Nantahala Lake to Cheoah Bald
August 8, 2015
|
|
Start Location: Nantahala Lake (88.1 miles) | 35.192150, -83.639091
End Location: Winding Stairs Gap (106.4 miles) | 35.280661, -83.665137 Parking Locations: Nantahala Lake (88.1 miles) | 35.192150, -83.639091; Appletree Group Campground |35.222411, -83.660404; and Winding Stairs Gap (106.4 miles) | 35.280661, -83.665137. Views: Nantahala Lake (88.1 miles); Waterfall (91 miles); Water Sources: Wine Spring (88.1 miles); Nantahala River (91.4 miles); ample water sources around Appletree Group Campground (94 miles); Piercy Creek (99.4 miles) Campsites: Wine Spring (88.1 miles); Campsite with waterfall (91 miles); ample water sources and campsites around Appletree Group Campground (94 miles); Piercy Creek Campsite (99.5 miles); ff BT Distance: 18.3 miles Hiking Distance: 21 miles |
|
|
I was hoping to do a 23+ mile day this day to finish the BT on Cheoah Bald for the night. Unfortunately, my hiking partner and I had to cut it short at Winding Stairs Gap.
This section of the trail required some road walking at two different locations (both fairly short and painless). This section was also relatively flat with only one moderate climb up Rattlesnake Bald. I picked up the trail at Nantahala Lake (88.1 miles). I planned to redo the 0.7 mile road walk because I did such a poor job documenting the hike last time. The trail here descends down to Wayah Road and crosses the road. As you descend and cross Wayah Road, you will see the beautiful waters of the Nantahala Lake directly ahead of you. You will also see a sign showing the Bartram Trail. |
I was doing Nantahala Lake (88.1 miles) to Appletree Group Campground alone. At Appletree, I was meeting with RR and he would drive me back to my car at Nantahala and then we would both drive down to Winding Stairs Gap. There, we would leave a car with our packs and just day hike from Appletree to Winding Stair Gap where we would pick up our packs and go camp at Cheoah Bald. Unfortunately, the hike didn't quite go as I planned.
Follow Wayah Road to your right for a couple hundred feet. Keep the lake to your left and you will come to the Nantahala Parking area, which is just a pull off for 2-3 cars. Here, Wine Springs dumps right into Nantahala Lake. If you go away from the lake along Wine Springs, you will find some pretty nice campsites. Right across the parking area, there is a little side trail to a campsite right on Nantahala Lake. It is a gorgeous little campsite right next to the lake's waters. Of course, however, their proximity to the road would be a major distraction for a backpacker.
Leaving the parking area, continue right keeping the Lake to your left. Go 0.7 miles until you come to a convenience store and a Phillips 66 sign (88.8 miles). Before you get to the convenient store, you will pass the Lake End Marina Cafe and Grill. Go past the Lake End Here, you will find a sign for the BT indicating that you go down an gravel forest road. Shortly thereafter, the trail jets off into the woods. Here the trail has a very gradual climb as it goes near private property mainly in wooded areas but often intersecting gravel roads.
At about the 90 mile marker, the trail begins to descend and at 91 miles, the trail comes to an awesome campsite and waterfall. This would have to be one of my favorite campsites given the location. You will be descending really quickly and at some point you will hear a large waterfall to your left. Be careful in this section as the trail takes a very hard left toward the waterfall off an old forest road you had been following. It would be very easy to continue down the old forest road. Just remember, when you hear a waterfall, slow down and look to your left for the trail. The campsite has a fire pit and at the very end of the campsite there is a trail down to a view of the waterfall. Also, there is a trail doing all the way down to the deep pool at the base of the waterfall. I wish I had more time to explore this area, but I had to meet RR.
You will continue to descend in elevation and at mile 91.4 you come down to Nantahala Dam Road and you will go left and go over the very unimpressive concrete ford of Nantahala River. From here you will continue on gravel roads until Appletree Group Campground. Shortly after the ford, you reach the intersection of High Water Trail (a gravel road) and Nantahala Dam Drive (91.5 miles). Here take a right on High Water Trail and go for a little less than 2 miles. Shortly after joining High Water Trail, you come to this three road intersection where you will hand a right and continue of High Water Trail--a gravel road. (91.7 miles).
For the next 1.8 miles you will follow the gravel road and here I did a little trail jogging as I was, per usual, behind schedule. At 93.5 miles, you come to Cloudwalker Cove Rd. You will see a penstock clearly visible and pass a bold creek here. Take a right onto Cloudwalker Cove Road and it dump you on Junaluska Rd (93.6 miles). Here take a right and go 0.1 miles to Appletree Group Campground (93.7 miles).
