Category: Hiking

Shuttled from Tunnel Road to Nowhere to Fontana Marina by one time resident of Hazel Creek. – Marina Ferry to Hazel Creek. – Backpacking with swim breaks. – Chambers Creek. – From lake elevation to over 5000 feet on Bear Creek trail to High Rocks. – Tunnel Bypass Trail – Goldmine Loop Trail – Lower 1 mile of Nolan Creek trail.

Day 1, September 26, 2014 – “Meeting original resident of Hazel Creek for 17 years”

Hazel Creek to Chambers Creek (Campsite 98) – 14.6 miles

Getting there:

Thursday night I arrived at the tunnel outside Bryson City and slept in the back of my van. No moon and clear skies made the Milky Way and stars spectacular. I had arranged a pick up at 6:30 AM Friday morning by Gene Lamey. Gene pulled up about 5:45 AM. I explained that I had arrived late the night before. It took me only a few minutes to put on my hiking boots and grab my pack. Gene is 86 years old. He lived 3 or 4 miles up Hazel Creek until he was 17 years old. In 1944, after Fontana Dam was built the government moved all of the people out and promised to build a new road on the north shore of the new lake. The old road to Bryson City was submerged in most places.

As Gene drove, I asked a few questions with the hope that he would share stories of the time he lived in the Smokies. Gene talked about coon hunting up Cold Spring Gap toward High Rocks and he mentioned that there were a lot of bears this year with all of the acorns. “There were a lot of grapes, but Bears won’t eat grapes.” He told of how you could pay the mailman 50 cents to give you a ride from Hazel Creek back to Bryson City (about 30 miles). The mailman made his run twice a week.

I told Gene about my hike on Hazel Creek trail where I saw large buildings in the woods. He explained that these were the drying kilns for the lumber mill. They weren’t torn down because they weren’t made of wood. He said that during WWII with men sent to war, the boys cleaned off the mud and rocks picked up in the bark of the logs. The older men rolled the logs off the train.

I paid $25 for the one way ferry from the Fontana Marina to Hazel Creek. The one-way charge to Forney Creek is $110. I had expected the ride to Hazel Creek to be a short hop directly across the lake, but it was actually much farther. Luckily, I had not decided to plan a trip where I kayaked across.

Some Geography:

A better name for this post might have been “Hiking the Welch Ridge” area. Within an hour of hiking I had climbed from Hazel Creek to a high point (2300 ft) on the lower end of Welch Ridge. I could have taken the direct route, bushwhacking straight up the ridge and through a few intervening gaps to High Rocks. Instead, I continued on Lakeshore trail over the next 2 days before reaching High Rocks. My first night’s campsite, nearly 15 miles down Lakeshore trail, Chamber’s Creek, flowed from Welch Ridge. For three days I was hiking along and around Welch Ridge. Finally, on the 3rd day, I crossed the lower part of Forney Ridge and went beyond the Tunnel to hike the lower part of Nolan Creek (Nolan Ridge). From Hazel Creek, the main ridges in order running toward the AT are Welch Ridge (to Silars Bald), Forney Ridge (to Clingman’s Dome), and Nolan Divide (to Clingman’s Dome).

The hike:

Lakeshore trail is long and at least for me mentally, seemed very long. Hitchhikers covered my socks and shorts and even my shirt. I eventually began listening to some Bob Dylan and Grateful Dead. It wasn’t until I took a couple of breaks to swim in the lake and eat lunch that I could shake the boredom. I noticed persimmons growing in the shallow lake bed. I tried some of the ripest looking persimmons were spread beneath these trees. They were still bitter. I began noticing bear scat full of persimmon seeds.

After the 2nd swim break, the trail leveled on a road covered with wildflowers. A male goldfinch skittered along ahead of me for a while moving from perch to perch. My mood shifted to the glorious.

At Chambers Creek I set up my campsite and went back to the lake for a swim. In the clear water I could spot small trout. Eventually, I spied 2 large trout about 18 inches long. I laid on the beach in the sun and later brought out my supper to enjoy the last views of the sun. The channel opened up with a nice view of a mountain that I guessed was Cheoah Bald. This reminded me of the rainy and foggy day hiking the AT when I crossed Cheoah Bald.

A large group of mostly young canoeists had paddled in from 4 miles up the lake. They camped at the next tent site further up the creek. Other than these camper-canoeists, a couple of fishermen on the lake, and a pair a couple miles from Hazel Creek (probably locals paying respects at one of the many cemeteries), I saw no others. I was the only one out for an overnight hike of this trail.

