Author: mmbowden60

Cycling the Natchez Trace

This was a 3 day ride from the Nashville end of the Natchez Parkway to milepost 368 and return. I carried my sleeping bag, tarp tent, food, and supplies in my panniers and dry sack bungee attached to my bike rack.

Day 1, April 25th, 2014 – “A long ride without much rest”

From Kroger near Nashville end of Natchez Parkway to Meriwether Lewis Campground – 63 miles

I was on business in Brentwood, TN for the week so I made plans to bring my bicycle and to camp/ride as far as I could get on the Natchez Trace Parkway on the weekend following work.

A little after 2 PM on Friday I parked my car at the Kroger parking lot about a half mile northeast of the parkway on Highway 100. With little time to make my way past milepost 442 (there is no milepost 444 that I could find) all of the way to Meriwether Lewis National Monument near milepost 386, I began the long initial climb up to the first ridge.

On the way out, I stopped only for water and kept working the pedals. The parkway had very little traffic and even more surprising to me was that there were also very few bicycles. Given the low vehicle traffic, I was surprised that the parkway wasn’t heavily used by Nashville area cyclists.

The hills didn’t seem like much, but I think it was some sort of illusion brought on by the relative straightness of the road and the long gradual climbs. I am used more variation with varying lengths and grades and with curves. My legs and speed were telling me the truth. My eyes deceived.

Stopped at the Gordon House (did not tour) and used the bathroom, refilled water and ate my 6 inches of Subway sandwich and cookies left over from lunch. Some other cyclists heading north warned me to pace myself. I had Baker’s bluff ahead and about 5 miles of mostly climbing. The afternoon seemed to wear on as I counted the mileposts and dragged on ever more slowly.

The weather was beautiful the first day. Breezy and cool enough. The oaks were way behind those in Roswell, GA, still budding. Flowers bloomed along the parkway. I saw a few deer and Turkey spotting was a regular event. I think I saw the same skunk twice. Once on the first day and again on the third day when I passed the same spot. It was nosing around in the grass alongside the parkway. I didn’t stop for a photo. Sorry, no selfie with a skunk for this blog post.

Meriwether Lewis had been burned. It appeared to have been a controlled burn. I picked a campsite among the other tents and RV’s. No showers here, but there is a clean bathroom with running water. Who can complain when it is free?

The ground was a little damp and bugs flew around my head. I set up my tarp tent, but chose to lay my sleeping bag on top of the picnic table and sleep under the stars. I thought it would get me in the breeze and away from mosquitoes. I used a little of my bug repellent. Dinner was red beans and rice. I read a book on the Kindle.

Day 2, April 26th 2014 – “Just taking it easy on down the road”

From Meriwether Lewis to milepost 367 near Dogwood Mudflats and return to Meriwether Lewis.

My plan was to spend the next night at the same spot so I unloaded most of my weight and left it under my tarp tent. I mostly carried food and water since I didn’t trust leaving any food for varmints that might wander the campground.

Since I had all day and I was very worn out from the previous afternoon ride, I decided to stop at every site and to take frequent breaks. My first break was at the Meriweather Lewis death and burial site.

Meriweather Lewis Death and Burial Site

There are very few spots to stop to eat or buy food. I stopped at two of them on this day. First I stopped at the Laurel Hill Fishing lake. It is about 2 miles off the parkway. I had coffee and 2 egg and cheese biscuits at the bait shop / grill. They also serve hamburgers that looked pretty good. Among the customers was a Mennonite couple out for a day of fishing. They had driven their horse and carriage. The lake is large and includes a number of smaller attached fishing lakes. This place is popular among fishermen and looks like a great place to catch fish. Another beautiful day. I could just lay in the sun by the lake and watch a fishing pole.

Another stop was off Napier Road at a general store for a KOA campground. There wouldn’t usually be much reason to stop here and at Laurel Hill lake since they are within a few miles of one another. This store is only 0.3 miles off the parkway.

Here is where I turned around.

Original Natchez Trace – I rode this original portion of the trace for a mile or so.

Day 3, April 27th 2014 – “A hot day”

From Meriwether Lewis to Kroger on Highway 100.

I tried to take it easy today, but it was so hot and humid. Stopped and hiked to every waterfall. Worried about water running low. Drank water and more water when I finally reached Gordon house to refill water. Be careful on the Parkway and don’t skip water stops. If it is hot, you could easily run low on water. There was also no place to stop for a 2nd breakfast and coffee so I had to live off Cliff Energy bars for the entire distance. After eating oatmeal and 2 packs of hot chocolate and coffee and starting my ride at 6:30 AM, I was hungry again by 7:30 AM. Those 2 Cliff bars had to last to Nashville.

