When I was deciding on a hike Margarette Falls wasn't the first or even second choice, but more like not even on the table. After canceling going to the mountains, because of the weather, on Tuesday I planned a less ambitious outing for Hump Day. The reason I had an appointment Wednesday afternoon, so I had to be home before 4 pm. So, the original plan was either of three areas...Laurel Run Park, Bays Mountain Park, or the Cherokee National Forest (CNF) near Greeneville. The last choice would be a choice of four spots with Margarette Falls number four. So technically it was at least number six.
Anyway, because of the larger number of choices, I decided on the CNF option.
So, where to go? There were the two waterfall hikes (Pete's Branch and Squibb Creek) out of Horse Creek Recreation Area, but I decided on a trail I hadn't done the Doctors Ridge Trail. The first mission was to find the trailhead. I determined it was off the same road, Greystone, as the one that goes up to Round Knob. Doctors Ridge Trail is a 1.1-mile trail one end starts off Greystone Road and the other end comes out at Old Forge Road. This means this time of the year the trail is easily accessible from the North end of the trail.
While it took a little more time than I liked I did eventually find the trailhead, but I had another problem where to park? Across from the trail, it was someone's driveway so I didn't think I could park there. Another spot was to the west of the trail, but I wasn't sure about it and I forgot my CNF book. However, if I had looked at the map as someone suggested (yes I am talking to you Pete) I would have known I could park there.
Since I wasn't sure I could park here. So, I had a choice to make. I would have gone to Squibb Creek but since I wasted so much time trailhead hunting I just didn't have an adequate amount of time really for that hike. So, Margarette Falls came back into play as it was between it and Pete's Branch. The warmer temperatures meant there was a good amount of snowmelt, which makes those crossings going to Pete's Branch tough. I mean that was one of the factors that cut out Squibb Creek because it has 15 crossings one way. Tough Creek crossings eat uptime.
So, to be good on time I decided on the one-mile shorter hike to Margarette Falls. This is the third time, recently, that this hike has been a back-up, the first was aborted attempts on both the Old Forge Loop and up to Camp Creek Bald in early December. Then a few weeks later it was because of snow issues on the Bullen Hollow Trail.
So, it was back to a trailhead I am really familiar with as I hiked from here just under a fortnight ago up the aforementioned Bullen Hollow Trail. I will say that there aren't many better waterfall hikes in the CNF and I not including going on to Bailey Falls. As I like to say any day on the trail is better than one that's not. Oh, one last thing there were some cool old ruins near the trailhead parking. Not bad for a sixth, seven...oh it doesn't matter it was a good choice!
No comments:
Post a Comment