Fodderstack Trail, Cherokee National Forest

[berninbush]

Hey guys, I'm brand new here but was hoping I could get some quality advice from veteran hikers.

I'm a pretty inexperienced backpacker (age 27) with even less experienced siblings (ages 26, 17, and 16). In July we will be vacationing in Tennessee, and we were looking for a one-night wilderness adventure. Studying the maps, I picked the Fodderstack Trail. A couple of places ranked it "easy to moderate" and said it had nice views. But I noticed another place ranked it "difficult."

Reality check... how hard is this trail? How easy is it to get lost? Will we get eaten by bears? Will we die of exhaustion/ dehydration/ exposure? I'm feeling very responsible for this expedition and don't want to lead my family into a disaster. ;) (I'm a bit infamous for that....) :o

[Tipi Walter]

Hey Berninbush, I got your message and so I thought I'd reply on your thread. The best thing about the Fodderstack(or the worst depending on your point of view), is access and parking. It can be approached from many directions such as the Citico wilderness side along the South Fork trail, the North Fork trail and the Pine Ridge trail. It can also be reached at Farr Gap where the trail ends at its northernmost tip.

You could also go up the Cherohala Skyway from the Tennessee side and park at Beech Gap where there is a large parking area on the left which the new Benton MacKaye trail intersects(Unicoi Crest). In your case this would seem to be the easiest and best approach since I assume you'll be coming from the west and the Tennessee side. Park and just leave the lot and follow the white diamond blazes north(but don't cross the Skyway and go south), or walk back up the road to the pull off where there is a gated forest road which is the start of the Fodderstack trail. You'll know you're at Beech Gap because it is the state line between TN and NC.

Since you're already at 4600 feet here the hiking is easy and the Fodderstack trail won't pose any problems for the novice backpacker. The Fodderstack of course has become the Benton MacKaye trail now and so you will see indications of this in the new trailposts with the diamond and the number 2. Follow the trail north and you will reach Cold Spring Gap which is an intersection of various trails. Here you have a choice, if you want to stick strictly to the Fodderstack trail you could go up the ridge on trail #95 which will take you to the high ground and another intersection(with the Bob Stratton Bald trail). At this junction the Fodderstack turns left and goes down the ridge to arrive at a big open hemlock site called Snow Camp. If you decide to get off the Fodderstack here and follow the Stratton trail straight ahead, it will take you to a beautiful 5240 foot bald with great views and good camping. If not, turn left and continue on the Fodderstack.

Or you could leave Cold Spring Gap and continue straight and to the left along the MacKaye trail as it follows an old road(don't take the trail to the left, #105). I would recommend this as it is fairly level, has abundant water and will return you to the Fodderstack trail along a beautiful trail. After about a mile there is a trailpost for the Benton MacKaye and here you turn right and follow the trail all the way past several pretty creeks to Snow Camp, thereby avoiding the steep up and down of the old Fodderstack. It is a detour I think you'll enjoy.

If you follow this connector, at Snow Camp you'll see another trailpost to your right and the Fodderstack bears left along the ridge out of the camp and north. Here the trail follows a long way and probably further than you can do in 2 days of backpacking. If you decide to stay on the Fodderstack and go further, just follow the clear treadway along the ridge as it passes Cherry Log Gap(there's a trailpost), dips to Glenn Gap, climbs up and turns right and down to Harrison Gap, climbs up to the shoulder of Big Fodderstack Mt and then down to another trailpost and small campsite at the Pine Ridge trail junction. Here the Fodderstack/MacKaye bears right and down to Big Stack Gap where there is a fallen oak and another trailpost. Past here the trail climbs steeply up to the ridge and eventually reaches a wide open grassy campsite perfect for tents and where there is water down on the Crowder trail.

[berninbush]

Thanks very much for all the advice! I'll let you know how it goes!

[berninbush]

Ok, here's what I'm thinking about doing: parking at Beech Gap, taking Fodderstack to Cold Spring Gap, following the B Mac with the connector trail to Snow Camp, and setting up our camp there. Then we can head south on the Fodderstack to the Bob Stratton Bald trail with light loads, enjoy the view from the Bald, and come back to sleep at Snow Camp.

Here's my problem: the map I've got, the USFS Citico Creek/ Slickrock map, doesn't have the B Mac marked and doesn't show the new connecting trail or Snow Camp at all. Could you give me some idea on distances (particularly how far north Snow Camp is of the Fodderstack-Bob Stratton junction) so I can pencil it in? Or better yet, is there a good map I could order that would show this?

Thanks for the advice!