Cataloochee Divide Tail

Ttailhead at Cove Creek Gap

Many things draw hikers to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Trails to prominent peaks with expansive views, trails along streams punctuated by waterfalls, groves of old growth trees, and historic cabins and houses that remind us of the people who settled the area before the park was established.  I enjoy seeing all these, but probably my favorite draw to the trails in the Smokies are the ridge or divide trails.  Several trails follow long ridges that divide the park into distinct areas or mark the boundary between the park and the "outside world."  These divide trails offer up and down ridge hiking and views on one or both sides of the trail.

On a cool and at first overcast morning, two of us began hiking the Cataloochee Divide Trail from Cove Creek Gap to Double Gap - 6.4 miles according to the trailhead sign.  This divide runs along the park's eastern/southeastern border, separating Jonathan Valley (outside the park) on the south and Cataloochee Valley (inside the park) to the north.  We began a steady climb from the gap and were soon rewarded with views on both sides of the trail.  As we looked out over Jonathan Valley we could see farms, roads, and the infrastructure of rural Haywood County.  In the distance we could see Mt. Pisgah, Cold Mountain, Craggy Dome, Mt. Mitchell and the Black Mountains.  By contrast, on the right we looked across Cataloochee Valley to Mt. Sterling Ridge and further on, Balsam Mountain Ridge.  Several peaks over 6,000 feet lie along this ridge, including Big Cataloochee Mountain.  These high ridges are crowned by dark spruce trees, an indication of their high elevation.

View southeast: Mt. Pisgah is the rounded peak at center on the horizon, Cold Mountain is visible in the distance on the right (just behind the branch).

View Northwest: Mt. Sterling Ridge across Cataloochee Valley.  

Not visible in the pictures are the WLOS TV transmission tower on Mt. Pisgah and the Mt. Sterling lookout tower.  We were able to make out these towers from the ridge.

Because the divide follows the park boundary, houses on private land were seen from the trail.  A fence, built by the CCC in the 1930s, marks the park boundary.  The carport of one house was only a few yards from the trail.

Cataloochee Divide Trail along the fence marking the GSMNP boundary.

An old trail sign just outside the park boundary.

Near Double Gap, the trail skirts a private resort, The Swag.  First, there is Gooseberry Knob, a groomed area with chairs and a gazebo with an impressive view, then the resort buildings and parking lot.  As the name implies the resort lies in a swag between Hemphill Bald and Purchase Knob. 

Gooseberry Knob - part of The Swag resort - waiting for folks to sit and soak up the sun . . . 

. . . and soak up the view.

A mile further is Double Gap and the end of the Cataloochee Divide Trail, but not the end of the Cataloochee Divide.  The Hemphill Bald Trail follows the divide for another four miles or so.  A short steep climb brought us to Hemphill Bald (5,540') and a scenic lunch spot complete with a stone picnic table with a locator map for all the mountains across the vista.  The area is part of Cataloochee Ranch.

Fred Flintstone's picnic table, complete with a peak locator map.

Lunch view #1: A little snow and some skiers at Cataloochee Ski Area.

Lunch view #2: The Plott Balsams - Left is Plott Balsam, center is Mt. Lyn Lowry, right is Waterock Knob; three peaks over 6,000 feet.

After lunch we returned on the same trail to the trail junction with McKee Branch Trail. Going left would take us down to Cataloochee Valley, but we went right to the property of the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center at Purchase Knob.  A large home and over 500 acres of land was donated to the GSMNP by the Gilmore and McNeil families.  The house was renovated to serve as the science center.  It is an impressive facility that hosts visiting scientists and provides education programs for teachers and students.

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center.

Also on the grounds is the historic Ferguson Cabin. Built in the 1870s, the cabin is the highest-elevation historic cabin in the Smokies.  Inside the cabin is a placard giving the history of the Ferguson family and the cabin. An interesting side note: funding for the renovation of the cabin was provided by Aurora Foods, Inc. - makers of Log Cabin syrup. How appropriate!

