Bluff Mountain And Hellgate Ridge - Neglect and Rediscovery

Sometimes you realize that you shouldn't have waited so long to do a hike again. Such was my case with Bluff Mountain. I had hiked the Appalachian Trail up this mountain once before, way back in 1994. I don't really remember what I thought of it then. Maybe it was hazy, or maybe I just didn't feel like writing, because my journal from that day only makes mention that I was there. But I still knew it had a view and so it seemed like it was time to rediscover it. I've been very close to it again quite a few times during the intervening years, on a number of hikes to Rocky Row, and also to several other nearby peaks like Pinnacle.

It is a very conspicuous peak from a number of more distant viewpoints throughout the region. One reason for that is that despite its modest elevation of only 3,372', it is the most prominent peak along a 26 mile stretch of the Blue Ridge and dead center between the even more prominent, but less distinctive peaks of Apple Orchard Mountain and Rocky Mountain. It is one of only 106 mountains in Virginia to have over 1,000 feet of prominence and rises to a fairly small summit. These qualities make it stand to reason that it was once a firetower peak, and should command an extensive view. It was time to refresh my memory...

My approach the first time had been on the Appalachian Trail, but several explorations of other peaks in this area had brought a potentially interesting, and more challenging option to my attention. Assuming the Forest Service map was correct and there was public access at the start, the topo showed a pipeline and attendant service road going up Bennetts Run, then making a near beeline most of the way for the summit from the northwest. Satellite imagery seemed to confirm the same and so a plan was made. My frequent hiking companion +David was free, and up for a good hike, so off we went to explore.

Looking back at Pinnacle.

We found the gated Forest Service road and began our hike at an elevation of only 900', leaving a respectable climb to the top. The route was a bit confusing at the beginning as we skirted around a large car junkyard on private property, then tried to follow a more obscure woods road to the pipeline. We lost it in brush and briars and had to just cut through the woods to find the pipeline, only to discover it too was pretty brushy, with waist high greenery still not quite knocked down by the return of cold weather. This would not be fun in the green months but nevertheless led us up Bennetts Run, and between the peaks of Pinnacle and Target Hill (both worthy destinations themselves) to the point where the small stream split into its North and South Forks. The hiking became much more interesting at this point, as the pipeline abandoned the overgrown drainage and climbed steeply straight up the fall line of the Northwest Ridge of Bluff Mountain. The route became a rocky treadway, a narrow road really, and climbed up through open woods with some occasional views behind us of Pinnacle and Target Hill, and through the “V” they create, which allowed us to see part of the fog-laden Maury River Valley and the ridges of the Alleghenies beyond. The grade eased briefly in a couple areas, but overall it remained a fine, steep ridge that was relatively narrow and scenic. I liked it a lot!

Rocky Mountain and No Business Mountain.

Finally, at about the 2,500’ level, the pipeline veers abruptly south to drop down a few hundred feet in elevation, then climb again to the shallow gap separating Bluff Mountain and Hellgate Ridge. The ridge we were on looked more appealing than ever now, and we certainly didn’t see any reason to lose elevation, so we opted to head off-trail and continue on our current course to the top, which was now only ¾ of a mile away, albeit still over a 800 feet higher. There was a bit of scrambling, some limited views, and a bit of rhodo-whacking to round things out, but all in all it was a fine little climb. A short distance from the top, we hit the old fire tower access road and followed it the remainder of the way.

The panorama West and North from Bluff Mountain looks across the Great Valley to Big Butt, Jump Mountain, and Great North Mountain in the Alleghenies as well as toward such Blue Ridge summits as Whites Peak and Adams Peak.

Though the lookout tower that would have allowed a 360° panorama is sadly now long gone, the semi-open summit did not disappoint. Between the hardwoods and a curious handful of red spruce - usually found considerably higher or farther North, there was a great view to the south of High Peak and No Business Mountains, with the vast flattening of the Piedmont extending beyond to the limits of the horizon. But the real reward was the sweeping view of mountainous country to the North and Northeast. Close at hand were many of the low, but steep, rugged, and pointy peaks that form the western front of the Central Blue Ridge in Virginia. Among these were Elephant Mountain, Garnet Peak, Silver Peak, Whites Peak, and also Adams Peak and McClung Mountain - the last two personal favorites. To the left of all those peaks was a long swath of the Great Valley, with Buena Vista and Lexington both in sight. Beyond the valley rose the long wall of the Alleghenies, with House Mountain, Big Butt, Jump Mountain, and Elliot Knob all plainly in view along with many others. I have no intention of allowing twenty years to pass again before a third visit.

