BEARTREE
I
managed to talk Christy into camping over the Fourth of July weekend. However, we decided to spend the 4th
at home and head out on Friday. Since it
was a holiday weekend, I figured we should reserve a campsite somewhere. Ultimately we settled on the campground in
the Beartree Recreation Area outside of Damascus,
Virginia. The campground is conveniently
situated near the Appalachian Trail just west of the Mount Rogers Recreation
Area and Grayson Highlands State Park.
It’s also a short distance from the Virginia Creeper Trail, a 30+ mile
rail trail. We figured the area would
give me plenty of options for hiking, and Christy numerous opportunities for
cycling and running.
By
Thursday, the weather forecast for the weekend looked awful. Heavy rains were expected throughout the
weekend. Sure enough, we drove through
rain all the way to Boone and beyond. As
we drove, we wondered what we were doing.
It looked like the weekend would be a total washout.
Luckily
conditions began to improve when we crossed into Tennessee and got on the west
side of the mountains. We reached the
campground around noon under cloudy skies.
The weather didn’t exactly look good, but it was certainly better than
what we’d passed through on the way.
Beartree campground is pretty nice. The sites are well spaced and fairly private
thanks to the abundant Rosebay Rhododendron, which was in bloom. Our site had a small stream running behind
it, which made the spot even more appealing.
The campground even has showers, which was a pleasant surprise. Aside from the campground, the recreation
area includes a small lake, complete with a beach. The lake is popular for fishing and swimming.
We
set up camp and debated our options for the day while eating lunch. Christy decided to mountain bike the section
of the Virginia Creeper Trail from Damascus to Abingdon. My original plan had been to hike the
Appalachian Trail over Whitetop Mountain – the second
highest peak in Virginia. However, given
the unsettled weather, hiking over a high, exposed mountain in the afternoon
seemed like a bad idea. I changed my
agenda. I decided to hike a section of
the A.T., starting from Straight Branch, a few miles east of Damascus. My plan was to hike from there back to Beartree Lake, where Christy would pick me up. The hike sounded appealing, since two
different guidebooks mentioned three good views along this stretch of trail.
Christy
dropped me off at the Straight Branch access around 2pm. The A.T. and the Virginia Creeper Trail both
pass through here. The Virginia Creeper
Trail follows Whitetop Laurel Creek, which was raging
from the recent rains. Unfortunately, an
A.T. bridge was taken out by a recent flood, and there is currently a detour on
the Creeper Trail. This wasn’t really a
big deal, except that I had to walk down the rail trail with two leashed dogs while
dozens of cyclists whizzed by. I was
only on the Creeper Trail for a couple of minutes, but it was a relief to
rejoin the trail.
The
stretch of the A.T. beyond Straight Branch is actually one of the less
frequently hiked parts of the trail. The
Creeper Trail runs parallel to it, and many thru-hikers opt for the alternate
route since it’s easier and it follows Whitetop
Laurel Creek.
This
part of the A.T. features a substantial climb over Straight Mountain. I was sweating and the dogs were panting, as
the sun made an unexpected appearance shortly after we started the hike. We eventually reached the crest of the
mountain, and took a side trail down to the Saunders Shelter for a break. We met a long distance hiker there. His trail name was Benadryl due to his
propensity for acquiring bug bites. We
visited the spring for the benefit of the dogs before resuming our hike.
One
guide mentioned a great view from the shelter, but it failed to materialize. Another guidebook mentioned a couple of
additional views from the trail along Straight Mountain, but those no longer
exist, either. The guidebooks I was
relying on date back to the 80’s. I’m
guessing that the vegetation has grown up enough to eliminate the views in
recent years.
We
eventually descended from Straight Mountain before reaching a junction with the
Beartree Pass Trail, about 6 miles from Straight
Branch. We took this trail to a crossing
of highway 58. A bit farther on we
reached Beartree Lake. Beartree Lake is
man-made, but quite pretty. We hung out
there for a while before heading out to the parking lot. We waited there a little longer before
Christy arrived to give us a ride back to the campground.