Ferguson Cabin

The gate at the entrance to the Science Center was locked, so our car was about a mile's walk down the a gravel road. It was downhill, so not too bad a way to end the hike.  We ended up hiking 12.3 miles and an elevation gain of 2,740 feet.  A good hike with fabulous views.  This hike is on my "Do Again List" and would make a good CMC hike next fall.

One last picture.  The forest often has unusual and interesting trees.  What do you see in this photo?

It may not show up well in this photo, but to me, it is a reindeer with the Grinch's face.  If you don't see it in the photo, go see it in person on the Cataloochee Divide Trail.

Sugarland Mountain Trail

There are trails of all lengths and descriptions in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.  Each has its own characteristics depending on elevation, water features, and the area of the park it is located.  For me, there is something special about hiking the longer trails in the park from end-to-end.  Such was the case with Monday's hike, the Sugarland Mountain Trail.  One end of the trail branches off the Appalachian Trail near Mt. Collins, accessed from the Clingmans Dome Road. The other end of the trail is on Little River Road a few miles west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center near Gatlanburg.

As the signs at each end of the trail show, there is not complete agreement on the length of the trail.

Sugarland Mountain Trail sign at the top where it joins the AT. Note the distance to Fighting Creek Gap on Little River Road is 12.1 miles.

Sugarland Mountain Trail sign at the bottom on Little River Road.  It shows 12.0 miles to the AT.

So, I don't know where the extra 0.1 of a mile is. Either way you hike it, you get from Little River Road to the AT!

Like many of the longer trails in the park, the Sugarland Mountian Trail has several distinct characteristics due to the elevation change.  Where the trail begins at the AT, the elevation is 5,900 feet; on Little River Road, the elevation is 2,300 feet.  The trail passes from a spruce-fir forest, then rhododendron and mountain laurel, deciduous hardwoods of poplar, maple and oak, and a mixed forest of pine and hardwoods.  The other great feature of this trail is for several miles it follows a fairly narrow ridge that affords great views of the surrounding mountains.

The heavy snow that fell over a week ago on the high mountains in the Smokies was still evident when we began hiking on the AT and upper Sugarlands.  It was not too slick, and we were able to get decent footing on the trail.

The Appalachian Trail near Mt. Collins.

Sugarland Mountain Trail near the AT.

Sunshine and snow.

Not far down the trail we were able to see the observation tower with its spiral ramp on 6,643 foot Clingmans Dome, the highest peak in the Smokies.  It looked small due to the distance away.  Other views included Mt. LeConte and the long spine of mountains that forms the NC/TN border and carries the Appalachian Trail.

Mt. LeConte from Sugarlands Mountain Trail

At lower elevations we entered an oak-poplar-maple forest.  This Fall has seen a heavy mast crop, and there were lots of acorns on the trail.  At our lunch spot we noticed a cache of acorns in a niche of a tree.  Not sure if a squirrel collected them, or a clever hiker who wanted to provide a conversation starter for passers-by.

A squirrel's cache for winter?

There were several large boulder fields and rocks along the trail.  Plants in the Smokies are able to root in the most unlikely places.  A rhododendron grabbed a tenuous foothold in a rock crevice.

Will it bloom next summer?

As we reached lower elevations the last of this season's color was evident.  Some maples still show yellow and reds, but the oaks seemed to be predominant with their muted red, yellow and brown leaves hanging on.

At the end of some hikes you are more than ready to reach your car.  Today, however, the hike ended before I was ready.  It was such a beautiful day, and the trail had everything that makes for a great hike in the Smokies, that an additional mile or two would have been welcome.  Not to worry though, there are several trails in this area, so I will be visiting this part of the park again, and several miles of the Sugarland Mountain Trail will be hiked.  Many thanks to the Margaret Stevenson Hikers who coordinated this hike and for arranging the key swap to avoid having to shuttle cars.