Tucked away in the northeastern corner of DuPont State Forest in Western North Carolina, Stone Mountain is the highest point in the state forest at 3,620 feet. Appropriately named for the exposed granite slab that traverses its summit, Stone Mountain offers a near 270° view of the surrounding terrain to winter hikers. Since the first time I went, nearly 12 years ago, the pines are taking over the summit, so views are harder to come by. Especially in summer, the leaf cover makes it even more difficult. This hike occurred on Monday, February 3, 2020 from 12:00 noon to 2:30pm. Our plan was to take the Rocky Ridge Trail to the Stone Mountain Trail, then on to the summit. Return would be back the same way.

There are two ends to the Rocky Ridge Trail that meet up with the Stone Mountain Trail. The southern end is on Sky Valley Road, is a 3 mile round trip, and rises 660 feet to the summit. The northern end starts on the Old CCC Road very near the junction with Sky Valley Road, adds a mile to the total distance and 500 feet more elevation gain.

The southern Rocky Ridge trailhead has a parking area large enough for a half dozen cars on the left side of Sky Valley Road less than two miles up from Guion Farm. The trail is wide and pleasant, and sandy with an indistinguishable uphill grade. This northeastern section of the state forest is dense woodland with a delightful mix of deciduous and evergreen trees.

You will discover the DuPont State Forest trail system to be quite robust. We reached two trail junctions on the short 1.5-mile hike up Stone Mountain. The first is .4 mile in. The Rocky Ridge Trail bears left and eventually down to the Old CCC Rd. and the Stone Mountain Trail turns right. Then just another tenth mile later, the Switchback Trail bears right and Stone Mountain takes off uphill to the left.

The Stone Mountain Trail begins moderately steep climbing right away and continues uphill until the summit. Unlike the near perfect conditions on the Rocky Ridge Trail, this trail is rocky and rutted from drainage. Just a touch less than a mile in, the trail turns a decidedly northeasterly direction and climbs to a large grassy clearing perhaps two acres in size. Passing through the meadow, we climbed another tenth mile past several large boulders alongside the trail, then began the final climb to the summit.

Those boulders are a nice place to take a breather because the last tenth mile is the steepest. The good news is that it isn’t far as the trail climbs through laurel and rhododendron. Just about the time you think you’ve had enough, you pop out on the summit with large granite outcrops and gnarly wind-swept pines. The summit surface is quite large and flat and affords long-distance views in nearly every direction. Be sure to spend some time exploring the summit. You can walk several hundred feet left or right.

To the left is a northerly view toward Asheville with the Great Craggy and Black Mountains behind. Looking west is the high country of Pisgah National Forest, including the easily identifiable tower-topped Mt. Pisgah. Straight ahead is Pinnacle Mountain with its radio and cell tower. You can also see the clearings in the forest that are the horse farms along Pinnacle Road.

To the right is the most expansive view, stretching far and wide toward South Carolina. There are communications towers barely visible many miles away that sit atop Rich Mountain in Transylvania County. Below you is the southwestern area of DuPont State Forest. When you go, see if you can pick out some of the more notable landmarks.

If you packed a picnic lunch, there are numerous great spots on the granite to sit for awhile and enjoy the picturesque surroundings. The largest of these is to your left, about 200 feet from the initial summit. Just follow the path through the gnarly pines. Speaking of lunch, while on top, we enjoyed following the circuitous path of a lone buzzard hovering on the wind a hundred feet above. Fortunately, his eyes weren’t on us.

The return trip for us was uneventful, but you really must keep your eye on the trail. It is a steep descent with many, many hazards from washout. There are exposed rocks and roots seemingly everywhere, just waiting for their chance to trip you, or worse.

When we got back to the car, the thermometer read 70 degrees. Can you believe that for early February?

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Located in the Guion Farm region of DuPont State Forest, this hike will take you to one of the lesser known, but equally memorable, of the exciting DuPont waterfalls. You are surrounded by majestic pine forest nearly throughout, with a walk along Grassy Creek for good measure. Most of the way is excellent double track surface, but that means you should listen for the sound of mountain bikes coming up behind you. Keep your eyes on the map and the markers as you will change trails several times to finish this easy loop. My brother and I hiked to Wintergreen Falls on Thursday, January 23, 2020 beginning at 11:00AM and finishing about 1:50PM. Our plan was take Tarklin Branch and Wintergreen Falls trails to the waterfall, then return on Sandy Trail, Thomas Cemetery Trail, and Buckhorn Road.

Start in the south corner of the large Guion Farm parking area and head in a generally south direction on Tarklin Branch Trail, proceeding alongside a large meadow and into a mature pine forest. On sunny days, this transition from wide open spaces to dark canopy may take a moment for your eyes to adjust.