It
had been a pleasant hike, even without the advertised views. Christy’s bike ride hadn’t gone nearly so
well. The seat of her mountain bike
wouldn’t stay in place, which made for a frustrating afternoon.
We
grilled burgers and had macaroni and cheese and broccoli that night. We even enjoyed a campfire, and smores for desert.
The fire was a pleasant surprise considering the weather forecast. I was hopeful that the dry weather would hold
off through Saturday, as I had a big hike planned.
SUGAR GARDEN
Originally
we planned to spend Saturday in the Guest River Gorge. There is a 6-mile rail trail there that I
wanted to mountain bike. Christy would
walk the dogs while I did that, and then I’d watch them while she went for a
run. Afterwards, we’d do a short hike to
Little Stony Falls.
This
adventure would’ve required another hour and a half drive from Beartree. By the
time Saturday morning rolled around, we weren’t feeling that motivated. Instead, we decided to stay a little closer
to camp. Christy planned a long run on
the Creeper Trail. Meanwhile, I’d do an
even longer hike on the A.T. My plan was
to start from highway 58 west of Whitetop
Mountain. I’d hike over Whitetop and through Elk Garden, before descending the
Mount Rogers Trail to Grindstone Campground, where Christy would pick me up.
We
had a nice breakfast of blueberry pancakes, bacon, and coffee before heading
out. Christy dropped us off where the
A.T. crossed the road at Summit Cut.
From there we headed up, then down, and then back up through a white
pine grove. We emerged in a cow pasture,
where Kona discovered the pleasure of rolling in a fresh cow patty. She got an improvised bath a bit later, but a
second cow pasture just beyond Elk Garden gave her the chance to fix that. I managed to give her a more thorough bath
back at the campground that evening.
We
passed a large group of young women backpacking at the first pasture. That was a little startling, after seeing
only a handful of people on the trail on Friday. The trail was pretty quiet after that though,
as we only encountered a few people from there to Deep Gap. We saw several groups around there and on the
way down to Grindstone Campground.
Beyond
the pasture we hiked through another White Pine grove before beginning a long,
grueling climb up Whitetop Mountain. We eventually broke out into open meadows,
and climbed on to Buzzards Rock.
Buzzards Rock is a bit below the summit of Whitetop,
but it offers a spectacular view to the north, west, and south. It’s surrounded by grassy meadows, and offers
an ideal lunch spot. Unfortunately I
wasn’t able to enjoy it for long. The sky
to the south was black, as violent storms raged over the peaks of Ashe County
in North Carolina. Those storms appeared
to be heading my way, and I was in an extremely exposed location. I finished lunch quickly and packed up for
the rest of the hike up the mountain.
It
turns out that the trail has been re-routed.
It used to pass close to the summit (which features some communication
towers). Now it contours around the
mountain at a lower elevation. Instead
of strolling up through grassy meadows, I enjoyed a traverse through dense
stands of Flame Azalea. The blooms were
past their peak, but there was still enough color to add to the beauty of the
hike.
We
crossed the road leading to the summit and passed several campsites and a
stream. A long descent through a lush
forest followed. A little rain fell, but
it was never more than a mild nuisance.
I stopped for a break a bit before reaching Elk Garden and the next road
crossing. I was there for a few minutes
before I realized that there was something white strung between the trees on
the far side of the trail. At first I
thought it was rope, but upon closer inspection I discovered that it was
actually tubing. It took me a minute
before I realized that all of the trees were Sugar Maples. The tubing was part of a maple syrup harvesting
operation. We followed the tubing the
rest of the way down the mountain to Elk Garden and a major trailhead.
The
stretch of trail east from Elk Garden is delightful despite the cow
patties. It passes through a lovely
meadow with fantastic views in every direction.
