Carolina Hiking Adventures

South Mills River in Pisgah National Forest

Trekking the Bradley Creek Trail in Pisgah National Forest

Spring was breaking out all over the mountains when Johnny and  Pam headed for the South Mills River area of the Pisgah National Forest, near Asheville. They began heading down the Bradley Creek Trail, which was  running bold from recent rains. The trail is lesser used because it requires many fords. After a few such crossings they found a campsite beside the loudly singing creek and enjoyed a little campfire cookery -- baking potatoes and onions over the fire, followed by s'mores.

              Painted trillium                    Dwarf crested iris                      White trillium

The next day started with a patch of pancakes cooked over the coals. Their first steps were a chilly morning ford, the first of over a dozen that day. But they were soon rewarded with numerous wildflower sightings. The sun rose over the mountains and shone all day long as the two of them made a loop.

       Johnny & Pam at camp on Bradley Creek                Cooking pancakes over the coals

 First they turned up the Laurel Creek Trail, climbing till there was no more stream and passed through a gap, dropping to the South Mills River on the Poundingmill Trail. Old home sites and past logging operations were spotted in these now splendid woods. Leaf out was spotty and the day was quite warm with scant shade.

          Fording Bradley Creek                                   Evening at the 2nd Campsite

They followed South Mills River past the Turkey Pen trailhead, and kept downstream. Some of the fords on South Mills River were thigh high. After 9 miles they began looking for a campsite at the confluence of Bradley Creek and South Mills River to no avail. So they headed up Bradley Creek. Pam found a campsite in a flat beside the stream. A chilly spring mountain bath followed. It felt good to clean up.

South Mills River

 The sun descended behind the hills, allowing chill air to creep into the campsite. They cooked brats and black-eyed peas for supper, then read a bit before calling it a night.

                      Torn pants fixing to go              On Fire!            No more long pants to carry!

After another pancake breakfast Johnny decided to make his pack lighter by burning the long pants he brought for the trip. Johnny will often take clothes that are worn out on one last trip then burn them at the campsite after wearing them one last time. Pam stoked the fire then Johnny proceeded with the ritual. On their way back to the car, his pack weighed a little bit less as they backtracked up the Bradley Creek Trail to the end their springtime Southern Appalachian adventure.

North Carolina's Art Loeb Trail & Davidson River

Johnny and John Cox warm by the fire on the Davidson River

Johnny and long time hiking pal John Cox entered the Pisgah National Forest near Brevard, North Carolina to undertake a three night winter backpacking loop centered on the Art Loeb Trail. Flurries were flying when they left the car and headed up the Davidson River on the Farlow Gap Trail. The short winter day allow them just a short hike to the first night's destination in a flat on the Davidson River.

                 John overlooking cooking oatmeal                                Farlow Gap Trail

Subfreezing temperatures left the rhododendron leaves curled and the backpackers a little chilly, but the morning fire kept them warm. They had coffee and oatmeal then began walking up the Farlow Gap Trail along the Davidson River, which had waterfalls aplenty. In typical winter fashion, the slopes were warm in the sun and freezing in the shade. Such is winter backpacking in the Southern Appalachians. They stopped at the old mica mine just below Farlow Gap for lunch, then continued on to join the Art Loeb Trail.

 Waterfall on the Davidson River

A light snow had mostly melted, even at the mountaintops over which the Art Loeb Trail coursed. They made their way over Sassafras Knob and drifted into Deep Gap, where the Deep Gap shelter was located. A cold night was coming so they laid in the wood. Sure enough the temperature was in the low 20s by dark. A fine sunset over the Blue Ridge was their reward for making the shelter.

Johnny and John hanging out by the fire in front of Deep Gap Shelter

After staying up til about 9:30, they retired to the bags waiting for the temps to really nosedive, surprisingly, the mercury actually rose and its was a balmy 28 degrees when Johnny got  up to revive the morning fire.

Sunset over the Blue Ridge From Deep Gap Shelter

After breaking camp that morning they had the pleasure of climbing Pilot Mountain. The views from the top of the 5000 foot high peak extended as far as the clear winter sky allowed, with great views of Looking Glass Rock. After taking in the views, John and Johnny may the extended 1700 foot descent to Gloucester Gap.

