What do you get when you just want to hike, see snow and you have unfinished business...a return trip to the Bullen Hollow Trail on Saturday.
As followers of this blog may recall I attempted this hike just before Christmas back in December. But, I had to turn back because of rhododendron weighted down by snow obscuring the trail.
While I had hiked a couple of times at the Cabin I hadn't been out in January since the start of the year at Camp Creek Bald. So, I had thought about going looking for snow because we had some Thursday. However, with the prospect of more winter weather Saturday I decided to stay closer to home, and what better way than to finish what I started on the Bullen Hollow Trail.
When driving over towards Greeneville I noticed snow on the mountains. But, knowing it was colder when the snow fell I thought it was a more powdery variety I decided to risk it. I always could do something else close by.
As I said back in December the Bullen Hollow Trail shares a trailhead with Margarette Falls. Unlike the last time here there was zero snow at the trailhead. Anyway, I pressed ahead and when I reached the junction for the Margarette Falls & Bullen Hollow Trails there wasn't any snow so I headed right.
I knew this first part was a tough climb but before long I came to the spot where the trail splits (temporary). The main trail goes right and a spur left. I decided to go on the spur which is shorter, but much steeper. Before long I reached the section of the trail that forced me to abort the last time.
While there wasn't snow it was easy to see why it was a tough slog when it does as lots of rhododendron line the trail. It was good that I turned around that day as the rhododendron got thicker in spots and some of it on narrow sections of trail. With the lack of snow, I noticed something I hadn't in December besides rhododendron there was a lot of Mountain Laurel. Rhododendron wasn't the only obstacle I had to do some trail maintenance cutting out some thick spots of the forementioned shrub, fallen branches, and move some deadfall. This trail work did slow me down a bit.
It wasn't all work, the trail actually was less steep for the most part and even flattened out at times. There were also some great views of Cathedral Rock and other cliffs on Rocky Ridge plus views of snowy Big Firescald Knob, Blackstack Cliffs and Jones Meadow. There is a point where you can hear Margarette Falls below.
Once across Bullen Hollow Branch the trail starts heading up Henry Ridge not steep at first but then starts to gain slope. It was here that I finally found a good amount of snow. It was a thin layer, but it was still snow, so I won't complain. The other thing about being on this ridgeline was the views. Most of these are winter views, so that and foliage around the trail this hike is better done before summer.
Before long I reached what is called the Deer Pond at the end of the Bullen Hollow Trail. However, that wasn't all sitting on the other side was an abandoned pick-up truck. Not a really old truck, but it is not a real old model like I have seen. No, this one is a "modern" pick-up, but it needs some work.
After enjoying Camp Creek Bald and the rest of Viking Mountain I ate lunch before heading back. It was starting to look wet and the wind picked up. I forgot to mention on the way up, the steep grade of the last part of the trail had these drainage cuts that can make the path confusing, especially going back down. Lucky for me the trail was blazed...there was one on the entire trail!
It was a quicker trip back, downhill usually is. I eventually made it back to the junction of the three trails at the information kiosk. I was glad because it was a flat half-mile to the trailhead. As I left the trailhead weather started to move and when I looked back the mountains disappeared behind the clouds. While tired it was a good day and Pete was happy, I call that a win...
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