It’s roughly a mile from the trailhead to the next junction with Wintergreen Falls Trail. Along the way you will pass the occasional educational sign explaining the remedial work the State Forest Service has done to improve the pathways and waterways in the area, preventing flooding and washouts.

As DuPont is a working forest, so too will you find evidence of the logging activity that occurs throughout the state forest. You will pass a large clear cut area on your right along Tarklin Branch Trail, and later, as you meander along Thomas Cemetery Trail you will notice the forest thinning that has happened there. The loggers harvest only the most mature of the trees, leaving the younger ones for future use.

I think the forest that surrounds this region is among the most beautiful in DuPont. Another example of a beautiful pine forest hike off of Sky Valley Road is the Plantation Trail, a few miles farther up the road. The aroma of the pine is magnificent, and during warm weather you are treated to the wonderful bird music high above in the tallest boughs.

When you reach the junction, turn left (east) on Wintergreen Falls Trail, then it is an additional half mile to the waterfall. Continuing through the forest, you will notice fields of massive boulders on your left, fallen from the granite plutons high above. As you approach the end you will see horse tie-offs, and safety signs warning of the danger of waterfalls. First, you will reach the rocky whitewater cascades of Grassy Creek on your right, then wind your way northeast through a very thick rhododendron forest that parallels the creek.

As you duck through the rhodo branches, there are many large boulders creekside that are useful for setting up a camera tripod, or just sitting to watch… and listen. Wintergreen Falls is not particularly large, perhaps 15-20 feet tall and of equal width. The largest channel is on the left side of the cascade. During the dry season you can wade in the splash pool, but I wouldn’t recommend it during high flow periods.

This is Wintergreen Falls. Due to the very wet winter of 2020, it is flowing pretty nicely.

We stayed to visit for about 20 minutes, joined eventually by another pair of hikers. When we’d had enough, we returned the same way, a half-mile to the junction with Tarklin Branch. However, rather than going back, we turned left (west) here on Sandy Trail. This one is named appropriately. The tred on Sandy Trail is indeed quite sandy, remnants of being in the flood plain of Grassy Creek.

Grassy Creek starts with whitewater, but soon calms down to a slow, quiet stream cutting through dense, overhanging rhododendron thickets. Did you know that Grassy Creek is named for the evergreen teaberry ground cover that can be found along its banks? There is one junction where you can wade the creek to try Grassy Creek Trail, but we continued on Sandy Trail for 0.6-mile. At the end it rejoins Tarklin Branch Trail, but further southwest. Turn left.

It is roughly another half mile on Tarklin Branch to its meeting with Thomas Cemetery Trail. We turned right here (north), but you can also go left to view the Thomas Cemetery. Another wide double track, Thomas Cemetery Trail takes you through yet more stunning pine and hardwood forest. As mentioned above, there is evidence here of fairly recent logging activity.

We found a nice log on the side of the trail to enjoy lunch, and heard an unexpected crash in the forest nearby. We soon found out it was a State Forest Service ranger in a pickup truck driving through a frozen puddle, causing the crash-like loudness in the otherwise silent woods. We waved back and forth as he passed by, then put our packs back on to resume the trek.

You stay on Thomas Cemetery Trail for about a mile, until it crosses Buck Forest Road where you turn right. It’s then one last half mile on Buck Forest back to the parking lot. You will pass one of the few remaining inholdings within DuPont State Forest as you approach the finish. I often wonder how annoying it is to the people who live there to have hikers and bikers traversing their backyard day after day.

Summarizing this hike, the destination is a delightful picturesque waterfall deep within the forest. Along the way you’ll be treated to the smells and sounds of a vibrant pine woodland, the exciting rush of whitewater, and the calm soothing essence of a clear mountain stream. This is a great one for the whole family, both kids and the elderly, as it is not the least bit hard. Be careful around waterfalls as always, but have a great time.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Sure, there are lots and lots of wildflowers in April at Whiteoak Sink and on the hillside at the Townsend Y to make this hike seriously entertaining. But there is a lot more to the Schoolhouse Gap/Chestnut Top combination hike than abundant spring flowers. The views into Townsend from the Chestnut Top ridge are notable, and the forest that surrounds you throughout is enchanting. Since this would be a very lengthy hike as an out and back, my brother and I did it as a shuttle hike, parking a car at each end. We hiked the Schoolhouse Gap and Chestnut Top trails on Wednesday, April 18, 2019 beginning at 8:00AM and finishing about 2:15PM. Our plan was to park a car at the Townsend Y, take the other car to the Schoolhouse Gap trailhead, then hike the two trails back to the Y.

You better be an early bird to catch the parking space at Schoolhouse Gap trailhead throughout the month of April, otherwise you’ll be hoofing it an additional half mile just to start your hike. The parking at this very popular spot fills quickly. We started out leaving one car at the Chestnut Top trailhead at about 7:45, then 15 minutes later, when we arrived at Schoolhouse Gap there were already a half dozen cars ahead of us. The early start makes for dark pictures first thing, as it takes quite awhile for the sun to rise above the ridges that surround this trail.