Jackson Creek Falls

Fall Hollow Falls

April 27, 2014
Alum Cave and Abrams Falls Trails

Around January 1978, my cousin, Mike Bowden, his friend, Jim Bowers, and I set out for a couple of day hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains. This is told as best I can remember about 33 years later. I was 17 years old, Mike 16 years old. In all we covered over 20 miles, but I think I might have slid on my butt one of those miles coming down the snow slicked Alum Cave trail from the summit of Mt. Le Conte.

Clockwise from upper left. Mark, Jim, MIke at Myrtle Point on Mt. Leconte, Snow covered cabins on Le Conte, MIke and Mark at Abrams Falls, Mark on Alum Cave trail

Getting There:

I recall Jim and Mike having driven up from Athens to meet me somewhere along I-85. I parked my little red Honda Civic and we hopped into Jim’s pick up truck. It must have been a late Friday afternoon following my last classes. We arrived after dark at the Smokemont campground in the Smokies. The temps were already low and were forecasted to drop into the single digits that night. I wasn’t concerned since I had prepared with my dad’s old army surplus down sleeping bag and my long underwear with ski jacket and insulated ski bibs. I had skied in much colder weather.

Night 1 – Miserable and Shivering

I had not brought a tent. The memory remains hazy, but it seems I slept out in the open under the stars while Mike slept in his small tent. Jim decided to sleep in the cab of his pick up truck. I was dressed in full ski clothing and zipped up in my bag. This seemed more than warm enough, but at the time I didn’t know how important a sleeping pad was for cold weather. I thought a sleeping pad was only for soft cushion and I was too tough to need cushioning. I had no idea that the main purpose of the sleeping pad was to insulate the camper from the cold earth.

In a short while (well before midnight) I went from cold to shivering. I pulled in closer and tried to stick it out. It went from uncomfortably cold to miserably shivering cold yet the temps still had not bottomed out. I concentrated on stopping the shivering, then gave up to shivers. At some point I think I got up or Jim checked on me. “How you doing?” I tell him that I can’t stand it. He had already run the truck engine a couple of times to warm himself up in the cab so he must have known how bad it was for me. I sat for a while in the cab trying to warm up. He ran the heater. “I think I would be warmer in the bed of the pickup truck than sleeping on the ground”, I said. After a few minutes in the cab, I laid the sleeping bag out in the bed of the truck and tried sleeping again. It really was no different than sleeping on the ground. I couldn’t tell which was worse. Somehow I made it through the night, but I don’t remember sleeping.

Next Day – Hiking the snowy Alum Cave Trail

We drove to the Alum Cave trailhead. I was glad to be out of the cold pick up truck bed and finally back in the heated cab. The higher we climbed on Alum Cave the deeper the snow became. It was frozen hard in the early morning and made for good traction. We talked a lot about the cave and finally saw it. We also talked a lot about a knife edge ridge that people often made there way across. Would we try it? I hate heights; at least when I am perched on top of sheer drops, so I was happy when Jim decided to bypass the knife ridge. I’m sure he would have done it and Mike probably would have done it also. It would have meant that I had to follow or seem pretty lame hanging back to watch.

We finally reached the final switchbacks with snow deepening to as much as 6 inches. At the top we trudged through snow and checked out the cabins. We went on out to Myrtle Point where we had lunch with a view toward Charlie’s Bunion.

I had worn plain tennis shoes with the tread worn bare. As we started to descend the snow seemed to be melting fast in the afternoon sun. It turned slushier and slicker. My feet came out from under me and I fell on my butt for the first of what seemed like 50 times. Seriously, I am sure that I fell at least 15 times. It was funny at first, but after about 7 or 8 times my butt was really getting sore and I was doing my best to brace for the next fall. Eventually I sat down in my nylon bibs and tried sliding down the slushy muddy trail by pushing along. I made a little progress, but not much. At least I wasn’t falling, but I was getting wet. The sun started dropping lower in the sky and we dropped to a lower part of the trail out of the snow. With wet bibs and sopping wet tennis shoes I was soon getting cold again.

Night 2 – Gatlinburg

I was a wreck. Hungry. I was wet, cold, and muddy from sliding in the snow. My sore muscles and bruised backside testified to my misery. We all agreed that we couldn’t take another night outdoors like the last. (I am thinking that Mike and Jim might have also been too cold that night or perhaps they just felt sorry for me having no tent and no sleeping pad.)

We decided to drive into Gatlinburg and split the cheapest motel room we could find. We stunk and were filthy muddy so our first task was to find laundry and showers. As luck would have it, the laundry mat also had pay showers. We cleaned up and I think I slept in heavenly warmth in a motel room shared with Mike and Jim. I can actually remember turning up the heater in that room. I don’t remember much else, but it must have been great to sleep. I probably volunteered to sleep on the floor. I could have slept hanging upside down as long as it was warm.