Day 2, September 27, 2014 – “A last swim in the lake and climb to High Rocks”

Chambers Creek to Forney Creek on Lakeshore Trail – 6.6 mi, Forney Creek to High Rocks via Bear Creek Trail and Welch Ridge Trail – 6.3 mi, Return to Poplar Flats Campsite 75 on Bear Creek – 3.3 mi, Total distance – 16.0 miles

This Lakeshore Trail seems like it never ends. After the usual morning glow of hiking I began wondering how much further and began tracking progress on my Iphone GPS App. This app nearly got me into trouble the night before when I very nearly walked past Chambers Creek. The map and the trails didn’t overlay correctly at times making it appear that the campsite was on further at the top of the next ridge. This morning the app made me thing that I had an inlet to walk around before reaching an final inlet that was Forney Creek. I soon found out that the inlet I was already following was Forney Creek.

I stopped and made my way around to the right side bank to avoid bothering a couple of men fishing the creek from a boat. Working across the steep lake bank, the sandy bottom gave way and I caught myself with my hiking pole. The pole bent double and broke in half when I tried bending it back.

The last swim was nice. I used a boulder to deposit my things and floated around in the lake. I liked dropping down to just where my eyes were lake level where I would look across the still water to the mountains beyond. It was a peaceful perspective.

At the campsite near Forney Creek I met and spoke to a couple from Knoxville, TN. They had been thinking about hiking to High Rocks and back to Forney Creek, but were thinking better of leaving that late on a 13.5 mile hike. Later after I had set up my camp at Poplar Flats they came hiking up Bear Creek trail. They had changed their minds and had decided to hike to High Rocks even if it might mean some hiking in the dark.

I completed Bear Creek trail and visited High Rocks for the 2nd time. The first was when I hiked Hazel Creek, Welch Ridge, Cold Springs Gap and much more. I noticed as I moved away from the lake that the bear scat no longer contained persimmon seeds. Up on Welch Ridge again, I thought a lot about how it would feel to continue up the ridge to Silar’s Bald shelter. When hiking I used to talk to myself and think about all sorts of things and ideas. Now, I hike quietly and if I think of anything it is about other hikes. I see rocks, ridges, trees, trail beds, etc. that trigger memories of other trails and other hikes. I suppose I have this large store of memories of hikes that I did not have years ago when all I could do while hiking was talking to myself, memorizing poems, or dreaming up wacky ideas while I hiked. Other hiking thoughts are often devoted to the latest pain or soreness. When I was younger I thought about the piece of my body that currently hurt the worst. I wanted to stop and rest. Now, I think about the pain that could be a sign of getting old. Now, the worry is worse than the pain. Will that slight soreness in my right knee get worse and leave me unable to walk? Will that pain in my back radiate to my hip causing me to be unable to go on?

Supper was the 2nd night of Tofurky spicy sausages (meatless). This time in red beans and rice with a little Stovetop Stuffing mixed in. I drank a cup of coffee before bed. Between the coffee and the sloped ground under my tarp, it was hard to sleep. I turned around to put my head uphill, but that left my feet sticking out from under the side of the tarp. No worries about rain, but unable to sleep, my mind naturally wandered toward bears making sleep even more impossible. I occasionally got up to throw the remaining wood on the fire.

Day 3, September 28, 2014 – “Finishing all of Lakeview Trail and all trails southwest of Bryson City”

Bear Creek trail below Poplar Flats campsite is downhill and gentle and becomes easier as it becomes an old road. Once back on Lakeshore Trail the ups and downs start again. I don’t recall exactly, but at one point I believe that I climbed up to 2800 feet. The temptation was to walk back to my car and complete the trip, but I had to detour and recross my path some in order to pick up the Tunnel Bypass Trail and the Goldmine Loop trail. I hiked these unremarkable trails that were more like a replay of Lakeshore trail. I actually hiked Goldmine Loop without a pack since I first returned to my van via Tunnel Bypass trail.

After returning to my car the 2nd time, I drove to Nolan Creek and hiked 1 mile out and back on the Nolan Creek Trail between the road and Fontana Lake. Nolan Creek trail was an easily walked road along a beautiful creek. It would be a nice place to revisit for an easy walk some day. Maybe with Sandra. Gene Lamey told me that the government occasionally opens the gate to Nolan Creek trail drives earlier inhabitants and their descendents up Nolan Creek for a visit to their origins. They do something similar on Hazel Creek.

This hike included 2 difficult climbs of Mt Le Conte in hot humid weather. I carried a fully provisioned backpack including a food filled bear vault up the Bullhead Trail. A bicycle was used to travel the short distance between trailheads of Grapeyard Ridge and Porters Creek of this near loop walk. The hike covered nearly all hiking trails in the triangle formed between Greenbrier Road, Mt Le Conte, and Gatlinburg.