A neat pinnacle on Hellgate Ridge.

Rather than backtracking on the return hike, we followed the Appalachian Trail south a short distance, then headed off-trail again to traverse Hellgate Ridge. This was rather thick in places, but we did find a neat pinnacle on the ridgeline, as well as a small clifftop overlook with views of Silas Knob and Big Rocky Row. We also found a limited, but great view of conical Peak 2310 and impressive looking Sugarloaf Mountain.

We should have continued along the ridgeline to the top of Pinnacle for more great views and another summit for the day, but instead we dropped back down to Bennetts Run from the low spot on the ridge. This required some very steep and tedious sidehilling, and dealing with a lot of fallen trees near the creek before climbing back uphill again anyway to regain the pipeline trail. From there is was easy walking on now familiar terrain, and we found and successfully followed the faint road we had lost near the beginning of the hike. It will serve me well in the not too distant future when I do this hike again. I’m not going to neglect this great peak again now that I have rediscovered its treasures.

A minor viewpoint on Hellgate Ridge, looking toward Silas Knob and Big Rocky Row.

Route of the Bluff Mountain hike. To see a larger map click here.
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Hike stats: 9.25 miles, 3,280' cumulative elevation gain

Pictures from this hike.

Resources:
gpx, kmz, topos for this hike

Trailhead coordinates: 37.68971, -079.39118
Google Map for trailhead

Traversing The Mount Rogers High Country

Wow, I can’t believe how far behind I’ve allowed myself to get on this blog. I’ve got a sizeable backlog of hikes to catch up on, but at least the heat and rain have sapped my motivation lately and caused the list to stall, rather than keep growing. On the other hand, the hot weather of Summer makes this entry even more timely, because it is a place to escape the worst of the heat.

Since starting this blog, it was only a matter of time until I had a chance to get back up into the Mount Rogers High Country. Though it is incredibly difficult to pick one place over all others, this is quite possibly my favorite area in all of the Southern Appalachians. That is really saying a lot! There are many reasons for that, but for the most part I can narrow it down to a few key things. It was one of the first really awesome places I went when I first started hiking, which helped get me hooked. The windswept open grassy balds, huge rock outcrops, and stands of dark and damp boreal forest are incredibly scenic. The latter is directly related to the 5,500’ plus elevations here, far higher and cooler  than anything else in Virginia, and gives the whole area a distinct climate with wild weather that decidedly subalpine, and much like what one encounters in the mountains of the Northeast, often cold, windy, and concealed in the clouds. I wasn’t there, but snow, sleet, and freezing rain all occurred on June 30, 1979! It is another world, quite unlike anywhere else in the state, and I have seen it referred to in print as “a little piece of Montana set on the rooftop of Virginia”, or something along those lines. I don’t know specifically what part of the Big Sky state they had in mind, but I can say from personal experience that if it was possible to set Wilburn Ridge down in the western foothills of the Wind River Range, near the town of Pinedale in Wyoming, it would blend right in. A dense network of trails and abundant, dramatic views are yet another draw for me. Then there are the “wild” ponies, awesome rhododendron displays in June, acres of blueberries in August, frequent and impressive snowfalls and rime accumulations in Winter. Being close to home and readily accessible doesn’t hurt either. All taken together, even though the “High Country” here is certainly not the most dramatic area I have ever been, it is probably more responsible than any other single place for having nourished my love of the mountains, and will always be a special place for me, no matter where I may find myself. Suffice it to say, one blog post is not going to do it justice.

Haw Orchard Mountain (left), Wilburn Ridge, and Mount Rogers (right) seen from Stone Mountain.