As I arrived, I found a huge group (20+ people) taking pictures at the entrance to the campground. I found RR's car, but RR was nowhere to be found. I took some pictures for the huge group and waited around 5 minutes for RR. When he didn't show up, I continued to hike north on BT. I hiked for about 1/4 of a mile before I found RR coming back to his car. He planned on meeting me on the trial, but didn't realize he was actually going NOBO on the BT. We hiked back to his car and he drove me to my car. We then both drove to Winding Stair Gap and left his car there. I was supposed to leave my pack in his car so we could day hike between Appletree and WSG, but I forgot to put my pack in his car. My 12.4 day hike with food and water turned into a full backpacking experience needlessly. Oh well, it was only a 25 lbs pack. At the end of the day, the difference between a 25 lb pack and a 6 lb day pack is completely negligible. I drove us back down to Appletree Group Campground where we started to continue to hike NOBO on the BT.
Follow Wayah Road to your right for a couple hundred feet. Keep the lake to your left and you will come to the Nantahala Parking area, which is just a pull off for 2-3 cars. Here, Wine Springs dumps right into Nantahala Lake. If you go away from the lake along Wine Springs, you will find some pretty nice campsites. Right across the parking area, there is a little side trail to a campsite right on Nantahala Lake. It is a gorgeous little campsite right next to the lake's waters. Of course, however, their proximity to the road would be a major distraction for a backpacker.
Leaving the parking area, continue right keeping the Lake to your left. Go 0.7 miles until you come to a convenience store and a Phillips 66 sign (88.8 miles). Before you get to the convenient store, you will pass the Lake End Marina Cafe and Grill. Go past the Lake End Here, you will find a sign for the BT indicating that you go down an gravel forest road. Shortly thereafter, the trail jets off into the woods. Here the trail has a very gradual climb as it goes near private property mainly in wooded areas but often intersecting gravel roads.
At about the 90 mile marker, the trail begins to descend and at 91 miles, the trail comes to an awesome campsite and waterfall. This would have to be one of my favorite campsites given the location. You will be descending really quickly and at some point you will hear a large waterfall to your left. Be careful in this section as the trail takes a very hard left toward the waterfall off an old forest road you had been following. It would be very easy to continue down the old forest road. Just remember, when you hear a waterfall, slow down and look to your left for the trail. The campsite has a fire pit and at the very end of the campsite there is a trail down to a view of the waterfall. Also, there is a trail doing all the way down to the deep pool at the base of the waterfall. I wish I had more time to explore this area, but I had to meet RR.
You will continue to descend in elevation and at mile 91.4 you come down to Nantahala Dam Road and you will go left and go over the very unimpressive concrete ford of Nantahala River. From here you will continue on gravel roads until Appletree Group Campground. Shortly after the ford, you reach the intersection of High Water Trail (a gravel road) and Nantahala Dam Drive (91.5 miles). Here take a right on High Water Trail and go for a little less than 2 miles. Shortly after joining High Water Trail, you come to this three road intersection where you will hand a right and continue of High Water Trail--a gravel road. (91.7 miles).
For the next 1.8 miles you will follow the gravel road and here I did a little trail jogging as I was, per usual, behind schedule. At 93.5 miles, you come to Cloudwalker Cove Rd. You will see a penstock clearly visible and pass a bold creek here. Take a right onto Cloudwalker Cove Road and it dump you on Junaluska Rd (93.6 miles). Here take a right and go 0.1 miles to Appletree Group Campground (93.7 miles).
As I arrived, I found a huge group (20+ people) taking pictures at the entrance to the campground. I found RR's car, but RR was nowhere to be found. I took some pictures for the huge group and waited around 5 minutes for RR. When he didn't show up, I continued to hike north on BT. I hiked for about 1/4 of a mile before I found RR coming back to his car. He planned on meeting me on the trial, but didn't realize he was actually going NOBO on the BT. We hiked back to his car and he drove me to my car. We then both drove to Winding Stair Gap and left his car there. I was supposed to leave my pack in his car so we could day hike between Appletree and WSG, but I forgot to put my pack in his car. My 12.4 day hike with food and water turned into a full backpacking experience needlessly. Oh well, it was only a 25 lbs pack. At the end of the day, the difference between a 25 lb pack and a 6 lb day pack is completely negligible. I drove us back down to Appletree Group Campground where we started to continue to hike NOBO on the BT.
|
|
Before the entrance to Appletree Group Campground, there is a small 1-2 car parking lot for those hiking the BT immediately before the gated Appletree Group Campground (93.7 miles). The entrance of Appletree Group Campground has a large sign. Behind the sign, you will find the trail as it goes along the Nantahala River.