You notice immediately that Schoolhouse Gap Trail is a former road. Built by Dr. Isaac Anderson in the mid-19th century, the goal was to combine a trail from Tennessee to Bote Mountain with one from North Carolina to Spence Field. Dr. Anderson did his part. Unfortunately, those confounded Carolinians dropped the ball, and Dr. Anderson’s goal of creating a means of commerce and missionary work was never realized. Now, however, more than 150 years later hikers reap the benefit of the work.

The trail begins a gradual climb alongside Spence Branch. Look on the hillside opposite the creek for a variety of spring ephemeral wildflowers. Even in late summer, early fall, expect to see lobelias and cardinal flowers. Just past a mile you reach Dorsey Gap and the junction with Turkeypen Ridge Trail, a means of reaching Cades Cove on foot.

Another 100 feet beyond that is the Whiteoak Sink manway. There is no signage here, as it is not an official trail. You will recognize it by the wooden barrier to keep horses from entering the basin. I’ve previously written about Whiteoak Sink, so I won’t repeat, but you can see my report and photo galleries here. As long as you are on Schoolhouse Gap Trail, Whiteoak Sink is a must see during the month of April.

Once you’ve returned from the marvelous trip to Whiteoak Sink, rejoin Schoolhouse Gap trail to resume the journey deep into the woods south of Townsend. You’ll pass through stands of pine and oak with their enticing scents in the greening season. It’s another 1.2 miles gently uphill to Schoolhouse Gap overlooking Townsend, but this hike doesn’t quite go all the way to the gap. 0.2 before is the junction with Chestnut Top Trail. Take a right here.

Maples and hickories can also be found in this forest. Combined with sourwood trees, they create the brilliant crimson hues that blanket this ridge in the fall. Chestnut Top Trail continues climbing for a little less than another mile until reaching the crest of the Chestnut Top ridge.

From the Chestnut Top ridge the mountains are greening nicely

The trail makes a dip here, to Bryant Gap, then resumes a gradual climb until reaching the highest point 1.5 miles from the Schoolhouse Gap junction. The northern park boundary is on your left through this area. Once you reach this summit it is, as they say, all downhill from here. Some of it is actually quite steep, reaching a 5% grade, a reason we chose to make this hike from west to east.

The forest really is nice along this stretch. It switches from stands of pine, to hardwoods. While I haven’t been here in fall, there is bound to be an abundance of nuts on the trail bed. Nuts usually means bears too, so keep an eye out for signs of their presence. Look too for old chestnut stumps, the namesake of this trail. I always imagine what the forests of the Smokies must have been like 200 years ago when the mighty chestnuts ruled. Inspiring.

Long switchbacks ease the descent. All the while we were glad we didn’t come up this way. With about a mile to go you begin to hear the road sounds of the Townsend Y. A word of caution: in summer the beautiful wildflowers that are pronounced for this last mile are replaced by everyone’s favorite… poison ivy. Just be aware.

The final half mile descent parallels the Townsend road, and the floral bouquet is omnipresent. Look for fire pinks and trillium, stonecrop and violets, lots and lots of purple phacelia, and toothwort, bloodroot, and hepatica. Tons and tons of them. In fact, it’s one of the prized displays in the park.

Finally, when you reach the bottom, cross Townsend road to the parking area to retrieve your vehicle. We then drove back to the beginning to get the other car as well.

Summarizing this hike, if Smokies spring wildflower gazing is a wish, then these trails are definitely for you. Both Whiteoak Sink and the Chestnut Top Trail’s hillside near the Y are some of the best in the park. But don’t discount the beauty of the forest along Chestnut Top ridge, and the views of Townsend from high above. This one is definitely recommended. If you’re a really strong hiker, then consider taking this hike from east to west, but for oldsters like me, the west to east direction is the ticket.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

With the perpetual crowd at The Sinks location in the Smokies, it was surprising to me that hardly anyone hikes this trail that starts at the popular waterfall along Little River Road. Another surprise was the abundance of spring ephemeral wildflowers found along the trail. I counted more than a dozen varieties, and plenty of each. Once you reach Meigs Creek, it’s time to change to your water shoes as you will be crossing the creek frequently. My brother and I hiked Meigs Creek Trail to the first crossing on Tuesday, April 17, 2019 beginning at 2:30PM and finishing about 4:45PM. Our plan was to take the trail to Upper Meigs Falls, then return.

There are a couple of nature trails that take off from The Sinks parking area, so be sure you aren’t starting out the wrong direction. Meigs Creek Trail is on the west side, beyond the stone overlook. It is clearly marked with a Park Service trail sign. It starts up a fancy stone stairway, then levels out as it enters the forest.