The area that I generally refer to as the “High Country” may be a little different from what is “officially” designated as such, but, in my mind, it is all of the terrain above 4,000’ in elevation on the massif that forms Mount Rogers and Whitetop. It does not include any of the terrain above that elevation on the nearby Iron Mountains, which are also part of the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area, but have little else in common to my way of thinking. Narrowing things down even more, a smaller area on the high, open ridges of Stone Mountain, Pine Mountain, Brier Ridge, and Wilburn Ridge that is near or above 5,000 feet is generally referred to as the Crest Zone, and is one of the main attractions to the whole area. This makes up the bulk of the scenic “Big Sky” terrain that these highlands are famous for. Ironically, for the most part, it is not natural. It was heavily logged and subsequently burned in the early 1900’s, and the harsh climate and poor, rocky soil made recovery a slow process. At some stage along the way, it became the scenic wonderland it is now, and the Forest Service acquired it and decided to try and maintain these open qualities with management practices such as controlled burning and grazing. It works for me!

On this particular hike, I met up with my friends +David Socky , +Stephanie Petri , and +Brian Williams . Stephanie had never been here before, so I came up with the idea of a nice, long shuttle hike that would hit most, though not all, of the highlights. I casually suggested that we start at the lower trailhead, hoping no one would think too much about it, and we dropped off one vehicle at the 4,460’ gap of Elk Garden, the high pass between Mount Rogers and Whitetop. Then we dropped down to the 3,600’ trailhead for the Lewis Fork and Cliffside trails. I also sort of neglected to mention that the Cliffside Trail, which we would be going up, is probably the steepest trail for any considerable distance in the High Country, but this also makes it the shortest approach to the Crest Zone from the north, getting one into open country in only about 2 ½ miles. It gets more interesting just shy of the two mile mark, when it steepens considerably, then quickly enters the lower edge of the boreal spruce-fir forest that is one of the defining features of High Country.

Looking up at the higher crags on Wilburn Ridge.

Typical scenery on Wilburn Ridge.

Today was a great day to be up there, a mid-Spring beauty of a day neither too hot or too cold, but just right. It was sunny and clear,  with a cool breeze and decent visibility up on the high ridges. After we topped out at the upper end of the Cliffside Trail, we headed away from Mount Rogers, something Brian dryly pointed out numerous times over the next few miles as we got farther and farther away from it, as it was one of our destinations for the hike. We were out in the open with awesome views of craggy Wilburn Ridge as we followed the Crest Trail to Scales. This was once the site of an old weighing station, now gone, for the cattle that once grazed in the High Country when it was privately owned, and is now a major intersection of trails up here. We joined the Appalachian Trail here and continued through the meadows atop Stone Mountain, where the views of Wilburn Ridge are, if anything, even more austere and impressive - but still not the best. Along this leg of the hike, the rugged little summit of Big Pinnacle on Haw Orchard Mountain is also seen from one of its better perspectives. This is also one of the more exposed areas in the Winter, with little shelter from the wind for a mile or more.

Then we headed back into the woods for a while, dropping down to the tannin-stained headwaters of Wilson Creek, already a decent sized little trout stream at an elevation higher than all but a small handful of Virginia’s highest peaks. Near here we encountered one of the trademark bands of the “wild” ponies that roam the mountains here and help to maintain its open character. There were a couple of young foals with their mothers and Stephanie had an acute case of “cuteness overload”, one of several that occurred over the course of the hike.

Stragglers along the trail.