The trail joins an old road and passes a large open field (94 miles). Shortly, you will find a double blaze on a tree and a hard pull off to a footpath at mile 94.2. This is very easy to miss as old forest road continues straight. I missed this turn completely if it weren't for RR. The trail here is a bit (read a lot) overgrown making traveling at pace difficult. |
Along this section you will have ample water sources and places to camp along creek and river. At mile 95.8, you come to Walnet Cove Creek where there is a new bridge with a very new sign. The trail continues to gradually lose elevation and you come to Poplar Cove Bridge at 96.3 miles. From here, the trail gains about 400 feet of elevation fairly gradually and then begins a downhill where you eventually come to Piercy Creek (99.4 miles). Here you will have to ford the creek, but it is a very straight forward ford where you can rock hop fairly easily. Immediately after fording Piercy Creek, you come to a huge campsite (99.5 miles). This campsite seems fairly popular and can hold easily. 6-10 tents.
Shortly after the campsite, you come to the trail intersection with Piercy Creek Trail, which is blue blazed (99.6 miles). Continue straight on the BT. Shortly passed, that you come to another intersecting trail, the Laurel Branch Trail, which if memory serves me is orange blazed and is at mile marker 99.7.
Shortly thereafter, you begin the moderately steep climb to Rattlesnake Bald, but first during the climb you come to Long Bald Trail (100.6 miles). This markers the 100 + mile marker of the BT. Here, the trail takes a hard right and continues to climb Rattlesnake while London Bald Trail continues straight on what appeared to be a trail that has not been used in years.
The trail continues to climb Rattlesnake Knob, but never summits Rattlesnake. Instead, the trail just skirts Rattlesnake Knob (101.6 miles). At the top, the trail levels out and then gradually descends down the arm of Rattlesnake. At mile marker 102.6, the trail begins a series of 11-12 switchbacks and you lose elevation quickly and come to a campsite near a surge tank with a pretty nice view (103 miles). It is, however, a dry campsite. From here, you can see north and see the rock quarry. You also see Nantahala Gorge below.
From here, you take a left and follow the gravel service road down to the power plant constantly losing elevation. Immediately before the power Duke power plant, you will find a pull off to your left (104.7 miles). Easy to miss as gravel road continues down to the power plant. This will take you down to Wayah Road (104.8 miles). here take a left onto Wayah Road and you will intersect US Hwy 19 (104.9 miles). Across the street is the Duke Power Plant parking. To your right, you will find the Nantahala River Launch Site, which was very busy on this very warm day. We followed US HWY 19 until we reached Winding Stairs Gap, where we discovered we missed a turn off somewhere along the road walk. Either way, this section offered some amazing pictures of the Nantahala River.
We were officially less than 6 miles form Cheoah Bald. We made it up 1 mile and we decided to call it a day and hike back to car and head home that day. We decided to save the last <6 miles for another hike which is described in greater detail below.
Shortly after the campsite, you come to the trail intersection with Piercy Creek Trail, which is blue blazed (99.6 miles). Continue straight on the BT. Shortly passed, that you come to another intersecting trail, the Laurel Branch Trail, which if memory serves me is orange blazed and is at mile marker 99.7.
Shortly thereafter, you begin the moderately steep climb to Rattlesnake Bald, but first during the climb you come to Long Bald Trail (100.6 miles). This markers the 100 + mile marker of the BT. Here, the trail takes a hard right and continues to climb Rattlesnake while London Bald Trail continues straight on what appeared to be a trail that has not been used in years.
The trail continues to climb Rattlesnake Knob, but never summits Rattlesnake. Instead, the trail just skirts Rattlesnake Knob (101.6 miles). At the top, the trail levels out and then gradually descends down the arm of Rattlesnake. At mile marker 102.6, the trail begins a series of 11-12 switchbacks and you lose elevation quickly and come to a campsite near a surge tank with a pretty nice view (103 miles). It is, however, a dry campsite. From here, you can see north and see the rock quarry. You also see Nantahala Gorge below.
From here, you take a left and follow the gravel service road down to the power plant constantly losing elevation. Immediately before the power Duke power plant, you will find a pull off to your left (104.7 miles). Easy to miss as gravel road continues down to the power plant. This will take you down to Wayah Road (104.8 miles). here take a left onto Wayah Road and you will intersect US Hwy 19 (104.9 miles). Across the street is the Duke Power Plant parking. To your right, you will find the Nantahala River Launch Site, which was very busy on this very warm day. We followed US HWY 19 until we reached Winding Stairs Gap, where we discovered we missed a turn off somewhere along the road walk. Either way, this section offered some amazing pictures of the Nantahala River.
We were officially less than 6 miles form Cheoah Bald. We made it up 1 mile and we decided to call it a day and hike back to car and head home that day. We decided to save the last <6 miles for another hike which is described in greater detail below.