Cat Gap Trail to John Rock, Pisgah National Forest

[dropcap style="font-size: 60px; color: #9b9b9b;"] T [/dropcap]he always popular Cat Gap Loop Trail is a jumping off point for many great hikes within the Davidson River area of Pisgah National Forest. Included among them is the picturesque John Rock, one of the area’s plutons that stand over the recreation area. With views of the Fish Hatchery, Looking Glass Rock, Pilot Mountain and the ridges that run to Graveyard Fields, John Rock is a great spot for scenic vistas on your way around the Cat Gap Loop. This is a complete hike. In addition to the great views on John Rock, the trail follows two different creeks and meanders through both hardwood and evergreen forests. Be prepared for some climbing. You will gain more than a thousand feet. Good exercise, beautiful forest, cool mountain streams and long-distance views — what more could you ask for. This hike occurred on Thursday, September 20, 2012 from 9:15am to 12:40pm. Our plan was to start at the fish hatchery along Davidson River looping the Cat Gap Trail clockwise. We would take the John Rock Trail at mid loop.

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Hike Length: 6.8 miles Hike Duration: 3.25 hours Blaze: Orange, yellow

Hike Rating: Moderate, some strenuous Hike Configuration: Loop, with cutout

Elevation Gain: 1,107 feet Elevation Change: 970 feet

Trail Condition: Mostly very good. Some creek crossings and rooty areas.

Starting Point: East end of the parking area at the fish hatchery along FR 475.

Trail Traffic: We encountered two other hikers on the trail, from The Netherlands.

How to Get There: From Brevard, NC get onto Scenic Hwy 276 west into Pisgah National Forest. Go 5.2 miles, then turn left onto Forest Road 475. After a mile, turn left into the state fish hatchery. The trailhead is at the east end of the parking area.[/box]

If you wish to do this hike clockwise, then start at the east end of the fish hatchery parking lot. Counterclockwise? That trailhead is next to the Conservation Education Center. Either way, you will be coming out vice versa at the end.

Our three man crew chose to make like a clock because it is the shortest route to John Rock. The orange blazed Cat Gap Trail starts where John Rock Branch meets Davidson River. Not long after the trailhead, you will cross the creek for the first time, one of several along the way. This first one has a bridge, but don’t expect that luxury later on. Because Cat Gap Loop is so popular, it has become a fairly wide track, well-maintained except for some exposed roots and occasional muddy areas.

The trail wanders through Horse Cove, a section of Pisgah National Forest known for marshy wetlands. Occasional spur trails are available to explore the wetlands. Just watch where you step. It can get squishy. The main trail again crosses John Rock Branch about a half mile in, this time over rocks in the stream. Be careful as you cross. The wet rocks can be slick. From here, the trail begins ascending the east side of John Rock Ridge and soon crosses Forest Road 475C. Just a few hundred yards more and you will reach the junction with John Rock Trail.

It’s a right turn on a yellow-blazed trail that begins a steep climb almost immediately. You will climb 470 feet in the next half mile, so test your lungs to make sure you can breathe deeply. For some reason my hiking partners felt the need to challenge each other, so they took off on a jog up the trail. Call me old fashioned, but I hike to enjoy the scenery and the wilderness, so I lagged behind and took plenty of pictures of the beautiful green forest. The higher I got though, the more the fall coloring was just beginning to make its annual appearance.

I remembered from previous visits to John Rock that a spur trail takes off to the right from the main trail and pops out on the lower end of John Rock. I looked for that as I approached the crest of the ridge and found what I thought was the proper spur. 100 feet deep into the laurels I discovered a dead end. I was stymied by thick rhododendron and mountain laurel and could go no further. False trail #1.

So, back to the main trail I went and further up the ridge to false trail #2. Again, I headed westerly on a spur trail but came to another dead end. I spent the next 20 minutes going back and forth on the main John Rock Trail looking for the correct spur to go to the rock. My hiking companions were nowhere to be seen, so apparently they found John Rock alright. Eventually, one of them came back looking for me and I discovered I just didn’t go quite far enough. The spur trail that I was looking for was just another 50 feet beyond the 2nd false trail. Darn it!

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