The trail then begins its climb to the highlight of the hike, making its way through one of the best blueberry picking areas here along the way - though it was months too early for that tasty reward. That happens in August, not April. Soon after crossing Quebec Branch the trail comes out in the open once again, just shy of 5,000 feet above sea level and begins what I consider to be the finest 2 ½ miles of hiking in Virginia, as well as a strong contender for that distinction in the entire Southeast as far as I’m concerned. Others are free to disagree, but I don’t think any would be disappointed if they are here on a good day. This is now mostly open, park-like terrain with huge, rugged outcrops of pink granite (actually rhyolite), and just enough heath and small stands of red spruce and fraser fir to give it a sub-alpine appearance. The trail weaves between the outcrops at this point, but there is ample opportunity to scramble up any of them just for fun, as we did. The summit of this “little piece of Montana” looms another 500 feet above and looks very much unlike typical Southern Appalachian terrain. Even the magnificent Roan Highlands and the similar high country of the Shining Rock Wilderness lack the massive rock outcroppings found here. It is strikingly scenic, and the views only get better as you climb higher on the ridge. Soon, we were beginning to look over the top of 5,100’ Haw Orchard Mountain, the lowest of Virginia’s three ranked  5,000 foot peaks, and see the rugged peaks of North Carolina’s Amphibolite Mountains in the distance, including Three Top, The Peak, Elk Knob, and Snake Mountain among others, with Grandfather Mountain and the Roans visible even farther away. A little higher up, today, as I almost  always do, we left the AT to stay on the rougher Wilburn Ridge Trail. This more spectacular route stays right on the crest of the ridge and goes directly over the next two rocky caps, and is the crème de la crème of the trek. Upon reaching the next rocky cap at about 5,300’ there is a sublime view of Mount Rogers and Brier Ridge, with Whitetop rising up in the distance, while close at hand the apex of the ridge reaches higher still in stark, rocky magnificence. There is a bit of mild scrambling on the trail, but opportunities abound for much more if you like that sort of thing. I do, and we did indulge in making the hike harder (a.k.a. more fun) than is necessary. If the weather is good, as it was today, there is no finer place to take a break and just enjoy some of the best scenery in the state.

C'mon little fella. Photo by Dave Socky

We continued on to the next equally high summit, which is the highest point on Pine Mountain and where Wilburn Ridge ties in to it, the view open to the north to reveal a long swath of Clinch Mountain beyond the closer Iron Mountains and across the Great Valley. This spot also looks down on Rhododendron Gap, the place to visit in early June when the entire area is shades of pink and purple with a floral display of its namesake flowers second only perhaps to the famed Rhododendron Gardens on Roan Mountain. There is another fun scramble route down from here that I have only seen one or two other groups doing before, but is easier than it looks. Naturally, we went that way and dropped down into the gap, which really isn’t much of a gap in the normal sense of the word, though the area immediately to the southwest would qualify as such. This is another major intersection of trails, with at least five ways to go, and can be confusing on a cloudbound day - especially if you have never been here. But it is a wonderful spot to be lost, surrounded by meadows, rhododendron, awesome outcrops, boreal forest, and possibly some wild ponies. Had we turned right at the top of Cliffside, we could have been here hours earlier. I took evil delight in mentioning this, but only jokingly, because had we done so, we would have missed much, including Wilburn Ridge.

High on Wilburn Ridge, looking at Whitetop rising up beyond the meadows of Brier Ridge.

Fun on Wilburn Ridge.

Scrambling and happy! Photo by Dave Socky

Brian and Stephanie atop Wilburn Ridge. photo by Dave Socky

Brian and Stephanie at Rhododendron Gap.

Another enchanting mile-and-a-quarter took us over Thomas Knob and past the A-frame Appalachian Trail shelter that makes for such a great place to spend the night, or just get out of the weather for a while. Just beyond here, we took the ½ mile spur trail that leads to the 5,729’ apex of Virginia, that being Mount Rogers. Not a bad place for Stephanie to claim her very first state highpoint! While there are no views from here, and I do sometimes lament that, the top of what was once known as Balsam Mountain, or Big Balsam Mountain, is still a delightful place, almost neon green with moss and ferns, the former covering almost everything and the latter filling in all the niches, while the smell of Christmas trees permeates the air. This is Virginia’s biggest sky island of boreal forest, and one of the biggest in the Southern Appalachians. It’s also one of the few such places that the balsam wooly aphid hasn’t nearly decimated the lovely little Fraser Firs, as is the case on the heights of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Black Mountains.

Trout Lily

Atop 5,729' Mount Rogers, the very tiptop of Virginia.

The scenic hits don’t end here though. After returning to the AT, there is more easy walking through this Canadian type forest to the delightful grassy saddle on Brier Ridge and its spectacular views of Whitetop, which is Virginia’s number two mountain, and an exceptional hike in its own right - as is this saddle itself if one wanted a shorter hike with a big payoff.

