Trails near the Cherohala Skyway

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I've hiked a few short trails to waterfalls in this area, but I've heard there are some excellent backpacking trails in the area. I did a search and found a few references to trails in threads on other subjects, but no thread about this wonderful area. Would member who hike in the are mind talking a bit about the trails available - length, distance, difficulty, campsites, water sources, special features or problems. etc.

::: Paging Tipi Walter :::

[SGT Rock]

BMT crosses there. There is a bald (Whigg Meadow) up from Mud gap that would be a killer campsite. It is an easy 1.5 mile walk from the gap:

http://www.bmta.org/construction/cmap10.htm

[Krewzer]

I haven't been there is a while, but Slick Rock Creek used to be my favorite escape from the Southern August heat. Wildcat Falls is a good campsite a with a great swimming hole below the falls.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I honeymooned once at a site above the falls on the Highway 129 side of the creek. Is that site still present? It had a small creek running to Slickrock and a fire ring.

[Tipi Walter]

I honeymooned once at a site above the falls on the Highway 129 side of the creek. Is that site still present? It had a small creek running to Slickrock and a fire ring.

Are you speaking of Lower Falls or Wildcat Falls?

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Are you speaking of Lower Falls or Wildcat Falls?It has been many years ago so I'm not sure. The falls was about 8 ft tall and the pool above the falls had a huge rock slanting steeply into its pool at the top. It was a treacherous place to cross Slickrock Creek, but the trail crossed there.

[Tipi Walter]

I've hiked a few short trails to waterfalls in this area, but I've heard there are some excellent backpacking trails in the area. I did a search and found a few references to trails in threads on other subjects, but no thread about this wonderful area. Would member who hike in the are mind talking a bit about the trails available - length, distance, difficulty, campsites, water sources, special features or problems. etc.

::: Paging Tipi Walter :::

There are many trails along the Cherohala Skyway and as Sgt Rock pointed out, the Benton MacKaye passes over the road and thru the area. One of my favorite long trip routes is to go up the Tellico River road and park by the Bald River Gorge wilderness and enter the wilderness where there are numerous camping sites. By going thru and exiting this wilderness you can turn left on the Holly Flats road and in about 1.5 miles tie into the Brookshire trail on the right(NOT the Kirkland trail)which ties into the Benton MacKaye trail after crossing Bald River.

Here I usually cross Brookshire creek and go left up the Upper Bald River area to Sugar Mountain and follow the B Mac trail north all the way to Whiggs Meadow and Beech Gap where the trail crosses the Skyway. At this point you will enter the Citico/Slickrock wilderness and the fun begins.

Also, atop Whiggs Meadow there is a way to tie into the Snowbird wilderness by following a little used trail up and over Haw Mountain as it ties into the Big Junction pulloff on the Skyway. Here the old trail hugs the right shoulder and goes up a hillside to tie into a Snowbird trail as it does a 90 degree turn to the right into the wilderness.

There are 5 or 6 other trails coming up from the North River road that tie into the Skyway and a few cross the paved road to tie into trails going into the southern portion of the Citico Creek wilderness.

Most people know where the Falls Branch trail turnoff is as it descends from the Skyway down to a high 80 foot waterfall. This trail is a deadend trail with a small campsite and it gets frequent summer dayhikers. At the same trailhead the Jeffrey Hell trail bears right and reaches the South Fork of the Citico and along the way passes several useable tentsites. There is also a pulloff on the Skyway that will allow access to the lower part of the South Fork on a trail called Grassy Branch as it descends to reach the South Fork alongside Eagle Branch creek.

And finally, there is a short driveway off the Skyway that will allow access to the Flats Mountain trailhead. This trail is dry and comes out at Bee House Gap above the Citico Creek wilderness area.

[Tipi Walter]

It has been many years ago so I'm not sure. The falls was about 8 ft tall and the pool above the falls had a huge rock slanting steeply into its pool at the top. It was a treacherous place to cross Slickrock Creek, but the trail crossed there.

I think I know this spot as every time I go over it with a full pack I get a worried look on my face. This is at Wildcat Falls and the big slippery rock is right before the Wildcat crossing as you go upstream.

[SGT Rock]

I stayed there once in 1985. I remember it as a nice spot. Someday I need to go back.

The lower falls isn't too bad a walk if you take Ike Branch over. The Slickrock Trail around is getting worn out and is not always a good walk in all places.

[SGT Rock]

FD, here is a link to a pic of what the lower falls looks like:

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/vbg/showimage.php?i=12385&catid=member&imageuser=5

But there is no real good camp site. Near the top of the falls is a wide spot on the trail with a fire ring that some folks occasionally camp at (including me once). The best way to get there is to park by the bridge and then take Slickrock Trail .7 miles to Ike Branch. Then take Ike Branch over Yellowhammer Gap...
http://www.bmta.org/construction/cmap14.htm
and then back down again to Slickrock Trail, that is 1.8 miles...
http://www.bmta.org/construction/cmap13.htm

Once you hit the Slickrock Trail hang a right and go down about half a mile which includes a short rock scramble past a blow down and one wet crossing. Total Trip in will be about 3 miles give or take. But the water is great for a swim and the campsite works for a small group (4 or less).

[Tipi Walter]

BMT crosses there. There is a bald (Whigg Meadow) up from Mud gap that would be a killer campsite. It is an easy 1.5 mile walk from the gap:

http://www.bmta.org/construction/cmap10.htm

I've spent many nights on the Whigg and though there is a tourist road that gets to within 200 yards of the top it is still a beautiful place to camp. In the winter it will frequently get snow and at around 5000 feet the cold repels the tourists and the icey road to the very top is closed. In the summer you can find a pretty pond below the summit which is fed by a clean spring/creek which can cool the overheated body and can also supply drinking water(filtered, of course).

Around Mud Gap and north on the B Mac trail there is the open Rock Quarry site which also offers numerous good tentsites. There is water coming up to it from Mud Gap and once in the quarry you will notice the B Mac blazes in an open meadow much like the AT blazes in other open meadows all along the AT. I love walking thru this spot.

[SGT Rock]

Yes that quary is nice and would make a cool place to camp.