miss you too. Sorry, you’ll just have to deal with my imperfect pictures.

From here the former path of the trail still continues uphill to reach the two falls that are above Rainbow: Drift Falls and Turtleback Falls. Two more falls, more difficult to get to, are downstream from Rainbow: Staircase Falls and Windy Falls. I skip those today. After lunch break it’s back the way I came, facing a much tougher but thankfully short uphill. On to the next trail…

Bearwallow Falls and view

With loads of time I take in two more trails, both easy 1 mile out-and-backs. The first heads downhill to the wooden observation platform for Upper Bearwallow Falls. This one is like Sliding Rock on steroids, more of a long plunge rather than a fall. It is nice but after Rainbow it is doesn’t quite have the wow factor. After that I take the Bearwallow Valley View Trail, thankfully uphill first through laurel and rhododendron tunnels and nice Galax groundcover to another observation platform.

This platform sits directly beside giant high-tension power lines and towers. Despite the partial obstruction of the lines and tower the view into South Carolina is nice, with deep blue Lake Jocassee and Keowee standing out among the pines. On the platform nice signage details the names of distant mountain peaks and the ironic circumstances that lead to the protection of this land between the lakes, home of rare salamanders and wildflowers like the Oconee Bell.  I head back downhill and finish with plenty of daylight left to enjoy the ride home on one of my favorite roads, SC Scenic Hwy 11.

Low elevation on my 5 miles of out-and-back walking was around 2500’ next to the Horsepasture River on the Rainbow Falls trail and high elevation was about 3100’ at the Rainbow Falls trailhead by the Grassy Ridge parking area. I know 5 miles isn’t very impressive, but with a lot of ups and downs I was almost tired when I finished up my walking today. Gorges State Park is most definitely worth a visit. With the warm weather we’ve experienced lately in these parts, the year’s first Spring blooms should only be days away..get out on the trails and enjoy it folks.

 

For pics of this walk, click the link below:

Gorges State Park, North Carolina(Opens in new window)