We took the Virginia Highlands Trail from here to Deep Gap, then rejoined the AT there, now back down in the hardwoods and only a couple miles from the end. But there was another treat just ahead. As we started traversing along Elk Garden Ridge, we soon entered the beginning of a long stretch of trail that was bordered on both sides by one of the better displays of trout lilies I have ever seen. As far as the eye could see through the woods, the forest floor was speckled yellow with the drooping blooms of these beautiful little flowers. Then one last open view north and south from the grassy knoll overlooking Elk Garden and we were finally done with one of the finest long walks to be found in these mountains I call home.

Photo by Dave Socky

The route of our traverse. To see a larger map click here.
Note: There seems to be a problem with the default map view I have selected not showing properly. Please select the map you prefer from the drop-down menu in the upper right hand corner of the map.

Hike stats: 18 mile shuttle hike, 3,750' cumulative elevation gain

Map showing most, though not all, of the trail system on the Mount Rogers massif. The color coding shows all of the terrain above 4,000 feet and 5,000 feet. To see a larger version of this map click here. If you zoom out far enough, this map displays ALL of the terrain in the Lower 48 U.S. states that is between 4,000-4,999', 5,000-5,999', 6,000=6,700', and then all of the terrain out West that is higher than 6,700', and therefore higher than anything in the Eastern U.S.

Pictures from this hike.

Pictures from other hikes in the Mount Rogers High Country (There are no duplicate entries, these are all different hikes)
November 2012
August 2012
July 2012
May 2012
May 2012
May 2012
January 2012
December 2011
December 2011
August 2011
July 2011
June 2011
May 2011
February 2011
January 2011
January 2011
September 2010
September 2010
July 2010
June 2010
May 2010
January 2010
November 2009
September 2009
August 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
June 2009
May 2009
February 2009
September 2008
August 2008
June 2008
April 2008
January 2008
November 2007
August 2007
August 2007
June 2007

Resources:
gpx, kmz, topos for this hike
gpx, kmz, topos - Master Files for majority of trail system
USFS Mount Rogers NRA page
Grayson Highlands State Park site
Friends of Grayson Highlands
Hiking Upward post
Mid-Atlantic Hikes Grayson Highlands Circuit
Mid-Atlantic Hikes Grayson Highlands 2
Mid-Atlantic Hikes Mount Rogers Backpack
Mid-Atlantic Hikes Little Wilson Creek Wilderness




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Cliffside Trailhead coordinates:
36.69217°, 81.51954°

Elk Garden Trailhead coordinates:
36.64627°, 81.58332°

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Cliffside Trailhead

Elk Garden Trailhead

Chestnut Ridge - Lonely Mountain Meadows

It’s hard to believe that such a nice spot on the Appalachian Trail as Chestnut Ridge is so lonely - not that I mind though. I kind of like it that way. I’ve been up there well over 60 times now, yes 60, but outside the peak of thru-hiker traffic I’ve rarely seen more than one or two people up there, and often-times no one else at all.

Besides comparatively little publicity, part of the reason for this lack of people is undoubtedly that it is relatively remote. The trailheads from the north (actually east) are on the rim of Burkes Garden, which isn’t exactly convenient from most of the main roads in the region. And one of the roads in to the Poor Valley trailhead on the south side has a hint of a third world feel to it, thanks a narrow dirt road with hairpin turns on a steep mountainside, with no guard rails and little room to pass another vehicle. For a while, a section of it had even slid away a few years ago, and that only added to the feeling. Even now, I’m always glad to get that section behind me. But this is also my favorite place to start the hike from, as I did today.