I’ve started and finished hikes here in the past, but on each occasion I
didn’t really spend much time here. When
I started hikes here, it was too soon for a break. When I finished hikes there, I was ready to
head for home. On this occasion, a break
was compelling. I climbed to the hill
overlooking Elk Garden, where I enjoyed a lovely view. It wasn’t as spectacular as the vista from
Buzzards Rock, but it was just as nice in its own way. The
view north was probably the most impressive, but I loved the occasional peaks
at Mount Rogers as it drifted in and out of the fog. The view back at Whitetop
was nice, too. Since that slope is
covered in Sugar Maples, I’ll bet it’s a spectacular view in mid-October.
A
pleasant hike to Deep Gap followed. I
found a great campsite on a blue-blazed trail just before the gap, which used
to have a shelter. Camping is no longer
allowed in the gap itself. Another mild
climb above the gap led to a junction with the Mount Rogers Trail.
The
hike down from there was wet, rocky, and tedious. The trail was flooded in places, but at least
there were plenty of water sources for the dogs! Still, I was relieved when I reached a
junction with a spur trail to Grindstone Campground. I continued ahead and arrived at the Mount
Rogers Trailhead a few minutes ahead of schedule. Christy was already there, having arrived a
few minutes earlier. It was a great
hike, and the best part was being able to actually go somewhere without
backtracking or walking in a circle.
We
headed back to camp, where I took advantage of the showers. The shower was quite an adventure. You have to push a button to start the water,
but it only lasted about 30 seconds. The
odd thing was that each push of the button resulted in water ranging from ice
cold to scalding hot. Occasionally it
was somewhere in between, but usually it was one extreme or the other. Needless to say, the shower took quite a
while, since I wasn’t actually in it most of the time.
That
night we grilled steaks for dinner. This
was challenging because the grill (at its lowest setting) was a good 18” above
the charcoal. We had to use most of the
charcoal to be sure the steaks were done before breakfast. Who designs these things, anyway?
A
storm hit just as we started eating. Fortunately
we had a tarp up, and it kept us dry.
Afterwards we headed to bed, forgoing the campfire we’d planned.
MOVE ALONG, NOTHING TO SEE HERE
It
rained off and on Saturday night, but finished by Sunday morning. We had breakfast of eggs, bacon, hashbrowns, and coffee before packing up our wet gear. That’s the worst part of camping in the rain –
both packing up and then having to unpack the mess upon returning home.
Christy
decided to spend Sunday riding Railroad Grade Road, along the New River in Ashe
County, NC. I planned to hike a portion
of the Iron Mountain Trail. I’d start
from the campground on the Lum Trail. After a mile I’d pick up the trail on the
crest of Iron Mountain. I’d follow it
west to the Sandy Flats Shelter. From
there I’d descend the Feathercamp Branch Trail to
meet the A.T. at highway 58 and the Straight Branch Trailhead. That would be an easy place for Christy to
pick me up after her ride.
The
Iron Mountain Trail was the original route of the Appalachian Trail before the
A.T. was re-routed over Mount Rogers and through Grayson Highlands State
Park. I’d hiked one stretch of it,
farther east, some years earlier. That hike had been quiet and peaceful, but
rather boring. I was looking forward to
this one though, as two different guidebooks mentioned three good views along
the stretch I’d be hiking.
I
had some trouble getting started. My
only map was the Appalachian Trail map of southwestern Virginia. It’s a small scale map, so details are
sketchy. The map shows two trails
leaving the campground. One, unnamed,
ascends east to cross a road before meeting the Iron Mountain Trail. The other, the Lum
Trail, heads northeast to meet the Iron Mountain Trail at the Straight Branch
Shelter. According to the map, both
trails initially follow a gated road from the campground before splitting after
a short distance.
I
had no problem finding the gated road, which is right at the entrance to the
campground. I walked up the muddy road
for 5 minutes or so, but there were no trails splitting off of it. So which trail was I following? It was hard to tell from the map, since both
follow streams and head in similar directions.
