Finally Back On The Trail During Thanksgiving Week To Chimney Rocks

Wow, it is Thanksgiving Week and it is hard to believe that my hike Tuesday to Chimney Rocks in the Cherokee National Forest was only my second outing in November. A sinus infection had knocked me out for almost two weeks and add in the low air quality because of the ongoing forest fires and a trip to the ATL conspired to keep me off the trail. Early on it seemed these forces might again be at work (actually this was on me). I had gotten a text Monday evening telling me that One Stop in Johnson City had gotten in the Oskar Blues Brewing's Stovepipe. It is their bourbon barrel aged Ten Fidy and I have been on the lookout for it and I still am as they had sold out (moral of the story...call ahead)! I had thought of hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT) to Watauga Dam, but I decided to head back toward Greeneville.

Hwat I went...

...here for.

Watauga 

I did think about just going up to Camp Creek Bald and  hiking, but at the end of the day, I decided on going up to Chimney Rocks from Weaver's Bend. The trailhead is located in-between the Paint Creek Corridor and Houston Valley Campground (actually closer to Houston Valley) where there are two places to park.

Left onto FS-209.

One right at the start of the Chimney Rocks Trail and the large one about a tenth of a mile from the trailhead, it is where I parked. This trail is a mixed use one for hiking, mountain biking and horses too. So the first part is road bed which traverses some beautiful meadows, before coming to a junction as the road bed goes left and the trail heads up.

Parking area.

Start of the trail.

The trail cuts through a meadow.

Heads up a traditional trail.

I will say some of the descriptions said it was difficult, but I thought it was a pleasant trail. Oh, and there was some nice, late, fall colors most courtesy of the mighty Oak Tree, which there was a lot of.

On the trail I encountered...

...plenty of...

...of fall colors.

I knew there were some nice vistas on this trail (best description is in the book Cherokee National Forest Hiking Guide edited by my Sierra Club hiking friend Will Skelton), but the view was amazing. Besides the wonderful view of Weaver Bend and the French Bald River also visible was Camp Creek Bald, Rich Mountain, Bluff Mountain and Hot Springs. I will say it reminded me of the Cliff Ridge on the AT above the Nolichucky Gorge.

The Chimeny Rocks...

...vista.

Camp creek Bald...

...Rich Mountain... 

...Bluff Mountain...

...Hot Spings...

...Cliff Ridge above Nolichucky Gorge.

Once I topped out on Chimney Rocks I came to a junction with the trail right heading down to Paint Rock and left on up the Chimney Rocks Trail to the junction with the Paint Mountain Trail, which is part of a loop hike to Weaver's Bend. Because of my ill-fated trip to Johnson City, I didn't have time to finish either, so I headed back the way I came.

Headed back...

...the Chimney Rocks Trail.

Nice!

The hike totaled 4.5 miles which aren't bad and not going to Paint Rock means I have an excuse to come back because this trail is a hidden gem.