The trail starts off steep, eases up, steepens again, then moderates for the first 2 ½ miles to the ridgeline. This is a woods walk and is the price of admission to the great hiking above. Right before that second steep section is also one of my pet peeves about Appalachian Trail reroutes. There was a spot here where the level trail then climbed uphill at a modest grade to gain maybe 10 feet in elevation over a distance of perhaps 35 yards, before dropping off 6 feet of that gain over about 20 yards. It was a minor bump by any standard and insignificant compared to the steep section immediately ahead. But a 100 yard long section of brand new trail was built to sidehill around this tiny bump to end up at the same spot, saving a mere 6 feet of climbing. In the big scheme of things, it probably didn’t cost much, but there was labor and money for this while other trails go unmaintained or abandoned. I follow the new trail on the way down, but never on the way up, not that it makes any difference to anyone but me.

Once the crest of Chestnut Ridge is gained, the trail immediately comes out into a small meadow, and two more miles of easy strolling follow. The views are limited here, but hint at what lies ahead. After briefly re-entering the woods, the trail comes out in the open again near a small pond. As the trail climbs, there are good views to the south and west near here, but the best is still ahead. The trail goes into the woods once again, then emerges into a long, beautiful meadow with magnificent views, and the trail traverses its entire length. The scenery is great all the way through this clearing, but my favorite spot is about 300 yards before it enters the woods again, atop a small rise I like to refer to as “The Grassy Knoll”. The panorama here is more or less a 270° arc not counting the remainder of the still rising ridgeline, which, of course limits the view in that direction. To the south is the long ridgeline of Walker Mountain, with Glade Mountain, the Iron Mountains, and the Mount Rogers High Country beyond. More to the southeast, Sand Mountain is visible, which lets me know where home is. Southwest and west are Brushy Mountain, other high peaks on Clinch Mountain, and the cliffbound crest of Morris Knob. Finally, to the north, and much closer, is the spruce-capped top of Garden Mountain, a.k.a. Balsam Beartown. After the high peaks on the Mount Rogers massif, this 4,710’ peak is the sixth highest ranked summit in the state. Getting to it can be difficult if you don’t know the best approaches, but also an adventure with a high elevation bog and some great views nearby.

Looking south towards Mount Rogers and Whitetop, looming over a thousand feet higher than anything else in Virginia.

Peaks on Clinch and Knob Mountains.

The AT shelter atop Chestnut Knob

The high elevation bowl of Burkes Garden.

The long upper meadow on Chestnut Ridge.

I usually hate to leave this spot for the top, but always go there anyway because it has its own rewards. After another ¾ mile in the woods, the trail pops out in the open again and quickly reaches the top of the 4,409’ former lookout site. Unfortunately, the tower is long gone, but the lookout’s cabin still remains and has been converted to an Appalachian Trail shelter. If it’s cold and windy, or raining, the four walls and roof are always welcome. There are some views south and southwest here, though not as expansive as those from the Grassy Knoll. But there is one view here that the knoll does not have, and that is into the tremendous bowl of Burkes Garden. This 4 mile by 8 mile cove is called “God’s Thumbprint” and from above, or on a map, looks like a huge caldera or crater, though in actuality, it is not. Completely surrounded by Garden Mountain, and lying anywhere from 600 - 1,600 feet below it, its surprisingly flat floor is one of the highest inhabited valleys in Virginia, all of it above 3,000 feet in elevation. Were it not for the one small break in Garden Mountain that allows Burkes Garden Creek to drain out, it would not be a valley at all, but a huge lake. It is a curious place, to be sure. On this visit, the view of the Garden was actually something of a surprise. In the 20+ years I’ve been coming here, the viewpoint has slowly grown up with small trees and severely limited the view. But since my last visit, the Forest Service or PATH club that maintains this section of the AT has reopened the vista considerably. While it still isn’t a wide-open view, it should be good for several more years, especially in the brown months. Despite my disapproval of some reroutes, I am always grateful when something like this gets done. Keeping the views from these mountain meadows open keeps them special - though it may not continue to keep them lonely forever.



Route to Chestnut Knob from Poor Valley. To view a larger map click here.