Final Day

We drove through Cades Cove. It was chilly but not frozen. Having been so cold the day before I felt hypersensitive to any cold. After a long drive we piled out of the truck and did a 8.4 mile round trip day hike on Abrams Falls trail to the falls and back. It was a piece of cake compared to the day before. Afterwards I recall being bored as we drove on around Cades Cove and horsed around near one of the historic cabins. It was kind of wet and drizzly. Not very inspirational weather. Having enough, we started the long trip back over Newfound Gap back to Athens and Atlanta.

April 13, 2014
Gregory Bald Loop and Abrams Creek Area

This outing had two parts with two locales. First, I day hiked a loop from Twenty Mile ranger station to Gregory Bald and back. Next, I hopped into the mini-van and drove to Abrams Creek ranger station and finished the day by packing to Little Bottoms campsite for the night. The next day and half were spent hiking parts of the Abrams Creek, Cooper Road, Hatcher Mountain, Cane Creek, and Hannah Mountain trails that I hadn’t already hiked. All that is left for me to hike in the Twenty Mile and Abrams Creek areas is the 2.5 miles of Abrams Creek trail from Cades Cove to the falls.

Gregory Bald Loop Day Hike

Day 1 – November 23, 2013

Total Loop Distance: 16.6 miles

Route:

Twentymile Ranger Station to Sheep Pen Gap on Wolf Ridge Trail – 6.3 mi
Gregory Bald Trail – 1.2 mi
Long Hungry Ridge Trail – 4.6 mi
Twenty Mile Loop Trail – 2.9 mi
Wolf Ridge Trail – 1.6 mi

Early Morning Start before Sunrise

Campsite 95 on Wolf Ridge Trail

Completed Long Hungry Ridge

Gregory Bald Area Trail Signs

My Iphone alarm went off at 5 AM Saturday morning. I laid in the back of the Sienna mini-van with it backed into the gravel parking area; hatchback open over Twenty Mile creek. Within 15 minutes I was on the trail with day pack and headlamp.

Having crossed a footbridge about a half mile past the Long Hungry Ridge trail junction I rounded a bend with high rocks to the right and creek to the left. Two sets if yellow eyes set in the dark playfully bounded toward me directly down the middle of the trail. I halted and backed away a few steps. The glowing yellow eyes of the two animals bounced a little closer acting as if this trail belonged to them. I backed off further, turning my back slightly to these playful yellow eyed creatures in order to walk faster in the opposite direction. All the while I guided my headlamp back toward those yellow eyes. A blow of my whistle didn’t send these animals fleeing. Could be bear cubs? The eyes were spaced at least 12 inches apart and rode about 2 feet above the trail and I wanted to avoid something larger that might be lurking nearby. I retreated back a couple hundred feet to the footbridge where I sat on the bridge on the far side of the bridge and cooked my oatmeal and coffee breakfast while waiting on the beginning of daybreak.

Later at home, I googled animal eye photos in the dark. I couldn’t tell much other than that these were not bear eyes. Bear eyes are glowing round, while these eyes were slanted.

The forest was dripping and the fog was heavy. No views on Gregory’s Bald. It was usually warm on the climb, but at times I met an incredible transition where the temperature dropped and little icy filled rain drops seemed to jump as they pelted the leaves of the footpath.

On this early Saturday morning I saw no other hikers other than a lone Forest Ranger on his way up Long Hungry Ridge trail. When finishing up the last quarter mile of Twenty Mile trial to the parking lot, I met a couple of groups headed up the mountain for the night. The last was a group of off-duty Army soldiers starting out with their heavy rucksacks.

Rock seems to point toward something on Wolf Ridge trail. This well built trail had an even grade over a long climb.

White Pines in mist on Parson’s Bald

Abram’s Creek Area

November 23, 2013

Route:

Cooper Road Trail to Little Bottoms Trail – 1.3 mi
Little Bottoms Trail to Little Bottoms Campsite 17 – 1.6 mi

I parked at the parking lot outside the closed Abram’s Creek campground, then packed up enough food and equipment for two nights of hiking from Little Bottoms campsite. Hiking through the campground alongside Abram’s creek, I reached Cooper Road trail which was a long 10.9 miles from Cades Cove where I had hiked portions of this trail 2 weeks earlier. A steep climb on Little Bottoms trail starting near both the lowest elevation and lowest numbered campsite in the Smokies at 1200 feet and Campsite 1, (Cooper Road Campsite) soon returned me to scenic views of the creek.

A couple of groups were camping at the very large Little Bottoms campsite. This large flat expanse set in an area of trees easily had spots for tents way beyond its stated capacity. Nearby to the back of the camping area and just upstream there was the beginning of tornado blow down. Hiking upstream on Little Bottoms trail more blow down on the hill on the opposite side of the creek is a good marker to tell you that you are nearing the campsite.

One group of kids and adults were cleaning and hauling ashes from all of the fire pits. Great job kids!