Itinerary:

Total hike (44.8 miles, including a mile down and up Roaring Fork Road in wrong direction.)

Day 1 (August 29, 2014) – Night hike – Grapeyard Ridge (Greenbrier Cove Road) trailhead to campsite #32. – 3.2 miles.

Day 2 (August 30, 2014)- Grapeyard Ridge Trail to Roaring Fork Motor Trail – 4.4 miles, Baskins Creek Trail – 2.7 miles, Old Sugarlands Trail to Bullhead Trail – 1.0 mile, Bullhead Trail – 6.4 mi, (Total 14.5 miles)

Day 3 (August 31, 2014) – Trillium Gap Trail then Rainbow Falls Trail to Le Conte Cliffs, High Top and Myrtle Point

Day 4 (September 1, 2014) – Trillium Gap then Brushy Mountain top, then Brushy Mountain Trail to Porters Creek trail to Greenbrier Rd, then bicycle to car parked at Old Settlers trailhead.

Getting There:

Follow Greenbrier Road northeast of Gatlinburg up the Pigeon River and park alongside the road near Grapeyard Ridge trailhead or across bridges to left at one of the pull off spots near Old Settlers trailhead.

Day 1 – “Night hike over 5 stream crossings”

Night hike – Grapeyard Ridge (Greenbrier Cove Road) trailhead to campsite #32. – 3.2 miles

I dropped my bicycle off at the Porters Creek trailhead just as the last light of the day was vanishing. As usual, it was hidden in the woods and locked to a tree. A short while later (8:41 PM) I had started the hike. Having read of 5 (sometimes wide enough for wet feet) creek crossings, I chose to hike in Chaco sandals. To mark my progress and to avoid missing campsite 32 or straying onto crossing paths and roads, I had reviewed the trail elevation profile with creek crossings marked along the profile with “x’s”. Never entirely comfortable with lone night hikes I moved fast as I counted off crossings. I had one scare. A rabbit jumped out of the undergrowth and ran down the trail toward me.

There were actually 8 crossings of water, however, only 5 of these rightly deserved mention as true creeks. The creeks were low making the Chaco’s an unnecessary precaution. By 9:45 PM I had reached the sign for campsite 32 where I found a family with young children already settled in for the night. There were a couple of tents pitched and a couple of hammocks. I set up my tarp in a grassy spot not far from the bear lines. My left “next to pinky” toe had a puncture or bite of some kind. It was painful with an infected red puffy look. As I tried to sleep I discovered that the young children were not quite asleep yet. An owl hooted nearby. The young children hooted back. It was quite some time before they settled down. It is a nice feeling to be safely in camp after a long drive from Roswell, GA and a 3 mile night hike.

Day 2 – “Hurtful humid climbs”

Grapeyard Ridge Trail to Roaring Fork Motor Trail – 4.4 miles, Baskins Creek Trail – 2.7 miles, Old Sugarlands Trail to Bullhead Trail – 1.0 mile, Bullhead Trail – 6.4 mi, (Total 14.5 miles)

Reaching Roaring Fork Motor Trail, I turned right along the paved road. According to my National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map, Baskins Creek Trail was down Roaring Fork Road about a quarter mile or so. After a half mile of following Roaring Fork Motor Trail with no luck (the road crossed the creek, leaving it on the wrong side of the road in relation to Baskins Creek trail), I turned around and headed back toward Grapeyard Ridge Trail. Still not finding Baskins Creek Trail, I kept going, this time the other direction on Roaring Fork Motor Trail. I found the well marked trail with its own parking lot to the left (direction against Motor Trail one way traffic), not to the right as indicated by the map. It was only about 100 feet from where Grapeyard Ridge trail intersected Roaring Fork Road. My map is out of date. The trail re-location makes sense. It avoids a creek crossing and climb while moving the Baskins Creek trailhead much closer to the Grapeyard Ridge trailhead. It would be nice to have a sign or two directing hikers in the correct direction to the next trail.

Baskins Road trail is relatively tame until you reach the turnoff for the falls. After that point it begins a long steep and brutally hot climb back toward Roaring Fork Road. I saw a great many weekenders including children, youth, families, and elderly hiking toward the falls. They all asked how far. I told them 20 minutes. Most didn’t appear to be carrying water. Given the heat and the climb back from the falls, I wondered how much suffering there would be later on.

