21 June 2017
The campground was quiet last night and I got more sleep than the night before. I needed it because today was a busy day. In addition to pulling off the Blue Ridge for all their observations points as I headed south, I did three hikes – one pretty difficult and the other two easy.
First hiking stop was Crabtree Falls, a 70 foot beauty. To get to the falls, you begin at the trailhead near the information center and hike through the campgrounds and begin your descent to the falls. It supposedly is a two mile loop, but typically, my gps registered over 4 miles. The initial descent is steep, rocky and muddy and I pity anyone who tries to do it without a good pair of hiking boots. The hike down and back up is listed as strenuous and I would have to agree.
You have the option of returning as you came (I would not recommend it) or take the 0.9 mile loop back. It has a very steep set of switchbacks but once you make the ridge, it levels out until the last 0.8 miles. It returns you to the campground and you must retrace your steps to the trailhead parking lot.
The signage on the trail was excellent and the trail fairly well maintained. They need to work on some of their staircases but otherwise this was an excellent hike.
My next stop was Mount Mitchell State Park, the highest mountain east of the Mississippi at 6,684 feet. This was the first State Park in North Carolina established in 1915. The park is named for Elisha Mitchell, a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill who died trying to prove its height. He’s buried at the summit.
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In reality, you drive to the top (no admission fees) and wall 0.4 miles via a paved walkway to the top and to the observation tower. The views were spectacular.
There was a bicycle club of young kids that pedaled their way to the top! I was amazed at how young they were. I think it was some type of money raising event.
Lastly, I stopped at Craggy Gardens and hiked 0.3 miles up to a Rhododendron bald at the top. The path was steep but easily walked without too much effort. Again, with the rocks, a good pair of hiking shoes is recommended.
I returned to Linville Falls campground, took a “spit” shower and ate fried chicken with fried okra, mashed potatoes with gravy and iced tea at Famous Louise’s Rock House Restaurant. The famous part is the house sits directly at the meeting point of 3 North Carolina counties. Desert was homemade cherry pie with vanilla ice cream. I felt I needed to treat myself after all that exertion during the day.
It’s supposed to rain tomorrow so I may be packing a wet tent. I head to Asheville for a short visit with Joyce and Alfred Hiller and then to Franklin D. Roosevelt State Park at Pine Mountain, Georgia for three nights.