                   On Top of Pilot Mountain

Later that afternoon they made it to Butter Gap Shelter, at the base of Cedar Rock.  Between Pilot Mountain and Butter Gap, the Art Loeb Trail had only minor ups and downs and even a few level sections, allowing the hikers to take in the scenery instead of huffing and puffing.

                           The Davidson River watershed and at Looking Glass Rock

Another warm fire kept the chill at bay. They listened to the Tennessee Volunteers win at basketball then hit the sack, resting for the next day. A hearty meal of kielbasa with red beans and rice kept warmed them. Despite having shelters Johnny slept out under the stars as usual.

Johnny and John by the shelter with the afternoon sun shining on Cedar Rock

                       Art Loeb sign                    Cedar Rock                  Butter Gap shelter

They broke camp quickly the final morning and continued under a cloudy sky on the Art Loeb Trail, circling around Cedar Rock, which is quite an impressive feature up close. They finally left the Art Loeb Trail, then headed for another feature -- John Rock. This open rock face offered more vistas into the Davidson river watershed, Looking Glass Rock and the Blue Ridge. The dark cloudy day continue to chill as they made their way back to the Davidson River and the fish hatchery there, ending their Pisgah National winter adventure.

Views from John Rock Below:

Looking Glass Rock from John Rock

Downriver from Johns Rock

Ice covered pine needles from atop Johns Rock

Backpacking Harper Creek in the Pisgah National Forest

North Carolina

Pam heading into Harper Creek

Sometimes it's a great idea to head to a lesser used destination that is near a more popular area. Harper Creek, in North Carolina's Pisgah National Forest, is very near the more popular Linville Gorge Wilderness, which is so heavily used that you must get permits to backpack there. The Harper Creek area on the other hand, offers huge waterfalls, good trout fishing and a more rugged experience. The trails are lesser maintained, and have many stream fords, though a portion of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail goes through it.

  Hiking the Harper Creek Trail                 Pam looks on South Harper Creek Falls

Johnny and Pam left obscure Forest Road 56 and headed to South Harper Creek, finding a campsite that was full of holly trees but the thorns were not bothersome. It was a nice mountain night around the fire and the two of them slept out in the open.

Campsite on Harper Creek

Next morning, a morning shower came and they've felt fortunate not to be caught in the rain. When they left camp, the trail was very overgrown and the wet brush soaked them. Undeterred, they went to a lookoff of the South Harper Creek Falls before joining the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, which led down to Raider Camp Creek, with off and on rain. 

View of Grandfather Mountain from rock outcrop on Mountains-to-Sea Trail

After joining Harper Creek, they headed upstream and came to the centerpiece of the area -- Harper Creek Falls. Since it was a Saturday there were many people swimming and playing around the falls. To access the granite area and pool between the upper and lower falls you had to take a rope down to the flat.

Rope leads to area between upper and lower Harper Creek Falls

Shortly thereafter, a typical summer thunderstorm fell and drenched Johnny and Pam. They pitched the tarp real quick and waited the storm out, eating lunch beneath the plastic shelter. Nonetheless, they headed on upstream and found a campsite, then commenced to start a fire and dry themselves and everything else off.

Johnny after the storm and another ford of Harper Creek

That evening Johnny fished a little, but they mostly relaxed, enjoying the cool weather in the mountains.  The clouds held fast all night long.

Pam fords Harper Creek

Next day, they took it up the Persimmon Ridge Trail back to the car, completing the loop.

More Harper Creek Scenes

Granite face on Harper Creek

Upper section of Harper Creek Falls

Persimmon Ridge Trail

Middle Prong Wilderness/Shining Rock Wilderness

It was a cold December day just after Christmas when Kevin Thomas, Bryan Delay And I drove to the Pisgah National Forest. we started our hike near Sunburst Campground, heading up the Haywood Gap Trail, entering the Middle Prong Wilderness.

  Entering Middle Prong Wilderness       Bryan and Johnny at camp on Middle Prong

We went a little over 3 miles to a great campsite near Grassy Cove Branch.  The temperatures dropped below freezing bug weren't bad.