Fortunately the rain and fog had cleared because due to the expected low temps I had traded my usual tarp for a single man tent and I soon discovered that it was missing its rain fly. The mosquito netting over my head made a nice night time view of the stars.

My campsite for 2 nights at Little Bottoms

I experimented more with tortilla wraps by stuffing them with new things. On my last hike I had Ramen Noodle wraps. This time I improved on this idea by filling wraps with the ready to eat red beans and rice that come in microwaveable foil packs by boiling the contents in water and adding enough instant mashed potatoes to the soupy mix to thicken them up. Delicious! … and easy, but next time I’ll add jalapenos or Tabasco (packets) and cheese. Sounds so good I might not wait for another hike to try this out.

After 19.5 miles of hiking the first day and during a 17 mile 2nd day, I found myself thinking about food a lot. For some reason I thought about baked chicken thighs with greasy dark flesh falling off the bones. Instead, for my mid-day hiking snacks I had peanut butter on round sandwich thins.

Day 2 – “To Abrams Falls”

Day 2 Route & Mileage – 17.5 miles

From Little Bottoms Campsite on Little Bottoms Trail to Hatcher Mtn Trail – 0.7 mi
Hatcher Mountain Trail – 2.6 mi
Cooper Road Trail to Cane Creek Trail – 1.8 mi
Cane Creek Trail to end and return to Gold Mine Trail – 4.2 mi
Gold Mine Trail and return – 1.6 mi
Cooper Road Trail to Little Bottoms Trail – 1.7 mi
Little Bottoms Trail to Little Bottoms Campsite – 1.6 mi

Abrams Falls

For a Saturday, it was surprising that I never saw another person. This included the much frequented Abram’s Falls; however, with an early start I was probably long gone before others reached the falls.

Thanks to tornado cleared hillsides, the climb from Abram’s Creek up the Hatcher Mountain trail had nice views looking back over a now snow frosted Parsons Bald, Gregory Bald, and Sheep Pen Gap. Further up Hatcher Mountain trail upon rounding a bend I surprised 3 turkeys from a close range.

Cane Creek

Perhaps I was hoping to find a McDonalds at the Park Access on the end of Gold Mine Trail. I only found this barn. This short trail had some nice views.

Day 3 – “Friendly Hannah Mountain Trail” – 6.4 mi

Little Bottoms Campsite to Hannah Mtn Trail – 0.9 mi
Hannah Mtn Trail – 1.9 mi

Rabbit Creek Trail to Abrams Creek Ranger Station road – 2.7 mi
Road walk to Abrams Creek Ranger Station – 0.9 mi

To get to Hannah Mountain trail I had to cross Abrams Creek. Although the crossing is wide, I rock hopped most of the way only to find myself on a large flat rock beyond which was a deep channel hidden from view on the other side. I was just a little too wide for a jump. I sat and removed my boots and rolled up my pants for a few quick plunging steps in the cold water. Just as I mounted a grass patch on the other side, I let a hiking pole slide from my hand. It seemed to float downstream in slow-motion. The creek not being particularly high, it seemed like it would be easy to fetch, but it was impossible to move down the side of the bank in the few quick necessary steps needed to snatch up the pole. Turning to move more quickly, I took my eye off the pole. Although feeling sure that it would have caught on rocks somewhere nearby, I never saw the pole again. Now I have a complete set of poles on rocky bottoms somewhere in the Smokies. One in Abrams Creek and the other in Eagle Creek.

Hannah Mountain trail is such a pleasure to walk. Without steep grades and roots or rocks, it just goes forever winding through the mountains. I found the west end of Hannah Mountain trail from Abram’s creek to Rabbit Creek trail to be much the same as the friendly easy walk as the portion east of Rabbit Creek that I had hiked two weeks prior. About 7 minutes prior to reaching Rabbit Creek trail, I crossed a nice water source.

Rabbit Creek trail was a nice climb, then descent to Abram’s Creek. The climb had nice views back toward Gregory and Parson’s Bald and the descent provided views of the houses perched on the Chilhowee range.

By 9:30 AM I was back to my car at Abram’s Creek Ranger station.

November 24, 2013
Backpacking Mountains around Cades Cove

This 3 day solo backpacking trip covered trails on the north and west ends of Cades Cove including Rich Mountain Loop, Ace Gap Trail, Hannah Mountain Trail and Rabbit Creek Trail and comprised 38.9 trail miles. My van and bicycle was used to position among trailheads on Cades Cove Loop road and Parson’s Branch road.

Getting There:

Nearing midnight on Thursday, I drove past Tremont and on to the end of Middle Prong Rd where I slept in the rear of my Sienna mini-van. It was a dark starry night with only a sliver of moon for the first couple of hours. Early Friday morning I drove on to Cades Cove. Rich Mountain Loop trail head can be found to the right just a few yards past where the road becomes the 1-way Cades Cove loop. Park in the parking lot to the left if you don’t want to be stuck on the 11 mile 1-way traffic jam.

