Tales From The Wood Booger: Over The Dam & Thru The Woods AT Watauga Lake I Go

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Over The Dam & Thru The Woods AT Watauga Lake I Go

Thursday I returned to Watauga Lake for a hike, mostly on the Appalachian Trail (AT), that was part ground I had covered before and part new territory. The part I had done before was from Shook Branch to Watauga Dam. I talked about this previous hike in some detail before. It was the outing that Glen and I hiked the last third in a monsoon. For more details on that hike check out the link here. I will say there were a few new things on this section. The first was Shook Branch Recreation Area was closed, so I parked in the area with the big Cherokee National Forest sign.

The entrance was closed.

I parked in the lot with this sign...

...I actually parked next to it.

From the parking area down to the AT.

While Shook Branch was closed you could hike the short trip to it.

I was headed to Wilbur Gap Road, which means I have hiked this sign.

The second was new signage at the dam and the third was areas of the trail damaged by fire. What is funny (or scary it matters how you look at it) was I didn't even notice it on the way in and it was until the return that I saw the burn damage. What is bad is that it wasn't just a small spot, but was a pretty large area.

The new sign at the south end of the dam...

...& the north end.

I missed this on the way in...

...some pretty large...

...burnt areas right beside the AT.

Now on to the third of the hike that was new territory. This involved hiking from Watauga Dam to Iron Mountain Gap and Wilbur Dam Road. Yes, this is the place I hiked out of back in December out to Vandeventer Shelter, you could say I was finishing a gap in the AT I hadn't hiked. After enjoying the beauty of Watauga Lake from the dam I headed up the paved (but closed) Watauga Dam Road for the next fourth-of-a-mile. Just like any road walk it had a decent incline. There was a good shot of the Watauga Dam Power Station at the bottom of the valley.

Getting to the dam.

The Watauga Dam Marker.

Here is where the AT heads up Watauga Dam Road.

Power station from the AT.

The old road is now trail.

Just before the road crests, there were some more new signs pointing where the AT goes left into the woods, but it also gave the distance to the Watauga Dam Visitor Center (more on that later) for now I just wanted to reach Wilbur Dam Road. It is here I usually complain or blame Johnny Molloy for not giving the best description of the trail. No, today I am directing my complaint at ATC Guide which really said nothing about how steep the trail is because it was a climb. I will say that AWOL's AT Guide did show it being more of an uphill slog that it turned out to be. After cresting a small knob it was downhill to the turnaround point at Wilbur Dam Road.

Headed on the AT, but maybe later?

This way to the AT...

...uphill...

...now downhill to...

...Iron Mountain Gap...

...& Wilbur Dam Road.

The turnaround point.

Well, it was back up and then down to where the AT becomes a road walk again and it is here that that sign to the Watauga Dam Visitor Center comes into play. When I finished hiking to Vandeventer Shelter, back in December, I planned to drive to the Watauga Dam Visitor Center and found the road to the visitor center gated because I guess it was closed for the winter. I could have walked up, but I just didn't feel like it (having done close to 10 miles). Anyway, I can't resist a good side trip and since it was less than half-a-mile (0.4 one-way) I decided why not.

Headed back...

...up the AT...

...down toward the lake.

You know I had to go.

I should have known it maybe wasn't the best idea when the trail started downhill. It went down before a short level area before going down again. It wasn't long before I came out of the woods to a paved trail and I went right, the direction the sign pointed, for the Watauga Dam Overlook before going left to the visitor center (I decided to save the overlook for last). Even though it was closed it was a nice little visitor center with a stunning view of the lake. Since there were picnic tables I decided this was the place to have lunch. It was just me and a wonderful view of the lake...nice!

Yes, it was down.

...to the paved trail.

I am at...

...the closed Watauga Dam Visitor Center...

...but I did have this view.

Headed up to my lunch spot...

...& I had it all to myself...nice!

So, after lunch, it was time to head back, but I stopped off at the Watauga Dam Overlook. It offers a great view of the whole dam, after taking it in it was time to pay the piper for my return trip uphill. Let me say it was as bad as I thought it would be because it was steep, the steepest climb of the day! I questioned my decision a couple of times and was grateful when I reached the road, but I will say it was more than worth the effort.

Well, it is on to...

...the overlook for...

...Watauga Dam.

Well time to pay the piper...

...trip up the steep trail...

...so I was sooo glad to see this sign!

There was no doubt the highlight of the trip back was getting to cross the dam again. A bonus was I didn't have to hike back to Shook Branch in a deluge. I will say I had flashbacks because it had started to cloud up, but thankfully I didn't have to pull out my rain gear. With side trips and all the hike came in at about 10 miles in five hours, not bad for someone who is almost half-a-century!