Clouds came the next morning, then the rains started as we ate breakfast.  We hurriedly packed and hiked in the rain to Buckeye Gap, near the Blue Ridge Parkway.  We then hike to more miles and ate lunch under a somewhat dry layer of thick balsams.  We resumed our walk and left the middle prong wilderness and headed up the flat Laurel Creek.  A 10 plus mile day found us at a wet camp on a hillside above Laurel Creek.  We battled to start a fire, Kevin getting most of the credit.  The winds followed the end of the rain and we bedded down shortly after dark.

The sky cleared the next day as we headed out toward Black Balsam Knob, entering the Shining Rock Wilderness.  The views were great, but it was very windy on the crest, as we traveled up in over knobs, ate lunch, then went to Shining Rock Gap on the way to a great campsite.  Later we climbed up to Shining Rock which offered a great 360° view.

       Sun sets at Shining Rock Gap                          Snow falls at dark on camp

The next morning we rose to 14° in snow.  The morning was bitter.  We cut through to Ivestor Gap, dropping back down to the low lands on the Fork Mountain Trail, ending our trip with a ford.

       Johnny on Fork Ridge Trail           Winter view of the North Carolina mountains

50 Mile Backpack

on the Swamp Fox Passage and Awendaw Passage

of the Palmetto Trail in coastal South Carolina

John Cox and Johnny at campsite on Alligator Creek on Swamp Fox Passage

The Palmetto Trail is South Carolina's master path.  Plans call for it to extend from the mountains of the Upstate to the ocean in the Lowcountry.  Johnny and friend John Cox recently trekked the last 50 miles of the Palmetto, going from Lake Moultrie through the Francis Marion National Forest all the way to Buck Halls Recreation Area, located on the Intracoastal Waterway near the Atlantic Ocean.  Buck Hall marks the eastern terminus of the Palmetto.  It was late when they left Canal Recreation Area near Lake Moultrie beginning the fall hike, and fully dark by the time they reached the first campsite.  A cold front had moved in so the evening fire was needed.  Next morning they crossed Wadboo Swamp, a gorgeous blackwater steam bordered by big cypress, tupelo and bottomland hardwoods.

The path left the swamp for longleaf pine forest, complemented by colorful sweetgum trees.  The tread was mostly grass, and was easy on the feet.  The level nature of the trail also allowed the two to reel off miles.  The second day they covered 12 miles and still had plenty of time to relax despite the short days of fall.

         Johnny hiking through pines                              Indian ghost pipe on the Palmetto

They drank swamp water, which is hard for some people to get used to.  And there was plenty of swamp along the way, usually along creeks, which were bridged.  At Alligator Creek, they camped in slender oaks, making a warm fire for another chilly night.

Continuing south and east they passed through a lot of grassy open areas, and Johnny, going against is own inner voice, walked on in short pants, getting a good dose of chiggers.  However, the mosquitoes weren't bad at all. 

                    Hooded pitcher plants                             Cypress turns color near Little Hellhole Bay

The third day was a 13 miler, alternating between creeks and pine stands.  At times, the trail traced old logging railroads, which were arrow straight and elevated to stay above the bordering wetlands.  The day clouded over and they were glad to make the Turkey Creek campsite, which was in pine/sweetgum flats above Turkey Creek, which was bordered by wooded floodplain. The evening was much warmer.

Our final day was the longest and the hottest.  They trekked through more pines, but also oak forests and through evergreen shrub bogs, much of it still on the straight grades.  The elevated grades allowed them to enjoy otherwise wet areas with dry feet.

This hike is in the above book, 50 Hikes in South Carolina

The final night they camped on Steeds Creek a tidally influenced freshwater stream.  The gorgeous blackwater stream was bordered by colorful fall hardwoods.  A chilly dip washed off the accumulated sweat.

The final day, they joined the Awendaw Passage of the Palmetto Trail, traveling along a tidal saltwater stream bordered by grassy marshes.  The final 5 miles were simply stunning, looking out on Awendaw Creek from a wooded bluff, crossing numerous boardwalks over salty tributaries, shaded by palms and live oaks.

Awendaw Creek as seen from the Palmetto Trail