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NC Blaster
08-25-2012, 20:11
Where does the southern end of the North Mountain Trail come out at? I think it's somewhere near the Catawba Grocery. Google earth shows a pull off just West of the grocery but I can't see the trail head. I was going to park at Dragon's tooth and walk down 311 for a loop with the AT. Can anyone help? Also, is there anywhere to camp along the North Mountain trail?

Uncle Cranky
08-25-2012, 21:35
Hey,

I did that hike with my oldest boy in early June.
You got it right.
There is a pull off on VA 311 at the trail head but you want to park at Dragons Tooth.
Take a right out of the parking lot and walk less than 10th mile and cross the road.
Be prepared with plenty of water because the North Mtn Trail has no water sources on it.
The old guide book says there is a spring at about 7 miles on a side trail to the left about 400 yds off the ridge.
We missed it because there is no sign indicating where it is located.
An interesting side note.
The NMT was the Old AT route between 1978 and 1984 because of land issues on Catawba Mnt where the current route is.

NC Blaster
08-26-2012, 10:26
Thanks for the info.

NC Blaster
09-14-2012, 15:01
I did the North mountain and AT loop last weekend. The connector trail from the Andy Layne trail to the North mountain trail is called The Catawba Valley trail. The map I have does not indicate a connector trail. UC was correct, North MT comes out about 500 feet from Dragon's tooth parking lot. Very convenient.

Hikerhead
09-14-2012, 20:07
Hey,

I did that hike with my oldest boy in early June.
You got it right.
There is a pull off on VA 311 at the trail head but you want to park at Dragons Tooth.
Take a right out of the parking lot and walk less than 10th mile and cross the road.
Be prepared with plenty of water because the North Mtn Trail has no water sources on it.
The old guide book says there is a spring at about 7 miles on a side trail to the left about 400 yds off the ridge.
We missed it because there is no sign indicating where it is located.
An interesting side note.
The NMT was the Old AT route between 1978 and 1984 because of land issues on Catawba Mnt where the current route is.

I've been down this spur trail to try to find water, no luck. Long way down and felt longer going back up. Walked down the old dirt road beside the creek a good ways and still no water. It probably only holds water for a day or two after a good rain. BTW, heading NOBO this trail goes off the right hand side of the ridge, towards McAfee's/Catawba Mtn ridge line. There was no sign the last time I went across there, 5 months ago. There's not a visible trail going off the ridge, it was hardly used. My guess it's more like 5 miles in, about half way across the ridge, at the bottom of one the biggest downhills.

Uncle Cranky
09-21-2012, 13:22
Ok, just went back and checked my trail notes from that trip.
My NMT hike was a SOBO accessing the northern terminus via the Catawba Valley Trail from the Andy Layne parking lot on VA 779.
The CVT is shown on the ATC Map #4, Gleenwood & New Castle Ranger District map but not on the National Geographic #788 Covington, Alleghany Highlands map.
I can 't remember the blaze color for the CTV but I think it's yellow as is the NMT.
I also have no memory of a sign being at the junction of the CVT & NMT on the ridge of North Mountain.
If there is no sign at this junction this could cause a problem for a NOBO hiker finding the CVT.
My notes indicate that the CVT would be on the right about 2.8 miles north of the Turkey Trail which does have a sign.
These problem are easily resolved doing a SOBO hike from the Andy Layne parking lot on VA 779.

As to the water issue my trail notes state:

At 1.6 miles from the junction of the CVT & NMT on the ridge of North Mountain there is an unreliable spring 250 yrds down a side trail to the left.
The maps show a creek very close to the ridge just to the south which is most likely this water source.
The side trail to the water source would be about 1.2 miles BEFORE reaching the Turkey Trail but there is no sign making it easy to miss.
The maps show a creek about 1.0 mile down the Turkey Trail from the ridge which must be the one Hikerhead is talking about.
Again, these issues are easily resolved by bring plenty of water before hitting the ridge.

Hikerhead
09-21-2012, 15:13
Good news. The forest service has replaced all of the signs that were there, or suppose to be there, at all intersections. These are the nice brown plastic lamenated signs that should last forever unless someone steals them. But still no sign for the spur trail to the water source. I was confused if you were sobo or nobo Uncle Cranky. That intermittant creek/spring is on the Catawba Valley side of the mtn and probably best not to show it since I'm sure it's dry 90% of the time. The three other trails go off the opposite (northern) side of the ridge and end up at the same forest service road, I think it's called the Wilderness Road. And you're right, there shouldn't be any problem carrying enough water to get you from one end to the other.

NC Blaster
09-21-2012, 17:01
The CVT is blazed with blue "diamonds". They looked new.