Day 1, November 8, 2013 – “Hot Apple Cider on Cerulean Knob”

Day 1 Route & Mileage – 15.2 miles

West side of Rich Mountain Loop – 2.9 miles, Indian Grave Gap Trail to Rich Mtn Road and return to Cerulean Knob – 3.0 miles, Rich Mountain Trail – 2.3 miles, Ace Gap Trail to Campsite 3 – 6.4 miles

It was a 30 degree morning with clear skies. I cooked oatmeal and coffee in the parking lot to the left of the start of the 1-way loop drive. After breakfast, I dropped my pack behind a nearby fallen tree just a feet down Rich Mountain Loop trail then drove down the Cades Cove loop to the Cooper Road trail. There I found a small pull off on the opposite side road from this trail head. Wrapped up in gloves, fleece hat, and rain suit, I pulled my mountain bike out of the back and began pedaling on around the loop to my eventual return to my stashed away backpack.

On this trip I was tried out alternating between running shoes and hiking boots. Today, I carried my boots strapped to the back of the back while I glided along the kindly surface of Rich Mountain Loop trail. Trail conditions were good all day long so I remained shod in running shoes.

At the top of Cerulean Knob I reached the first and only people of the day. (Besides the numerous tourists where the trail approached the Oliver cabin.) Richard and Jason were enjoying hot drinks and were gracious enough to share. I ordered hot apple cider and they filled me in on GoSmokies.com.

Cades Cove view of Gregory Bald

Cades Cove view of Gregory Bald

Lumber Operations was displayed at Oliver Cabin.

I am always reading in the brown book about various lumber companies that conducted operations in various areas of the Smokies that I have hiked. I came across this map on a display at the Oliver cabin (A stop along Rich Mtn Loop Trail). This puts some order into the lumber company stories.

Yes, I need to include trail signs.

Leaf Color on Indian Grave Gap Trail

Pig trap on Rich Mountain Trail

House viewed from Ace Gap Trail

Lumber Operations Prior to the Smokies National Park

House viewed from Ace Gap TrailDay 2 – Up Parson’s Branch without a paddle, “uh, I mean without a mountain bike”

Day 2 Route & Mileage – 14.2 miles

From CS 3 on Beard Cane Trail – 4.2 miles, Cooper Rd Trail – 5.5 miles, Bicycle to Hannah Mtn Trailhead on Parson’s Branch Road, Hannah Mountain Trail to Flint Gap Campsite (CS-14) – 4.5 miles

Saturday seemed like 2 days of hiking. The first hike was with early morning frost and blown out trees along Beard Cane trail and Cooper Road trail. A tornado had ripped apart trees and left wide open marshy areas along Beard Cane trail. The new landscape was crowded with large blackberry canes and filled with the chorus of bird song. It reminded me of the variety of landscapes and experiences in the Smokies was much greater than many would suppose.

The second hike of the day followed another Cades Cove Loop drive, peanut butter sandwiches at the visitor center (why did backpack that peanut butter and next 2 days of meals when I was returning to my car the next morning?), and an ice cream cone from the snack bar.

I retrieved my bike from its hidden place in the woods and drove back to the pull off at Cooper Road trail head. Since Parson’s Branch Road is one-way and I had no desire to drive it’s length (and more) to pre-position my backpack at the Hannah Moutain trail head, I rode my mountain bike with 20 plus pounds of backpack; hiking poles threaded through sleeping pad. It must have been a silly sight for the line of touring cars that I joined.

The road turned to gravel at the Parson’s Branch turnoff. I soon found the road steeper and in worse condition than I recalled from the time I had hiked this section of the road several years ago. I consider myself a strong enough bicycle rider, but the steep sections soon out lasted my legs. I was already pushing the bike up the steeper sections when my bicycle seat seemed to tilt further back. Thinking of a seat adjustment, I came off the seat just as the metal bicycle frame came apart at the bicycle seat post. Now the seat moved to the lowest possible position. I sat on the mountain bicycle with a large pack on my back and my knees to my chest. With shortened winter days and a 4.5 mile hike ahead of me, I needed to move faster than a walk. My solution was to ride standing up when ascending or push my bike when really ascending. I sat and coasted on the few downhills. Fortunately, I arrived at Hannah Mountain Trail in good shape, but a little worn out. Even more fortunately, Hannah Mountain Trail was the easiest most pleasant walk in the entire Smokies. The trail bed was in good shape without rock or root and the trail itself was as near to level as I had ever seen on a mountain. Hannah Mountain trail should not be missed in the late autumn with a mix of tree color and bare tree views. To the southwest I had views of Joyce Kimler / Slickrock Creek Wilderness’ Fodderstack Mountain and Hahoe Bald. When the trail switched to the northeast side of the ridge I could see Cades Cove and LeConte in the further distance.

