I could not think of a better way to say goodbye to Spring and hello to Summer than on the bald summit of Max Patch. I love this place with its spectacular views, I mean it is the "Grandstand of the Smokies."
To achieve this I decided to break the seal on this year's camping season in the process. Since deciding to get back on the trail during the Coronavirus Pandemic I had yet to get out camping. Also, since the new reality of COVID-19 I hadn't returned to America's Footpath...the Appalachian Trail (AT). So, Max Patch covered both criteria. It is a great place to basecamp and a course the AT crosses its summit. Oh, it is also where I ended last year's camping season in October.
While I had been to Max Patch many times, getting this time out wouldn't be easy. When I go I normally do the route up I-40 through Davenport Gap and going in by Herman Den. Well, this time when I reached the Herman Den Parking Area there was a gaggle of cars and it wasn't long before I found out why the road was closed. It turns out it was a large mudslide in April. Well, Google Maps didn't know this. I have since learned of a much faster way, but at the time I thought I either had to go back to I-40 and then again into North Carolina or head back to Tennessee and come up Round Mountain Road from Del Rio.
I had come up this way once before, with Glen, over Thanksgiving Weekend of 2014. That day it was snow-covered, but I did have to worry about that today. On the way up I passed a nice overlook into Laurel Mountain and the Round Mountain Campground. Once I got to Lemon Gap I stopped for a look around. Then it was 3.5 Miles up Max Patch Road, which was once part of the AT before being rerouted over "the Patch/"
When I arrived at the parking area I got lucky I found a spot in the main parking area. It was crowded, but I practiced social distancing and had my mask at the ready...didn't what Pete calling me a mouthbreather. When I was last here I went left at the kiosk, but today I went right. The reason I planned to camp at the place where the AT comes up, right under the summit of Max Patch. I had always wanted to camp at this spot and lucky for me it hadn't been taken. As much as I liked the site from last October this one was a little better. I mean it was one of my favorite sites, it is fantastic!
So, I set-up and then headed out for a short hike around the Max Patch Loop. This takes me over the summit where I had to actually had to "mask-up." Yes, everyone else was a mouthbreather and social distancing was also optional. Once I passed the October campsite at the junction with the blue-blazed trail I pretty much left the people behind.
It was down the AT to the Max Patch Loop Trail, but I didn't stay on it long. I decided to hike up a short distance to the Buckeye Ridge Trail because there are great views on this horse/hiking trail. After a short distance again it merged into the Max Patch Loop Trail. Then about 0.2 miles you come to a horse tie-up with a picnic table and for the first time I run into people with horses. It was back into the woods crossing water and finally back to the junction with the AT. However, I had to get more stuff out of the car so I headed back to the parking lot, picked up some water, wood, and headed back.
Once back it was a relaxing evening with Pete by the campfire. What was great about this campsite, unlike the one on the other side, I didn't have to have to leave my chair to watch the sunset...nice!
But, that wasn't all at sunrise it was the same. I was able to set in camp and watch a beautiful sunrise over the mountains...did I say nice?
I loaded up and decided to go back over the summit and head back down the other access trail. When I got up to the top of "the Patch" there were at least 10 tents, yes I made the right choice. Once back at the car I got ready for my main hike south on the AT to a spot called Hawks Roost. I had read about it in the Official AT Guide. Located on Herman Den Mountain it was described as a rock formation with an overlook plus campsite. It was sponsored by Champion International Corporation, at the time, owned the land below Hawks Roost. Not only was it mentioned in the Official AT Guide, but it was also on the National Geographic Map but also in the AWOL AT Guide, but not in the latest edition.
So I started out from the junction with the Max Patch Loop Trail and headed south on the AT. From here it is 0.4 miles to NC State Road 1182 (better known as Max Patch Road) where the hike really starts. Three-tenths-of-a-mile in you will come to a bend in the trail as the grown-up Cherry Creek Trail going left and the AT right. Since this is ridgeline the trail did a lot of up and down, but to my chagrin, it seemed the downhills were longer than the up/ That means there would be more uphill coming back. I passed some Northbound hikers who told me it gets pretty steep down to Brown Gap.
So, when I reached a sitting log right where the trail heads down I stopped and thought of turning back. I had really look at the profile of this hike closet, but when I looked at the profile on my map it looked pretty steep. But, Pete incested that we continue, so we headed down towards Brown Gap.
Yes it was steep and I had a feeling I was going to regret heading down, but I eventually made it to Brown Gap.
Now, I still had a half-mile before I reached the area of the side trail to Hawks Roost. Yes, if you guessed it was uphill. Not bad at first, but then steep. I didn't know if there would be a sign, but I wasn't betting on it. I found what looked like a path, but it looked a little grown-up, so I decided to go on up. I pretty much knew I had gone too far when I reached the top of Herman Den Mountain. The mountain got its name from a hermit who supposedly lived under a rock hang here. At the top, there was a campsite and the junction with the Rube Rock Trail. There was also a tarp covering stuff. I figured it was trail maintainers, probably from the Carolina Mountain Club (they work this section) because I had seen where the trail had been weed eaten.
So, I headed back down to the side trail I had passed and followed it out. I first saw the campsite and then a sign that said Hawks Roost. While I spotted the rock outcrop, but the view...it looks like it has been gone for some time (I bet not even a winter view). So, Pete was right I was deflated because it was kind of a bust and I still had steep climbs awaiting me. But I sucked it up and headed on.
