Today, on my last day in Tennessee, Glen, Charlie and I did a short hike in the shadow of Camp Creek Bald to Big Firescald Knob. Unlike two years ago, when we hiked from the Camp Creek Bald Tower down to the AT, today we started at Jones Meadow near the site of the old Valhalla Inn. We hiked down the blue blaze trail, which was a road bed, past the ruins of the old AT Shelter, around it was beds of blooming Spring Beauties. We then reached the end of the road (which was a huge mud hole Charlie laid in because he is a dog) with trails left and right, that both led to the AT, we went right. While the trail was rocky it was a gentle climb. The AT then heads down to Bearwallow Gap where there are two trail junctions. The first is with Jerry Miller Trail which heads right. Then couple hundred yards up is the junction with the old AT, which is now the bad-weather route. Well, since it was perfect weather we headed up the rerouted AT. The trail switched back-up steps over Little Firescald Knob before dipping down and then heading up Big Firescald Knob. When we finally exited the rhododendrons we came out on the ridge line summit of Big Firescald Knob. It was a incredible 360 degree view, including the North Carolina Mountains and the Tennessee Valley. This panorama is well worth the hike up and much better than advertised. After enjoying the vista and talking with some thru-hikers (one had blog on Appalachian Trials I have read) we headed back. The hike back was just as pleasant as the hike up, which included some Trout Lilie right offthe trail. When we got back to the car we took in the view of Jones Meadow. It was a great day out with great friends and look for a blog of my two hikes at "Viking Mountain" here soon.
No comments:
Post a Comment