Hike Stats: 9 miles, 2,000' elevation gain

Pictures from this hike 

Pictures from other hikes to Chestnut Ridge:
October 2011
April 2011
August 2009
May 2009
August 2008
October 2007
July 2007


Resources:
gpx files and topo maps 
Happy Trails article about Chestnut Ridge 
Blue Ridge Outdoors article mentioning Chestnut Ridge 
EveryTrail.com page for Chestnut Knob 


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Poor Valley trailhead coordinates:
37.02273,-81.4249

Google map for trailhead


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Grassy Ridge and the Roan Highlands - Fellwalking, Southern Appalachian Style

The grassy balds of the Southern Appalachians have sometimes been given the moniker of “Southern-Fried Tundra”, a name I rather like, but one that is also a bit misleading. While these open crests and summits can indeed have a somewhat alpine tundra-like appearance, they certainly are not alpine, and are often very near even higher peaks and ridges that are totally forested. Another term that might be justifiably used is fell. Fell is a term used in Great Britain, especially England, for an open, grassy mountain. While it is used as a blanket term to include their higher mountains, which are indeed alpine, it does not imply such, and includes lower hills that may have been tree-covered at one time, but are now open due to the effects of clearing and grazing over the centuries of habitation. The English are also a nation of walkers, and one of the terms they use for hiking in the mountains is fellwalking. I like that word too.

There is no better place to go fellwalking in the Southern Appalachians than than the crest of the Roan Highlands. There are literally miles of wide-open grassy balds and meadows here, including Hump Mountain, Little Hump Mountain, Big Yellow Mountain, Grassy Ridge, Jane Bald, and Round Bald. Spectacular views in every direction abound and my buddy Tommy and I recently started at 5,500’ Carvers Gap and hiked up the Appalachian Trail, which was still a ribbon of ice in the shade of the spruce trees on the west side of Round Bald. After coming back out into the open a couple hundred feet higher, we found only intermittent patches of snow and ice on the trail and surrounding meadows, the direct sun having melted it all away. Apparently the summits had been in the clouds the day or night before though, because the trees had a modest coating of rime. Though it soon started falling off as the morning warmed up, for a while it added a magical touch to the already wonderful scenery. We had views in every direction as we wandered over the 5,820’ summit of Round Bald, down into Engine Gap, and up again to the top of equally high Jane Bald.

Though we spent the day wandering along several more miles of scenic ridgeline, with some big ups and downs along the way, the high point of the day, literally, was the wide open top of 6,180’ Grassy Ridge Bald and its slightly lower, but more rugged southeastern subpeak. It’s an easy hike to here, and we probably spent well over an hour up here gazing around the horizon at the sea of peaks rising up from the lowlands. With the rest of the Roan Highlands all around and close up, even though it wasn’t as clear as it had been on nearby Big Bald a few weeks ago, we could also see part of the Bald Mountains, the high peaks of the Black Mountains and Great Craggies, Hawksbill and Table Rock on the rim of Linville Gorge, Grandfather Mountain’s ragged crest, Beech Mountain, and some of the peaks in the Amphibolite Range among others.

On Round Bald, looking at Little Yellow, Hawk, and Lightwood Mountains with Spear Tops, Big Bald, and Little Bald farther back.

Standing tall on Round Bald, looking at Roan High Knob.

6,180' Grassy Ridge ahead.

On Grassy Ridge, looking at Little Yellow and Hawk Mountains, with Spear Tops, Big Bald, and Little Bald farther back.

Rime-plastered tree on Grassy Ridge.

The Southeast summit of Grassy Ridge.

Balds of the Roan Highlands.

Heading back to Round Bald.

Route to Grassy Ridge. To see a larger map click here.

Hike Stats: 11.1 miles, 3,550' cumulative elevation gain
To Grassy Ridge and back only: 5.5 miles, 1,320' cumulative elevation gain

Pictures from this hike

Pictures from other hikes to the Roan Highlands:
Hump and Big Yellow Mountains - June 2011
Grassy Ridge - February 2009
Roan Mountain - June 2009
Hump Mountain - June 2008
Hump Mountain - October 2007

Resources
gpx files and maps
SummitPost page for the Roan Highlands
SummitPost page for Round Bald
SummitPost page for Jane Bald
SummitPost page for Grassy Bald
Roan Highlands Wikipedia page
Roan Highlands Nature Conservancy page

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Carver's Gap trailhead coordinates:
36.10645,-82.11033

Google map for trailhead


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