The farther I walked, the more certain I was that it was the wrong
one. So I backtracked to the entrance to
the campground to reconsider my options.
The
Beartree Gap Trail crosses the road to the campground
a couple of miles from this point. It
climbs up to the Iron Mountain Trail west of the Straight Branch Shelter. That would be a good backup plan, but I wasn’t
enthusiastic about walking down the road.
I thought about catching a ride with Christy, if she hadn’t already
left. It was a fair walk back to the
campsite, so I walked over to the dumpster instead. The trash bag on top had one of her
gluten-free beer bottles in it. So I’d
missed her.
I
hiked back into the campground to make sure I hadn’t missed the beginning of
the Lum Trail.
I started down the loop, passing the road leading to our campsite. After 50 yards I reached a bathroom and a
sign for the Lum Trail. Sigh.
That was a great way to waste 30 minutes.
We
hiked up the Lum Trail through a lush green forest
full of blooming Rosebay Rhododendron.
The trail was muddy and the mosquitoes were awful, but at least the
forest was pretty. It was an easy hike,
too, as the trail followed a gentle grade for a mile up to the shelter. At that point I turned west on the
yellow-blazed Iron Mountain Trail. The
trail follows the ridgecrest,
and most of the hiking was easy except for a steep descent and ascent at Shaw
Gap.
I
passed the first alleged view point without seeing anything. I hiked beyond Shaw Gap to the second, which
also failed to materialize. I stopped
near there for lunch anyway, since it was after noon. What that spot lacked in views it more than
made up for with flies, gnats, and mosquitoes.
I
ate quickly and hiked on to a crossing of forest road 90. At this point I was only a few minutes from
the Feathercamp Branch Trail junction. From there I had a 2 mile downhill hike to
reach the trailhead. It wasn’t even 2pm,
and Christy was supposed to pick me up between 4 and 4:30. I needed to kill some time, and I didn’t want
to do it in the parking lot. I
considering heading over to the Sandy Flats Shelter to take a nap. In hindsight, that would’ve been a great
choice.
Instead,
I decided to chase after the last potential view, which is described as “panoramic”
in the A.T. guidebook. My version of the
book dates back to the 80’s, but the view is from a former fire tower site on Feathercamp Mountain.
I was hopeful that the mountain would still be clear enough for a vista.
The
map and book indicated two routes to get to the top of Feathercamp
Mountain. The Iron Mountain Trail
contours around the south side of the mountain.
Once on the far side, there is a junction with the Feathercamp
Ridge Trail, which climbs to the summit in a ¼ mile. Also, forest road 90 winds its way to the top
of the mountain. After a bit of
consideration, I decided to make a little loop.
I’d follow the forest road to the top, and then descend on the Feathercamp Ridge Trail.
I’d then follow the Iron Mountain Trail back around to Feathercamp Branch.
I
followed the road down to a confusing intersection of old roads. Four roads continued from this point, not
counting the one I’d followed. My map
showed two of them. One was labeled the
Bushwhackers Trail, which wasn’t on the map.
That one didn’t look right.
Another was labeled Feathercamp Branch Trail,
which was my exit route. The road on the
far right headed downhill dramatically, so that was obviously wrong. That left the road behind door #3, which only
said “Iron Mountain Trail ¼ mile”.
While
I was pondering my options the skies opened up.
We got off the road and into the woods, where we were somewhat
sheltered. I put on my rain gear while Kona
curled up in a little ball. Boone just
sat there, giving me the stink eye, as if the sudden downpour was my
fault. It was at this point that the nap
at the shelter started to sound better and better.
The
storm ended as suddenly as it began. For
some reason, I decided to hike on. I
followed the road signed for the Iron Mountain Trail. After a short distance it split. The road to the right was labeled the Sawmill
Trail. That one wasn’t on my map,
either. This was getting out of hand,
and I didn’t want to get lost. I
continued ahead to the Iron Mountain Trail.