And a nice forest it is, oaks and maples mostly, beginning the spring greening on this beautiful mid-April day. Soon, on your left, you will reach a swampy area that once was the channel for Meigs Creek prior to the logging days of the early 20th century.

You make a sharp right turn and begin the ascent of a ridge of Curry He Mountain. The trail is lined with christmas fern and dog hobble, and hundreds of early spring wildflowers. Look for violets and chickweed, dwarf iris and foamflower, lots and lots of purple phacelia, toothwort and bellwort, and plenty of white trillium.

The sounds of Little River below to the right become more muted as you near the top of the initial 400 foot climb. The plentiful mountain laurel that lines the trail will be in full bloom in May, and huckleberry bushes provide a nice late summer snack. Short leaf and white pines mix with the oaks and maples to provide a nice canopy of shade to relieve you from the climb.

Just a warning: Adopt-a-Trail volunteers say they’ve spotted timber rattlers on the sunny spots in warm weather, though that was not our experience in April.

Upon reaching the crest of the ridge, the trail turns east and begins a modest descent, before turning to the south for its arrival at Meigs Creek. This is the first of 18 stream crossings… yes, 18. Have you been practicing your rock hopping? Hopefully so, because you will sure need it.

The crossings are all easy in low water, less so at moderate levels, and may require water shoes and rolled up pants following a rainy period. The latter is what we encountered, and we weren’t prepared with appropriate footwear, mainly because we kinda added this trail on the fly after hiking elsewhere earlier in the day.

So we turned around at this point, but I will be back with my trusty MacKenzie’s in the future to explore the rocky walls and narrow valley that are further upstream. There is also a waterfall up there.

Summarizing Meigs Creek Trail, use this hike to fill a couple hours as far as the first creek crossing like we did, or continue to the end for a seven mile round trip. It’s a surprisingly nice wildflower hike in April. Combine that with spring greening for a very colorful venue. If you wish to continue through the 18 creek crossings, either go during the dry season, or bring appropriate shoes and perhaps a hiking pole.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The Cosby section of the Smokies park is mostly known for its long, arduous treks to high country destinations like Mt. Cammerer and Inadu Knob. But there is another trail there that is more moderate in difficulty. A good day hike on Gabes Mountain Trail is the 4-mile round trip to Hen Wallow Falls, a 90-foot, multi-tiered cascade. This is cool, dense forest, some of it old growth, that is nourished by creeks reaching like fingers down the slopes of the Great Smoky Mountains. I hiked the Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls on Monday, August 13, 2018 beginning at 8:45AM and finishing about 12:15PM. My plan was to take the trail to the waterfall, then return.

Map of the Cosby region of GSMNP including Gabes Mountain Trail.

First, let me apologize for the static trail map above. I usually post interactive GPS tracks, but when I got finished with this hike, I discovered that my GPS recording had failed. Darn!

I would also like to recommend that you wear high-top or mid-top boots when hiking Gabes Mountain Trail. With all the rocks and exposed roots found on this trail there are a myriad of opportunities for rolling an ankle. The support of hiking boots is important.

Case in point: On my way back down I passed a woman who had rolled her ankle and was quite hobbled. Her family was helping her get back to the trailhead, but I could tell it was painful. I asked if I could help, or could summon help, but they said they would eventually make it. Do you know what she was wearing on her feet? No, not flip flops, but close. She was wearing Chuck Taylor canvas sneakers. No support. Please don’t do this.

If you park at the Cosby Picnic Area, it’s a short 100 feet walk back down Cosby Park Road to the trailhead. The trail itself begins a gradual climb immediately, something it will do almost continuously for the next two miles. You will notice the trail tread is quite rocky here making it easy to stumble.

The trail runs through moist woodlands with nearly every kind of tree that grows in the Smokies. I found it to be quite humid on this mid-August day, after a week or more of consistent rain. The gnats were in abundance, so I rolled on a layer of repellent.

After three tenths of a mile a connector trail to Cosby Campground comes in from the left. There are footlogs over creeks and streams for the next half mile, including one fairly major crossing of picturesque Rock Creek. The trees get increasingly bigger and taller, and the woods darker and darker as you penetrate the heart of the forest.

I saw a wide variety of mushrooms, and the first flowering tops of early goldenrod along the side of the trail. The only blooming flowers I noticed were a few sundrops that found one small spot of direct sunlight beneath the forest canopy. Of more interest to me were the buffalo nuts, sometimes called oil nuts, that were growing on small ground level branches.

Buffalo nuts. Don’t be tempted to taste them. They will make you sick.

At the halfway point there is a trail sign pointing to the left, to Hen Wallow Falls and to backcountry campsite 34. This isn’t really a trail junction, just notification that there is a sharp left turn.

