Finally Got My Butt To Big Butt & Throw In Round Knob

If anyone doesn't remember a couple of weeks ago (near the end of August) I cut short my hike on the Bald Mountains at Jerry's Cabin. Well, today I set out to rectify this as I hiked out to Big Butt on the Appalachian Trail (AT). For those who don't know, Big Butt is located on the section of the AT that includes Camp Creek Bald and Big Firescald Knob. It isn't easy to get to because any day hike is around 10 miles or over. The last time I attempted going to Big Butt I came in from Jones Meadow which is a 12+ mile round trip.

Big Butt...

Big Firescald Knob & Camp creek Bald...

...finally Jones Meadow.

Today I elected to come up from Round Knob Recreation Area. The reasons were I have wanted to come up there for quite a while, second, it was shorter around 10 miles, and finally I wouldn't have Big Firescald Knob slowing me down with its amazing vistas.

To avoid this vista slowing me down...

...I decided ti hike out of here.

I had wanted to come to Round Knob for some time....

...the pavilion has a free place...

...this trail...

...leads to a spring...

...& a vault toilet.

The trail up from Round Knob is two steep miles. It is also a multi-use trail for ATVs and Horses so it was more roadbed than a trail. Finally, I made it up to the AT, it was cool that they had put up a new Round Knob Trail. From this point, I had hiked from here to Jerry's Cabin (so go here for more on this part of the AT).

This is the start of the Round Knob Trail.

This shows how steep it is.

Just over halfway is the junction of the new Bee Hollow Trail.

There use to be a gate, but now a wall of dirt to mark the end of the ATV trail.

The Round Knob Trail before....

...& I find a new sign three weeks later...

...they had also done new blazes (I hope they replaced the Blackstack Cliff sign).

Jerry's Cabin.

When I got to Jerry's Cabin I meet a flip-flopping thru-hiker. who said that because of the generosity of a Trail-Angel he had actually gained weight over the past week. Well, he was going south and I was headed north, which was uphill. It reminds me of the trail up Big Cedar Mountain. When I reached Coldspring Mountain it opened into a beautiful meadow, it didn't even seem you were on top of a mountain. It reminded be of Beauty Spot with wonderful vistas and opened bald.

I start the part I came to finish.

Up the AT goes...

...to the bald meadow...

...of Cold Spring Mountain.

Finally, the AT headed back in the woods passing the junction with the Sarvis Cove Trail. It isn't long before the AT cross a road and then crosses it again before heading up to Big Butt and its summit Big Rocks. When I got to the summit I decided for some reason to take the Big Rocks Bypass which took me under Big Butt,so when I came up the other side I went back up the AT to the short trail up to the summit. I will say that the vista was good, but it has grown up quite a bit it reminded me of SIlers Bald which I summited in April.

Add captionInto the woods....

...past the junction with the Sarvis Cove Trail....

...past this cool rock.

The first road junction...

...to the Howard Bassette Memorial...

....here the AT turns...

...crosses the high clearance road again.

For some reason, I took the bypass...

...in case you do the path to Big Rocks is right...

...or left if you come up the AT.

U.S. Geological Marker. 

The grown up vista at Silers Bald....

...& Big Rocks...

...but there was a good view of Camp Creek Bald for Big Rocks.

After lunch I headed back, the highlight was getting to traverse Coldspring Mountain again this was the best part of the whole day. Then it was back to Jerry's Cabin, and here I decided to get some extra water a visited the spring near the shelter. After that, I headed up the AT and the junction with Round Knob Trail and back to the Recreation Area. Let me just say that the trail back was just as steep as going up. Well, that was my day of getting my butt up to Big Butt.

Headed back to the best part of the hike...

...the meadow on Coldspring Mountain.

I just like this shot of the AT.

Back at Jerry's Cabin...

...where I took the blue blaze...

...to a piped spring.

The double blaze means I back at the Round Bald Trail.

There were some nice vistas on the way back of Camp Creek Bald...

...& other mountains.

Back at Round Knob...

...one last vista on the way out.