Sandy Gap to Unicoi Gap

[Sierra Echo]

Sandy Gap to Unicoi Gap on the Benton MacKaye Trail. It is an 8.3 mile section, with a beautiful ridgeline walk along the NC/TN state line, with added attractions of seeing an old engraved stone marker on the ridge marking the state line, and “old” Doc Watson’s TB sanatorium, in ruins, with rock walls over 3 stories high still standing, and ending at the historic Unicoi Gap in TN.

Has anyone seen this?? Is it worth a trip out there just to see it?

[SGT Rock]

Where did you get that reference. According to the locals that was Doc Rogers house. He now lives down in Tellico Plains.

And yes it is still there, and it is a cool place to camp. Here is a picture and an entry from my journal for that spot: http://www.trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=215391

[Sierra Echo]

Thats a pretty cool looking pic!

http://www.mountainhighhikers.org/ is the website where I found the reference. You click on Hike Database and the click on the "Link to D hikes". Then you scroll wayyyyy down!

[SGT Rock]

The new BMTA section guide for that area lists the building as this:


In the late 40's Doc Rogers built a 3 story house at Tate Gap. He and his wife moved to the home to get above "dust level" due to Doc's asthmatic condition. They lived there several years before moving back to the town of Tellico Plains

The water for the house came from a spring box and then was piped into the uphill side of the house. The pipe still brings water into the house, so now the basement is a small pond. There are some possible campsites there, or if you cross the ridge at Tate gap and go about 1/4 mile on and old dirt road there is a really nice spot next to a dug out spring with a stack of fire wood still standing there.

[Sierra Echo]

Oh I would like to stay at the house!
It would be interesting to know why there is an old ambulance there
if it was never used as a hospital. I'm going to research this. Thank you for the lead!

[SGT Rock]

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293138

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293139

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293137

Just conjecture, but I think the ambulance was probably some old army surplus 4WD toy that got left when it no longer ran.

[Hikerhead]

I hate to say it but I walked by the ruins and the ambulance and missed them both, and I was looking for them. How far off the trail are they? I remember this part of the trail was on an old rd and then it shot straight up to the top of the ridge where the trail went off the road and back into the woods.

[Sierra Echo]

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293138

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293139

http://www.trailjournals.com/photos.cfm?id=293137

Just conjecture, but I think the ambulance was probably some old army surplus 4WD toy that got left when it no longer ran.

That old ambulance would be cool if it could be fixed up. Tell me, exactly what state is this in?

[SGT Rock]

Tennessee.

The building and the ambulance are not right on the BMT. If you are hiking north from Unicoi gap you come to an intersection where an old dirt road comes up to the trail. Walk down the old dirt road a short distance until you see the ambulance. Then walk along the route that stays on the hill which leads past a foundation to another building (maybe a garage?) and leads up to the stone building. I didn't know it was there when I found it.