9 miles and a dozen plus water crossings of one-way fun on Parson’s Branch Road

That dark night I sat by a lonely campfire; having seen only one other person on Hannah Mountain Trail. Though listening to Walden through my headphones I could hear a commotion of snapping limbs and rustling only a little way up the trail. There was no wind, not even a breeze that could make those funny sounds that trees make when they rub together. I replaced the headphones with headlamp and looked toward the noise and wondered what kind of creature could be making that racket. A bear? I didn’t investigate.

Massive oak on Hannah Mountain Trail

Hiker Alert: Water source for Flint Gap Campsite 14 is about 0.2 miles up the hill (Parson’s Branch Road direction) from the campsite. Small trickle crossing trail.

Day 3 – “Hiking to Coon’s Butt and Beyond”

Day 3 Route & Mileage – 10.1 miles

From Flint Gap Campsite (CS-14) on Hannah Mountain Trail – 4.5 miles, Rabbit Creek Trail – 5.1 miles

The skies were somewhat clouded overnight, but even with warmer temps the morning sky was clear blue. I was soon in shorts and shirtsleeves; however, after turning from Hannah Mountain Trail and dropping to Rabbit Creek I was reminded how the climes in the mountains could change in a few short steps. It felt like the temperature had dropped 20 degrees as I descended down a rocky stream bed path toward Rabbit Creek. My hands were cold so I kept up my speed and waited for a warming ascent. At Rabbit Creek campsite I spotted a seated woman huddled and wrapped up in parka and full compliment of winter clothes. Bent on preserving her warmth she didn’t notice me striding by in shorts and short-sleeves. I yelled out a cheery “Good Morning” as I passed by. She looked over and replied and probably wondered how the devil I could be walking around in shorts. She wouldn’t have known just how warm it had been a few minutes earlier on the sunny higher slopes of Hannah Mountain trail.

I wisely chose my hiking boots over running shoes this day. The trail was rocky enough having those nasty king size Idaho potato rocks that hide among the thick leaves in wait for some unfortunate to attempt a place kick field goal. It seemed I made wise choices on the footwear. I chose my running shoes the afternoon before on the easy tread of Hannah Mountain trail and my boots that same morning as I sloshed through the marshy parts of Beard Cane trail.

Finally I finished out my hike by reviewing the map and seeing that my last point prior to descending into the cover had been named Coon’s Butt. What I nice goal to reach for! It motivated me on the the last ascents along Rabbit Creek Trail.

This hike came with an epilogue. I had a final mile in Cades Cove along Wet Bottom Trail. Funny how this trail just feet from the road was the most difficult to navigate and how it had the most difficult stream crossing. I rock hopped my way across Abram’s creek, then ran 3 more plunging steps so quickly that though the water came over my boots, only the tops of my wools socks became wet. Thank you GoreTex and quick feet.

This creek has no bridge on both Rabbit Creek and Wet Bottom trails.

Wildlife: Heard something in the dark woods. In the cove, saw too many deer to count, including a friendly buck sitting 2 feet off the road and posing for each car. This caused a 20 minute traffic back up. Saw over a dozen turkeys on Wet Bottom trail. Saw 4 or 5 additional turkeys on the long long drive down Parson’s Branch Road. Saw a very large Owl near the intersection of Rich Mountain Loop trail and Indian Grave Gap trail. The owl with wide head kept moving from tree to tree down the trail. Entertainment was to relocate the bird after each short flight. Those mottled feathers look exactly like the bark of a tree.

November 11, 2013
Bushwhacking Big Creek Trail

Saturday, October 19, 2013 – Bushwhacking Big Creek Trail – 14.1 miles

Getting there:

From McCaysville, GA continue through Copperhill, TN to Highway 64. Take Hwy 64 west to Ocoee water tower. Cross dam and continue on Forest Service (FS) Rd 45 for 3 miles to FS 221. Turn right and go 0.9 mi to Big Frog Trailhead on left. FS 45 and 221 are narrow gravel roads in satisfactory condition.

Route – Day 1

Low Gap Parking to Low Gap via Big Frog Mountain Trail – 2.4 miles
Low Gap to Grassy Gap via Grassy Gap Trail – 5.0 miles
Return on Grassy Gap Trail to Big Creek Trail intersection – 3.3 miles
Upper Big Creek Trail to Chimney Top on Big Frog Mountain (BFM) Trail – 1.8 miles
BFM Trail to Big Frog Mountain to Elderberry Spring on BMT back 0.3 mi on BFM Trail – 1.6 miles

I am really getting slack in my preparations for short weekend hikes; however, this trip was my wake up call. Left behind were my camp stove, cooking pot, spoon, and most importantly, my sleeping pad. I’ve always said that the sleeping pad is one of the 2 or 3 most important items to have on hand. Not for comfort, but for preventing heat loss through the cold earth.