The trip down to Brown Gap wasn't bad, but then the climb out. I don't know if it was because the hike had been tougher than I thought or I am just out of shape, but this was one of the worst climbs I have had. Not just the AT, anywhere! After a lot of stops, I mean a lot. But I finally made it back to my log. Then there was another tough climb and each time these climbs while less just got worse. I have to say when I reached the sign for the Cherry Creek Trail I was relieved.
From here it was back to Max Patch Road, but instead of going back the AT and around I took the shorter way, up the road, back to the parking area...thank goodness. I thought I was only doing 6.6 miles, but I needed up doing almost nine.
I ended up going back the way I came in and stopped at Max Patch Pond. So, even with the adversity, it was a good hike and a great two days on "the Patch."
I had come up this way once before, with Glen, over Thanksgiving Weekend of 2014. That day it was snow-covered, but I did have to worry about that today. On the way up I passed a nice overlook into Laurel Mountain and the Round Mountain Campground. Once I got to Lemon Gap I stopped for a look around. Then it was 3.5 Miles up Max Patch Road, which was once part of the AT before being rerouted over "the Patch/"
When I arrived at the parking area I got lucky I found a spot in the main parking area. It was crowded, but I practiced social distancing and had my mask at the ready...didn't what Pete calling me a mouthbreather. When I was last here I went left at the kiosk, but today I went right. The reason I planned to camp at the place where the AT comes up, right under the summit of Max Patch. I had always wanted to camp at this spot and lucky for me it hadn't been taken. As much as I liked the site from last October this one was a little better. I mean it was one of my favorite sites, it is fantastic!
So, I set-up and then headed out for a short hike around the Max Patch Loop. This takes me over the summit where I had to actually had to "mask-up." Yes, everyone else was a mouthbreather and social distancing was also optional. Once I passed the October campsite at the junction with the blue-blazed trail I pretty much left the people behind.
It was down the AT to the Max Patch Loop Trail, but I didn't stay on it long. I decided to hike up a short distance to the Buckeye Ridge Trail because there are great views on this horse/hiking trail. After a short distance again it merged into the Max Patch Loop Trail. Then about 0.2 miles you come to a horse tie-up with a picnic table and for the first time I run into people with horses. It was back into the woods crossing water and finally back to the junction with the AT. However, I had to get more stuff out of the car so I headed back to the parking lot, picked up some water, wood, and headed back.
Once back it was a relaxing evening with Pete by the campfire. What was great about this campsite, unlike the one on the other side, I didn't have to have to leave my chair to watch the sunset...nice!
But, that wasn't all at sunrise it was the same. I was able to set in camp and watch a beautiful sunrise over the mountains...did I say nice?
I loaded up and decided to go back over the summit and head back down the other access trail. When I got up to the top of "the Patch" there were at least 10 tents, yes I made the right choice. Once back at the car I got ready for my main hike south on the AT to a spot called Hawks Roost. I had read about it in the Official AT Guide. Located on Herman Den Mountain it was described as a rock formation with an overlook plus campsite. It was sponsored by Champion International Corporation, at the time, owned the land below Hawks Roost. Not only was it mentioned in the Official AT Guide, but it was also on the National Geographic Map but also in the AWOL AT Guide, but not in the latest edition.
So I started out from the junction with the Max Patch Loop Trail and headed south on the AT. From here it is 0.4 miles to NC State Road 1182 (better known as Max Patch Road) where the hike really starts. Three-tenths-of-a-mile in you will come to a bend in the trail as the grown-up Cherry Creek Trail going left and the AT right. Since this is ridgeline the trail did a lot of up and down, but to my chagrin, it seemed the downhills were longer than the up/ That means there would be more uphill coming back. I passed some Northbound hikers who told me it gets pretty steep down to Brown Gap.
So, when I reached a sitting log right where the trail heads down I stopped and thought of turning back. I had really look at the profile of this hike closet, but when I looked at the profile on my map it looked pretty steep. But, Pete incested that we continue, so we headed down towards Brown Gap.
Yes it was steep and I had a feeling I was going to regret heading down, but I eventually made it to Brown Gap.
Now, I still had a half-mile before I reached the area of the side trail to Hawks Roost. Yes, if you guessed it was uphill. Not bad at first, but then steep. I didn't know if there would be a sign, but I wasn't betting on it. I found what looked like a path, but it looked a little grown-up, so I decided to go on up. I pretty much knew I had gone too far when I reached the top of Herman Den Mountain. The mountain got its name from a hermit who supposedly lived under a rock hang here. At the top, there was a campsite and the junction with the Rube Rock Trail. There was also a tarp covering stuff. I figured it was trail maintainers, probably from the Carolina Mountain Club (they work this section) because I had seen where the trail had been weed eaten.
So, I headed back down to the side trail I had passed and followed it out. I first saw the campsite and then a sign that said Hawks Roost. While I spotted the rock outcrop, but the view...it looks like it has been gone for some time (I bet not even a winter view). So, Pete was right I was deflated because it was kind of a bust and I still had steep climbs awaiting me. But I sucked it up and headed on.
The trip down to Brown Gap wasn't bad, but then the climb out. I don't know if it was because the hike had been tougher than I thought or I am just out of shape, but this was one of the worst climbs I have had. Not just the AT, anywhere! After a lot of stops, I mean a lot. But I finally made it back to my log. Then there was another tough climb and each time these climbs while less just got worse. I have to say when I reached the sign for the Cherry Creek Trail I was relieved.
From here it was back to Max Patch Road, but instead of going back the AT and around I took the shorter way, up the road, back to the parking area...thank goodness. I thought I was only doing 6.6 miles, but I needed up doing almost nine.
I ended up going back the way I came in and stopped at Max Patch Pond. So, even with the adversity, it was a good hike and a great two days on "the Patch."
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