At times the trail takes on the look of a road, even as if it was laid in gravel. Well, this is because it used to be a road, one that the former residents of this area would use to take them to Hen Wallow Falls. You will notice artifacts of those early settlers deep in the woods. Boundary walls and stone chimneys are scattered throughout, but difficult to see during the green season when the woods are so dense.

The Civilian Conservation Corps built this trail in 1934, and now nearly a century later, it enables us to explore the depths of this forest. It used to be filled with chestnut and hemlock, giants that stood over a hundred feet tall. You can still see the chestnut stumps and logs along the trail, testament to their durability.

Rosebay rhododendron is also quite prevalent here, offering delightful white and pink blooms in early July. From a mile and a half up you begin to notice large boulders strewn throughout the woods, and then a short distance before the turn to the waterfall, there is a massive rock face in two levels on the left. Look closely at the variety of moss and lichen that adorns the wall.

At 2.1 miles, there is another trail sign, this one pointing to a side trail to Hen Wallow Falls. It is a short, but steep, one tenth of a mile. About half way down keep your eye out on the left for a large boulder with seams of quartz running through it. As you round the final bend you hear the telltale sound of rushing water that announces a waterfall is near.

The base of Hen Wallow Falls is dangerous. There is even a warning sign to keep your eye on young children. There is no splash pool here. Instead, the cascade from the 90′ drop plunges onto the broken rock at the bottom. The rocks are very wet, and very slippery. Hence the danger.

Water falls over a very narrow top and widens as it drops over multiple tiers to the rocks below. Moss and lichens grow on the rock, giving everything a green tint. I happened to be fortunate to be there after more than a week of heavy rain, so the water flow was significantly heavier than typical mid-summer.

I stayed for about a half hour, eating my lunch and enjoying the splashing of the cascade. I had it all to myself the entire time. Early bird and all that. That would soon change as nearly three dozen other hikers were an hour behind me.

The climb back up to Gabes Mountain Trail from the falls is the hardest part of this hike. It is fairly steep, but it only lasts a tenth of a mile. The rest of my return trip was uneventful, other than the injured lady in the Chuck Taylors. The rising temperature and the typical summer humidity made for a very sweaty downhill hike.

Summarizing Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls, this is a moderately difficult climb of two miles through very dense hardwood forest. The reward at the end is worth it. The waterfall is a big one. You can continue out Gabes Mountain Trail several more miles beyond Hen Wallow Falls. There is a campsite out there, and I’m told there are pretty spectacular old growth trees. If you bring young kids with you, please watch them around the waterfall.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Andrews Bald is the highest bald in the Smokies, standing just under 6,000 feet. Every year in the month of June, the flame azalea and rhododendron show arrives for all those willing to hike a couple miles to see. You start at Clingmans Dome and take the Forney Ridge Trail to reach Andrews Bald. Here is a complete trail report that describes the hike.

In addition to the heath flowerings at Andrews and an abundance of blackberries and raspberries later in the season, Andrews Bald is also known for one of the mysterious disappearances within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

16-year-old Trenny Gibson went on a field trip Oct. 8, 1976, to the Smokies Park with a group of about 35 classmates from Bearden High School. A bus dropped them off that Friday afternoon at Clingmans Dome, one of the most visited spots in the Smokies. The students were to hike down from Clingmans on the Forney Ridge Trail about 1.8 miles to Andrews Bald and then come back. Not that long really. But there were some steep dropoffs on the side. Reports indicate Trenny was with a couple friends who stopped to rest along the trail. She went on. And then she disappeared completely. She has never been found.

Below is a terrain track of the hike from Clingmans Dome to Andrews Bald and back.

Relive ‘Andrews Bald, Great Smoky Mountains’

The azalea display at Andrews Bald may not be quite as colorful as all the hybrids at Gregory Bald overlooking Cades Cove, but it is a lot easier to get to. Still, there are a variety of shades of brilliant orange that will dazzle your eyes and nostrils. Enjoy the photos!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

The hike on Whitaker Point Trail to Hawksbill Crag is one of the most popular in Arkansas. Aside from the remarkable views of the Buffalo River Gorge, it’s a nice, easy four-season hike that offers wildflowers in spring and summer, and the bright crimson and gold leaves of fall. It takes a little work to get to due to the very remote nature of the location, but once found it is likely to draw you back again and again. I hiked the Whitaker Point Trail on Friday, June 8, 2018 beginning at 8:00AM and finishing about 10:00AM. My plan was to take the trail to Hawksbill Crag, and beyond, then return.

I started the morning in Springdale and drove just over an hour to the trailhead. This is really backcountry Arkansas. There are a few small hamlets of a couple hundred citizens or less, but you are traveling mostly rural roads. Once you reach gravel road #9560 for the final six miles to the trail, you are really out there. In fact, once I turned off Hwy 412, I never saw another car until I had finished my hike hours later.

