Appalachian Shelters: Bald Mountain

For this installment of  Appalachian Shelters, I will be talking about the first Appalachian Trail (AT) shelter I stayed at...Bald Mountain. 

Shelter sign off the AT

This shelter is about a mile AT North of Big Bald. That makes it just past the halfway point of this AT Section #11.  Also, it is the only shelter on this section. In trail terms, it is a somewhat recent shelter built-in 1988. So, it looks more like a Tennessee Eastman Hiking and Canoeing Club shelter than the typical Carolina Mountain Club (CMC) ones. It is also the last CMC shelter heading North on the AT.

The building of the shelter (Photo by William Kirkman)

Shelter plaque (Photo: Tripadvisor)

The shelter is a different design...

...from the "normal" CMC shelter. This is Hogback Ridge, the closest shelter 10 miles AT South. 

The shelter sets about a tenth-of-a-mile off the AT down a side trail. As you get to the shelter, you will first come to the Spring which is 50 feet down a trail. Once past you will see the shelter and it is a nice one. I will admit that I didn't sleep in it (but in a tent near it) but it sleeps 10 on a two-floor wooden deck. As with most shelters, I have visited it has a picnic table and fire pit.

The second sign pointing the way off the AT.

The trail passes the junction to the water.

Inside Bald Mtn. Shelter (From A Little Wanderlust blog).

The picnic table...

...roaring fire in the pit.

Since it is a CMC shelter it has privy to the left of the shelter 100 yards or so. Also being a CMC maintained it also has bear cables to the right front of the shelter. Overall, it is a nice shelter in an even better location.

The privy...

...bear cables.