After having already been wiped out by Baskins Creek trail, I soon had to start climbing Bullhead trail with a full backpack. My muscles were sore and I plodded on. I checked my progress by checking elevation using my Iphone’s GPS app. With Bullhead starting at 2500 feet and the intersection with Rainbow Falls trail at 6000 feet, I logged my progress. I was a sweaty mess while freshly showered nice smelling and well coiffed Le Conte lodge residents regularly passed me on their way down. About halfway I stopped at a cool place where water streamed down rocks. I soaked my shirt in the cold water and put it back on. I lay on a flat rock and stared up at the branches of large oaks where tiny squirrels chased each other along branches and across trees. The squirrels ran down the large trunks faster than the free-fall of gravity. If one had fallen, the other would have literally been at the bottom of the tree first, waiting to catch his buddy. These tiny mountain squirrels are much faster than my fatter backyard squirrels. Very entertaining. It even took my mind off the exhausting climb.

Day 3 – “A mother dear and doe”

Trillium Gap Trail – 8.9 miles, Rainbow Falls Trail – 6.7 miles, Le Conte Cliffs – 0.4 mi, and Myrtle Point 0.4 mi (Total – 16.4 miles)

I was surprised to wake to the early light of dawn. Evidently, I had been sleeping hard. I had dreamed of park rangers trying to rouse me from my sleep to the point of pulling me along by dragging my sleeping pad. After breakfast of maple and brown sugar oatmeal with apricots and coffee, I packed my day pack and began a loop back down Le Conte via Trillium Gap with a return up the Rainbow Falls trail. I didn’t see anyone until well past Trillium Gap. A few people had early starts to the Le Conte lodge via the Trilliam Gap trail. Upon arriving at Grotto Falls I would encounter large numbers of people for rest of the day. Most people were climbing to either Grotto Falls or Rainbow Falls. Beyond those points, the people thinned out. The trail leads behind Grotto falls. One of the lower falls had an inviting pool of water, but I decided not to take a swim.

Near the end of Trillium Gap trail, a young couple appeared in front of me. I was moving fast on this level trail and at first I thought I would catch and pass this couple. They walked faster, then began running. I stayed close enough to see them still ahead on the beginning section of Rainbow Falls trail. Later I met them at Rainbow Falls. It turned out that they were both in the Army and were used to running. This couple was the exception. Most people were struggling on the climb up to Rainbow Falls. The crowds were so large that they actually slowed down my pace as a waited to pass slow movers. On the way up a few of us were entertained by a doe and fawn deer. The doe was licking her fawn. Very motherly.

As a precaution, I carried about 2 liters of water, but I found plenty of water sources along this trail.

The previous day I did not spend much time on Mt. Le Conte. I had carried a full pack and was worn out. This day I made good time and arrived at the top about 3 PM. I could have made it much sooner, but purposely slowed down by taking a long lunch break and Rainbow Falls and taking a side trail to a ridge overlook somewhere around 5200 feet elevation. With an early arrival, I climbed to the cliff tops and ate again. I took off boots and socks and tried to nap on the rocks. I continued on the trail where I saw the Le Conte shelter and Myrtle Point.

There were plenty of bear activity and warning signs near the lodge. I thought it was a little overdone with mention of bear attacks. They are going to scare these lodgers to death.

Day 4 – “An early starter is an early finisher”

Le Conte to Trillium Gap – 3.6 mile, Brushy Mountain top round trip (0.4 mi), Brushy Mountain Trail (4.7 mi), Porters Creek trail to Greenbrier Rd (1 mile) Total (9.7 miles)

Walking down Trillium Gap trail from the top of Le Conte, it was only a little after 7 AM when I surprised a man on his way up. He wore running shoes and gear and wore a headlamp. Before I reached Trillium Gap (9 AM), he had already climbed to the cliffs on Le Conte and caught back up with me. I expect that he would be back at the Grotto Falls parking lot well before 10 AM. Now that is a early round trip hike (or run) up Mt Le Conte!

The 0.2 mile spur trail to the top of Brushy Mountain, actually the last portion of the Brushy Mountain trail, provides nice views. Looking back toward the southwest, Mt. Le Conte was obscured by clouds. Toward the east is a good view of Mt. Kephart. Although I had descended a great deal from Mt. Le Conte, I was still at 4600 feet on Brushy Mountain.

Descending Brushy mountain trail from Trillium Gap, I quickly entered areas of giant dead Fraser Firs and Red Spruce. With the sunlight now streaming in, stinging nettle and other sun loving plant life had grown alongside and over the trail. Brushing by the nettle on Brushy Mountain trail produced irritating stings on my legs. I had to stop several times to scratch the sting away. Everything on the upper half of Brushy mountain trail made for tough walking. Seemingly dry rocks were slippery. I skied down one flat smooth rock that I had misjudged as having a gripping tread. It was a relief to reach the clear and easily walked 2nd half of Brushy Mountain trail.