The gravel road to the trail is really steep, and really curvy. Don’t plan on driving more than 20 mph. There are a few isolated homes once you reach the ridgetop, but this is mostly legacy forest land. Once you pass the white church on the right, you are almost there. Limited parking is available for this trail, and there are warning signs about private property, so I recommend getting there early, especially on weekends.

There is a very nice stone memorial at the trailhead honoring former Arkansas governor Dale Bumpers, and the trail itself plunges immediately into a dark forest. You descend at a gradual rate, nearly 400 feet total, buts it’s not too bad later coming back up.

It is 1.5 miles to Hawksbill Crag. Along the way you will pass signs warning you to be careful around the rocks at the cliff’s edge. There are a few small streams to cross that may be wet in spring, but were mostly dry when I was there in early June. The forest is hardwood, mostly maples… and dense, dark even.

About half way to the crag, the last stream, and the biggest, might be wet early in the spring. So be prepared to get your shoes wet, or wade across barefoot. Soon after crossing you have a choice of taking the crag loop along the gorge edge, or up above through the forest. I opted to go to the right, counter-clockwise, and follow the rim.

There were a number of ephemeral wildflowers blooming, even in the early morning dim. I found spiderwort, toothwort, and oxeye daisies. You arrive at the rim, soon after crossing the stream, and realize the rugged nature of the terrain.

The most colorful flowers in the forest, it’s hard to miss the spiderwort.

There are many large outcrops along the rim, nice spots for a picnic, or just to sit awhile and enjoy the gorge views. Just be careful around the edge. It’s a long way down. Judging by all the warning signs, there must have been a number of accidents in the past.

Then, at one viewpoint, you see it. Hawksbill Crag at Whitaker Point. It seemed a little smaller than I expected based on photographs. Still, it is a picturesque rock formation jutting out and over the gorge.

As you continue to get closer, there are more viewing spots. The best times to be here for photos are not when I was there. I arrived about 9:00AM and the sun was shining directly into the camera creating nearly impossible lighting conditions. The best time is either right after sunrise, between 6:00-6:30, or late afternoon to sunset. Were I to ever visit again, I would choose sometime in the late afternoon when the sun is behind you.

The best pictures that day were from the crag itself, looking down gorge, with the sun at my back. Don’t be tempted to crawl out on the tip of the crag. It’s a tragedy waiting to happen. There’s plenty of room on the flat part of the crag. Content yourself with staying safe there.

The trail continues farther into the woods beyond the crag for another half mile. It dead ends at a private property boundary. There are plenty of signs there warning you not to continue. There isn’t really much to see beyond the crag, other than a few more large outcrops, and what looked like a cave about a hundred feet off the trail.

When I got back to the crag, I took the other side of the loop. There are several campsites along the trail in this area. No doubt they are quite popular on summer weekends.

When I got back to the stream crossing, I encountered the first others I’d seen since leaving Springdale, a group of four hikers. They were tourists like me, and seemed quite excited to see Hawksbill Crag.

The rest of the way back was uneventful, just more wildflowers. When I popped back out of the woods at the parking area only two hours had passed. Actually when you think about it, it’s a pretty long drive for such a short hike. The thing to do here is come at the right time of the day, and plan on staying awhile and enjoying the outdoors.

Summarizing Whitaker Point Trail, this is an easy hike to a splendid view over the Buffalo River Gorge. You might want to leave the young kids at home because of the rim danger. It’s a pleasant hike no matter the season, one that provides a different perspective each time of year. Expect a big crowd on green season weekends.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

This trail climbs from East Vail into Eagles Nest Wilderness alongside Gore Creek. There are some short steep sections that wind through meadows and aspen groves which change to spruce-fir stands as the elevation increases. Also look for a wide variety of wildflowers in season. Particularly during spring runoff, Gore Creek rages down the drainage with its series of fast moving cascades. A short hike along the creek can provide pleasant picnic spots or great fishing opportunities. My brother Dave and I hiked the lower Gore Creek Trail on Wednesday, June 6, 2018 beginning at 7:00AM and finishing about 9:45AM. Our plan was to climb to the first view of Gore Range, then return along the same path.

You can take Gore Creek Trail 12 miles farther and 3,000 feet higher into Eagles Nest Wilderness, but I had an appointment with the highway later in the day. Since this was the last day with my brother after nearly three weeks on the road, we wanted to get in one last hike. It seemed only right that we do it in his backyard. Our plan was a lot less than 12 miles.

As usual, we were up at the crack of dawn to begin. Usually this is to enjoy the golden hour after sunrise, but there was another reason for this hike. There is very limited parking at the trailhead, and the spots are taken rather quickly. Vail PD will ticket if you aren’t in designated parking.

Securing the first spot, we hit the trail shortly before 7:00. Dave warned me that this trail is a series of short, very steep climbs, followed by brief level stretches, then more climbing. He was right. Within the first half mile we had already climbed 300 feet.