My solution for the missing sleeping pad was to lay on top of my frame-less backpack. The backpack is built with a pad for support. This kept my upper body off the ground reasonably warm.

A stop at Wal-mart supplied me with a cooking pot and a can of catfood which I converted to some form of the Andrew Skurka stove by a poking a double circle of holes around the edge with my knife. (I didn’t pack the cat food and have it for dinner; only carried the empty can.

It was a cloudy day, but it didn’t rain. Big Frog Mountain trail was an easily walked 10 ft wide road bed most of the way to Low Gap. I cached my pack at along Grassy Gap trail where it intersects with Big Creek trail. I slack packed to Grassy Gap and back. Grassy Gap was breezy with a nice long view over and beyond the Beech Creek / Jacks River basin into Georgia.

On Grassy Gap Trail – Maple Leaf Viburnum with berries (White flowers in summer)

View from Grassy Gap into Georgia

Grassy Gap trail intersection Wolf Ridge Trail and Grassy Gap Trail, The view here would make a nice camping spot (without water).

More views southeast (Hemphill Top) and southwest directions from Grassy Gap

Panoramic view of Grassy Gap, A small tent could be squeezed in for a site with a view.

Mark at Low Gap

Sign at Big Creek Trail Intersection with Grassy Gap trail (Big Creek trail bears at a slight angle up above Grassy Gap trail toward Chimney Top)

The sign leaning against a rock is an omen warning you not to follow the Big Creek Trail on up to Chimney Top. The sign is nearly unreadable and the trail could easily be missed. The upper portion of Big Creek trail makes a slight angle uphill from the Grassy Gap trail. Beyond that point the trail usually seems to disappear or fall off the side of the slope or both. Someone marked parts of the trail with red surveyor tape tied around branches and a few red flag markers. Those kind that are usually used to mark utility lines before digging. Even with these aids, I had to occasionally stop to study the landscape in order to relocate or keep on the trail. Tim Homan’s book was also an aid since the hand drawn map showing trails and stream beds was useful in guessing my location. Although this part of the trail is in Tim’s book “Hiking Trails of the Cohutta & Big Frog Wilderness, I later found that the map signs at various BFW trail heads showed all trails with the exception of this trail. The autumn leaf fall only made picking out the trail harder than it might have been in the summer.

On Big Frog Mountain Trail just past Chimney Top where the trail summits ridge you can find this pile of rocks that marks the upper trailhead of Big Creek Trail.

After a steep, slow, and thought provoking climb I made it up Big Creek trail to the intersection with Big Frog Mountain trail near the far side of Chimney Top mountain. Here I saw that there was no sign marking Big Creek trail and with the overgrowth no way to know that this trail was here unless you happened to be looking for it and noticed the pile of rocks. It was a good thing that I had earlier decided to return to my pack from Grassy Gap via the Grassy Gap trail rather than using Wolf Ridge Trail and Big Frog Trail to complete a loop to the top of Big Creek trail. I would have never found my turn onto Big Creek trail. I probably would have needed to go all of the way to Low Gap to make a loop back to my pack.

Mark in his tent on Big Frog

My campsite on the north end of the Big Frog ridge

With only a little water left my plan was to make my way to Elderberry Spring to supply plenty of water for camping. I could have easily backtracked a little on Grassy Gap trail to Big Creek to fill water bottles, but I was sure that I would find water farther up Big Creek or at least be able to count on Elderberry Spring on Big Frog Mountain. The spring was dry so I returned to the far north end of Big Frog ridge and managed to supper and breakfast the next day with the 16 ounces of water I had on hand.

Sunday, October 20, 2013 – The easy part of Big Creek Trail – 11.6 miles

Route:
Big Frog Campsite to Low Gap – 2.8 miles
Yellow Stand Lead trail, Big Creek trail, and Grassy Mountain trail – 6.4 miles
Low Gap to FS221 Big Frog trail head on Big Frog trail – 2.4 miles

I was a little cold during the night and a little lazy the next morning so I got for what for me is a very late start, 9 AM. After hiking through the nearby rhodo tunnels I reached a beautiful overlook with an island mountain rising out of a sea of clouds filling an expansive valley.

At Low Gap I chose to cache my backpack in the woods and slack pack the easily walked 6.4 mile loop formed by Yellow Stand Lead trail, Big Creek trail, and Grassy Mountain trail. Yellow Stand leads to FS221 where a left turn on FS221 and short walk across the bridge brings you to Big Creek trail. There are nice car camping spots in this area along Big Creek. Big Creek was flowing slowly; not the steeply descending crashing creek that I had become accustomed to on some of my recent hikes in the Smokies. I found the more peaceful aspect of this mountain creek to be calming.

Back at Low Gap I picked up my backpack and listened to music as I returned to my car along Big Frog Trail.

The lower portion of Big Creek trail had one of the most expansive growths of Partridge Berries that I had ever seen. I snacked on 3 or 4 of these berries.