I rejoined it east of Feathercamp Branch and
the Sandy Flats Shelter. The nap
beckoned, but I was already wet and chilled.
I decided to hike on.
I
followed the Iron Mountain Trail around Feathercamp
Mountain to a signed junction for the Feathercamp
Ridge Trail. It was exactly where I
expected it to be. I decided to follow
it, but the trail didn’t head up the ridge towards the summit. Instead it contoured around the north side of
the mountain. For some reason I just
kept plugging along. After a mile or so
I reached a junction with the Sawmill Trail.
At that point, turning around seemed silly. I turned right and headed up the Sawmill
Trail, which passes east of the summit.
I crossed over the ridge and descended to a junction with a forest
road. Forest Road 90. Awesome. I had just completed a circumnavigation of Feathercamp Mountain.
I
was highly annoyed at this point, but I wasn’t willing to accept defeat. I followed the road up the mountain, which
turned out to be much longer than anticipated.
Shortly before the summit it began to rain again, which would’ve
eliminated the views from the former tower site, if there had been any (there
weren’t).
I
hiked back down quickly, following Forest Road 90 back past the Sawmill Trail
junction, back to the junction with the connecting trail that I’d hiked earlier,
and back to the confusing five-way intersection. From there I headed straight down the Feathercamp Branch Trail.
The trail was flooded in places, but was much nicer after I crossed over
the Iron Mountain Trail. Most of the
route follows Feathercamp Branch, which is a small
stream under normal circumstances. These
were not normal circumstances. All of
the recent rain had the stream roaring.
There are numerous crossings towards the end of the hike, which are
typically easy rock hops. Rock hopping on
this day would’ve ranged between difficult and impossible. My boots were muddy anyway, so I cleaned them
by repeatedly walking through the creek.
The
stretch along Feathercamp Branch was probably the
nicest part of the hike. It was almost
4:30 when I reached the A.T. I followed
it out to highway 58. Unfortunately,
because of the washed out trail bridge, I had to walk down the shoulder of the
road for a ¼ mile to reach the actual trailhead. This wasn’t fun with two leashed dogs on the
narrow, windy road.
I
reached the trailhead just after 4:30, but Christy wasn’t there. She arrived a few minutes later. Her day had been more miserable than mine,
believe it or not. She’d planned to ride
from Todd to Fleetwood and back three times (20ish miles for each round
trip). However, there was standing water
on Railroad Grade Road. The river was
nearly at road level, and most of the bridges crossing it were submerged. A downpour caught her during her second lap,
and she called it quits after that.
Riding in those conditions is insane, and she was concerned about
getting trapped by the rising flood waters.
We
piled wet gear, dogs, and people into the car for the 3 hour drive home. We took the bypass around Boone, which proved
to be a good move, as we conveniently avoided a stretch of highway 321 that was
underwater. At the south end of town we
stopped for dinner at Mint Cuisine of India, Christy’s new favorite restaurant
in Boone. We had a nice meal while
watching the rain come down. The drive
home from there alternated between terrifying and tedious, but there was one
highlight. The rain cleared briefly as
we drove through Blowing Rock. The parting
clouds revealed a dramatic vista of mist rising from the valleys as angry
clouds swirled above. We pulled into the
Canyons Restaurant parking lot for some quick photos, along with a number of
other people. Our timing was perfect, as
the rain returned a few minutes later, swallowing up the view.
We
both enjoyed the Beartree Campground, and we will
probably return to the area sometime.
However, I think I’ll skip future hikes on the Iron Mountain Trail. Instead I’ll focus on the Mount Rogers
area. I’ve been there many times, but it
never grows stale, being one of the most scenic destinations in the Southern
Appalachians.
Back to Virginia
Back to Hiking and Backpacking Trip Reports
Please remember to Leave No Trace!