I’ve been to the Rocky Mountains many times in July for the abundant wildflower display, but early June seemed to me to be, well, too early. So I was very pleasantly surprised with the number and wide variety of blossoms that greeted us. Plus, they were already fully bloomed out so early in the morning. The wildflowers wake up early here. The balsamroot in particular was really putting on a fantastic display.

The lower mile of Gore Creek Trail takes you through a young aspen forest. At this time of year, the leafing was a brilliant almost lime green. Combined with the golden rays of the sun, it made a verdant essence that pulls you deeper and deeper into the woods.

At the half mile mark you reach a clearing that affords views of the Vail Valley behind you. The eastern shoulders of Vail Mountain, with its many avalanche chutes, stand tall above. Some snow still remained on the highest of the knobs.

Soon you also begin hearing the telltale rushing sound of moving water as you approach Gore Creek. The forest begins a change to spruce-fir up here. Combine the compelling evergreen scent with the freshness of cold, crisp Rocky Mountain rushing water for an aromatic sensation.

The flowers, the creek, and the trees create a pleasant, fresh fragrance.

The trail makes a short dip of about 50 feet, then resumes climbing in earnest, a total of 400 more feet over the next mile. The trail takes a more direct route up the drainage, while Gore Creek twists and turns along its descent. This means you leave the creek, then return to its banks every few hundred yards.

Since I had an eight hour drive ahead of me later in the day, our goal was to only climb until we had the first view of the majestic Gore Range mountains ahead of us. One final push over perhaps the steepest rise yet got us there, just past 1.5 miles up. There’s a great outcrop at this point with plenty of comfortable seats.

It was time for a snack, and to enjoy the views in every direction. Ahead, you can follow the drainage up and into the valley at the base of the massive peaks of Gore Range. Behind, the snow capped summit of eastern Vail Mountain is a reminder that skiiers were there just a short six weeks before. There is also the everpresent sound of Gore Creek.

We were seeing other hikers now, some just out for morning exercise with their dog, others in full backpack and plans to camp far up in Eagles Nest Wilderness. It was a glorious day for hiking… bright and sunny, with a mild chill in the air to keep you from overheating while exerting. That’s what is great about Rocky Mountain hiking in Spring.

Despite wanting to go further, because of later plans it was time to turn around. There were even more flowers out on the way down, and the sky was turning that deep, rich Rocky Mountain blue.

As I spent this final hour on the trail with Dave, I thought about the many adventures we had been on the last 17 days. We saw all the major sights in western South Dakota including The Badlands, Wind Cave, Mount Rushmore, Cathedral Spires and Custer State Park. We checked out Devils Tower in eastern Wyoming, and crossed the Snowy Range Scenic Byway in the southern part of the state. Then we got to experience the grand stateliness of Bryce Canyon and the stark rocky desert at Capitol Reef.

Walking through this lush aspen woodland reminded me of the contrasts in geology and plant life of the American West. Here, we were strolling through the freshest water-fed forest. We had also seen barren landscapes that hardly see a drop of water. Yet all so exceptionally beautiful in many, many different ways. I invite you to go back and review the Trail Reports from the last couple weeks so you can experience this enjoyable journey with us.

I still had one more solo hike planned, in Arkansas, on my way back east, but this was it with Dave. I am extremely grateful to him for sharing this outstanding trip. We had many great experiences, saw lots of wild things, and once again renewed our mutual love of the great outdoors.

Summarizing Gore Creek Trail, we barely scratched the surface of what is available here. As mentioned, you can go 12 miles into Eagles Nest Wilderness. There is even another trail up there to Deluge Lake that will really test your stamina. But if you’re visiting Vail Valley and looking for a lovely few hours trek into the woods, this one is highly recommended. Bring a picnic or a fishing pole and enjoy some Rocky Mountain relaxation.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

You can’t really tell from the overlook, but there’s a lot to like down in Swamp Canyon. For one, this is part of Bryce Canyon Wilderness, so it is definitely less crowded than the majority of the national park. There are great views of Wightman Bench and Swamp Canyon Butte from down in the canyon. Wildflowers and wildlife are abundant during the green seasons. For a quiet adventure off the beaten path, give Swamp Canyon a try. My brother Dave and I hiked the Swamp Canyon Trail on Sunday, June 3, 2018 beginning at 1:00PM and finishing about 3:00PM. Since we had already done two hikes this day, our plan was to head into Swamp Canyon until we got tired, then return.

Topo map of our hike. Click for larger map.

After having already hiked Queens Garden and Bristlecone Loop on this day, as the sun warmed the afternoon, we weren’t particularly interested in a long slog down into a canyon. You can do a four and a half mile loop through Swamp Canyon. More than we had in mind, so we decided to just go for awhile, then turn around when we started getting tired.