October 20, 2013
Licklog Ridge and Fork Ridge Hike

September 22, 2013

This was a 11.9 mile day hike up Fork Ridge Trail to Big Frog Mountain and returning along Licklog Ridge to the east of Fork Ridge.

View of Fork Ridge from Licklog Ridge.

Started hiking at 7:30 AM and finished at 1:30 PM.

The trail starts climbing gradually to the wilderness area. After 2.5 miles I turned right at a signed junction with Rough Creek Trail. Rough Creek Trail drops to Rough Creek, then climbs back to junction with Fork Ridge Trail after 1.8 miles. Rough Creek Trail continues, but I took Fork Ridge.

At Rough Creek I made my way rock hopping down the creek to fill my water at a small spillway. I slipped on a slick rock just above the spillway. At the edge of a 2 foot drop off into a stream pool and about to land headfirst, I sprang into the middle of the pool with a graceful landing on both feet in a foot and a half of water. I just as quickly sprang out of the water and castigated myself for dunking both feet in an easily crossed stream while congratulating myself on such a clever recovery. Somehow, though completely submerged for a second, my hightop Gortex boots kept out most of the water.

Route Warning:

On Rough Creek Trail in direction toward Fork Ridge – After trail crosses creek, turn right on old road, follow road for about 40 yards and look for left turn on trail going uphill. When I hiked, these turns were marked by pink surveyor’s tape tied to branches.

Climbing Fork Ridge I kept on the lookout for the Black Gum tree that the guidebook advertised as prevalent along this trail. I didn’t have any luck, but I did see a candidate or two. These trees were also called Black Tupelo and “Bee Gum” trees because locals would use their typically rotten cores as a place for bee hives.

Hawthorne with red berries covered the narrowing ridge of Upper Big Frog Trail.

Farther up Fork Ridge (1.8 mi) and later on upper Big Frog Trail (1.4 mi) the trail had some nice ridge walks. Looking east, I could see Licklog Ridge.

There was a post (no signs) at the Top of Big Frog Mountain. The trail leveled for a long way at and near the top of Big Frog making it hard to tell when the top was reached. At the post an intersecting trail beared to the left. This turned out to be LickLog Ridge trail, but being slightly overgrown at that point with numerous better traveled campsite trails all about, I hadn’t noticed. I wandered down several well worn campsite trails looking for the 3 way trail junction. I never saw the Wolf Ridge Trail junction. I assume it was well overgrown because I doubt it is much used. I had hiked Wolf Ridge Trail in the late 90’s. It is a steep ridge climb that is sometimes hard to find.

Fork Ridge Trail

After wandering through all campsites and reaching dead ends at every point, I ran into a man in his late sixties carrying a .22 rifle mounted with a large scope. Though he noticed me, he didn’t talk at first and continued walking slowly looking through the trees. I asked him which trail he had come up as I continued looking lost. He said “Peavine Trail”. I had a puzzled look on my face as I attempted to reconcile this name with the trail names I knew. I had read of a place name in the area called Peavine, but not a trail. Trying to recall Peavine, I figured out that it must be one and the same as Big Frog Trail and in the same instant he said, “you could know it as Big Frog”. He asked if I was looking for the trail to Georgia. I told him that I was hiking back down Licklog and he pointed it out. Licklog does lead to Georgia (Cohutta Wilderness) by taking the turnoff to Hemphill trail.

Notes:

Water Sources:

Only 2 water sources. Rough Creek about halfway on Rough Creek Trail segment between Licklog Ridge Trail and Fork Ridge Trail. Elderberry Spring, about half mile down Frog Mountain on Licklog Ridge Trail.

Access was via Highway 515 north, turn left at McDonalds on Hwy 2. Travel past Copperhill, TN. Left on Grassy Creek Road before reaching Ducktown. Immediately after crossing a one lane bridge, turn right onto Forest Service Road 221 (gravel road). Licklog Trailhead is 5.5 miles down FS221. Pass Tumbling Creek campground. The road is in poor condition with exposed rocks and washed ditches in the middle of the road; however, I was able to drive it in my Acura RX passenger car.

Given the poor condition of FS221, I made the decision to return by continuing on FS221 for 3.3 mi to FS45 leading to the Toccoa River Water Tower at Highway 64 rather than returning 5.5 mi of FS221. This also allowed me to see the West Fork Trailhead and several road crossings of the Benton McKaye trail. The condition of this 3.3 mi section of FS221 was as bad or perhaps worse than the earlier eastern 5.5 mi section of FS221. The exposed rocks might not have been as bad, but washed out gullies in the road were worse.

Around a couple of miles from FS45 I noticed a beautiful car camping spot along FS221 next to a creek (probably Rough Creek).

Elderberry Spring – On Licklog Ridge Trail 0.5 mile from Big Frog Mountain.

September 23, 2013