Category: Cohutta and Frog Mountain Wilderness

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
Lower Jacks River and Horseshoe Bend Trails

August 3, 2013 – Getting Away

I needed a quick wilderness fix without a long drive, so on a Saturday afternoon, I quickly threw an overnight pack together and loaded my mountain bike on the car. Within a couple of hours I had left my car behind at the Horseshoe Bend Trailhead and was on my mountain bike tearing down a rocky forest service road back toward my cached pack near the lower Jacks River Trailhead. I forded back over streams which only minutes before I had carefully crossed using my daughter’s Nissan Sentra; now covered in mud, of course.

By 3:30 PM I was hiking upstream along the Jack’s river. As always, the water was crystal clear. I was surprised when I began regularly seeing nice sized trout clustered together on the bottom of pools.

Within minutes I had a nasty sting on the back of my left shoulder. Only a few minutes later, another sting. This time on a finger of my right hand. I wore my Chaco sandals and carried my tennis shoes on the pack. In my hurry, I had forgotten socks. By the end of the trip I had about 6 of bleeding raw spots on each foot. Each was where the wet, sometimes sandy straps made contact with skin.

I began counting fords. After 17 crossings of the river I stopped to check Tim Homan’s “Hiking Trails of the Cohutta”. I had passed the Horseshoe Bend trail turnoff without seeing it. No matter, I had planned to hike beyond the turnoff to find a campsite. I chose my campsite and took my second swim of the day in the Jacks. With plenty of time to spare and little to do, I built a campfire. It wasn’t cold and a fire wasn’t needed. Usually I don’t build campfires because I have hiked so long and hard that all I have energy for is setting up the tent and cooking. This day I had only hiked 4 miles of flat riverbank. The crossings were a little tiresome, particularly the 14th or 15th crossing where there was no obvious trail on the opposite bank. I finally found the opposite bank trail well upstream. Someone had marked it with a collapsible water bottle hung on a tree limb with a caribiner.

August 4th – View of Frog Mountain

I made my way back downstream over around 4 river crossings. The Horseshoe Bend trail picks up on the left bank (facing downstream). I see how I missed it the day before. The old wooden trail sign is hung on the upstream side of a tree, which would be the backside of the tree for anyone walking upstream. It was hard enough to see while walking downstream and constantly looking for it. Look for the area with an excellent open campsite and nice fire ring. The trail angles up the hill behind the campsite. The weathered wooden sign is camouflaged against the matching tree that it is nailed upon.

Horseshoe Bend is a steep climb for the first third of a mile. I soon reached a gap and looked over the other side to see and hear a crashing river. I was already on the left bank (going downstream) so how could another river be on my left? I later checked my map. It was the same river, only upstream from where I had turned off on Horseshoe Bend. The Jacks does an upstream turn behind Horseshoe Bend trail. In other words, Horseshoe Bend trail nearly cuts the “Horseshoe” curve of the Jacks. Someone upstream could have taken a big shortcut by climbing up the left side to where I stood.

Farther along I crossed along a ridge that was fairly open to the left. I am sure that I could see Frog Mountain (Tennessee), the highest point in the Cohuttas. It was nearly hidden in morning clouds. I was looking east northeast and the sun had clearly risen nearby.

Self portrait on the lower Jacks River – This was the only portion of the Jacks that I hadn’t yet hiked. This was also my first hike of Horseshoe Bend Trail.

August 4, 2013