From the overlook on the main park road, Swamp Canyon appears relatively small and sheltered. It’s bounded on both sides by fins and hoodoos, common to most of Bryce Canyon. However, this smaller size allows you to develop a more intimate connection with the landscape than some of the grander viewpoints may provide.

The trailhead for this hike is on the north end (left) of the overlook. It is actually two trailheads. There’s the Sheep Creek Trail, a more wandering access to Swamp Canyon that winds through meadows and forest before descending, and the Swamp Canyon Connector Trail, a more direct descent. We chose the latter.

The first quarter mile or so takes you through alternating meadow and evergreen forest before reaching the junction where Sheep Creek Trail departs. At the time of our visit in early June, the wildflowers were enjoyable, including blue flax, daisies, clematis and what looked to be a flowering bush in the creosote family.

Just before beginning the descent into the canyon, there is a fantastic natural viewing platform between two fins that displays the breadth and depth of Swamp Canyon to the east, and also looks back on the rim behind you. That’s the photo at the top of this post.

The view looking east into Swamp Canyon.

The descent is through a series of switchbacks, dropping about 700 feet in total. Not far down, there’s a sign that indicates you are entering Bryce Canyon Wilderness, the rugged backcountry region of the national park. When you’re nearing the bottom, the forest becomes more dense, and there is evidence of previous wildfires. Some of the forest is quite stunning, healthy and green, while other portions will take decades to recover from fire.

You reach another trail junction, this one where the Connector Trail meets the Swamp Canyon Trail. The forest occasionally opens up providing views of the massive Swamp Canyon Butte standing more than a thousand feet above the canyon level. There are also many of the orange hoodoos that give Bryce Canyon its character.

There is scrub oak down in the canyon, at one point growing over and dominating the trail. It is quiet. Really the only sounds are the songbirds. Because of the time of day we didn’t see any wildlife, but there is evidence that there is plenty around.

After hiking just over 1.3 miles, we found a nice shady spot on a hill to have a snack, and where Dave could setup for a timelapse video of the puffy white clouds that were beginning to billow above the canyon rim. The hillside was quite sandy, almost like a dune, with flowers and scrub and trees growing. Seemed somewhat out of place amid the giant rock spires of the canyon.

After sitting in the shade for 15 minutes, this seemed like a good place to turn around. By now, the afternoon temperature was beginning to rise, and we were becoming a bit leg weary on this our third hike of the day.

We took our time on the way back up, seemingly a lot longer than the descent. But isn’t that the way it always is? I don’t know about you, but I much prefer going downhill to going up. Lung capacity and all that. Nearly 8,000′ elevation doesn’t help either.

In summary, Swamp Canyon is a nice place to get away from the crowds that encircle the main amphitheater of Bryce Canyon National Park. It is quieter. You may end up like us and have the trail all to yourself. There is some exertion required, but not too bad. Next time I find myself at Bryce Canyon I would also like to try out the Sheep Creek access into Swamp Canyon.

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.

Devils Tower, an important landmark for Plains Indians tribes long before the white man reached Wyoming, was called Mateo Tepee or Grizzly Bear Lodge by the Sioux. A number of legends describe the origin of Devils Tower.

“One legend tells of seven little girls being chased onto a low rock to escape attacking bears. Their prayers for help were heeded as the rock carried them upward to safety. The claws of the leaping bears left furrowed columns in the sides of the ascending tower. Ultimately, the rock grew so high that the girls reached the sky where they were transformed into the constellation known as Pleiades.” — information sign along Hwy 24

Devils Tower rises dramatically 1,280 feet above the picturesque Belle Fourche River. Recognizing its unique characteristics, Congress designated the area a U.S. Forest Reserve in 1892 and then the nation’s first national monument in 1906. The tower was a centerpiece in the 1977 Spielberg film Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

When you spend three weeks on the road visiting many of our nation’s wonderful wild attractions you are bound to have some days when the weather isn’t ideal. My brother Dave and I were really quite fortunate to have mostly bright, sunshiny days for our adventures. Not so, however, on the day we visited Devils Tower. There was a low cloud cover that obscured the top of the tower, and a drizzly mist was falling throughout the time we were there.

We did put on the rain gear for the must see 1.3-mile walk around the base of the Tower though. It starts across the parking area from the Visitor Center. A short, steep section leads you to a junction where you can go either way to walk around the base. The trail goes through ponderosa pine forest and the talus field of fallen boulders. Evidence of periodic prescribed burning can be seen within the forest, the last in 1998.

I did manage to get a few pictures as we approached the tower from miles away on Hwy 24, and from the Tower Trail. Feel free to add your thoughts in the comments area below the gallery. Enjoy!

This post was created by Jeff Clark. Please feel free to use the sharing icons below, or add your thoughts to the comments. Pack it in, pack it out. Preserve the past. Respect other hikers. Let nature prevail. Leave no trace.