Prescribed Burn in TN on Cherokee NF between Jerry Cabin and Fox Cabin Gap

[Lauriep]

ATC’s southern regional office just got a call from the Cherokee National Forest this morning. They are doing a prescribed burn today from Fox Cabin Gap to Jerry's Cabin Shelter starting today (and today only) at 11:00 am. They will be shuttling hikers from Camp Creek Bald around to Horse Creek or Nolichucky Hostel in Erwin.

Laurie Potteiger
Appalachian Trail Conservancy

[FarmerChef]

Thanks for the update, Laurie and the ATC.

[The Cleaner]

FWIW the area known as Fox Cabin(no cabin) starts at the northern end of the Big Firescald ridge walk.From there it's 1 mile to Round Knob ORV trail(it ends at the AT,but some ORVers don't know that).Then it's one more mile to Jerry's Cabin shelter.You could reach JCS by turning right on Jerry Miller trail,following it down to FS Rd. 111 then hang a left on the road and hike about 1/4 mile and you will see trailhead parking for the Fork Ridge trail on the left.About 2 miles up to the AT 200 yards south of JCS...

[10-K]

FWIW the area known as Fox Cabin(no cabin) starts at the northern end of the Big Firescald ridge walk.From there it's 1 mile to Round Knob ORV trail(it ends at the AT,but some ORVers don't know that).Then it's one more mile to Jerry's Cabin shelter.You could reach JCS by turning right on Jerry Miller trail,following it down to FS Rd. 111 then hang a left on the road and hike about 1/4 mile and you will see trailhead parking for the Fork Ridge trail on the left.About 2 miles up to the AT 200 yards south of JCS...

That's a good suggestion but you'd need a map to figure it out. I guess the forest service figures it's easier to give rides than try to explain it.

[Tennessee Viking]

Why is it always around the peak of the crowd, the forest service always wants to do a burn along the trail. I was walking with them over Big Bald one year and No Business was burning for a week straight. USFS lost control one day and started detouring hikers down to the old road below the shelter.

Directing hikers to go down Jerry Miller to the trailhead and getting shuttled to either the FSR road below Flint Mtn shelter or to Devils Fork Gap would be easier. Horse Creek road and trails are an awfully long way to reclimb the mountain.

[Tipi Walter]

I came out of a wilderness area a couple years ago (the Grassy Branch trail from the South Fork Citico) and got "caught" in a prescribed burn and thought I'd never pull the thousand foot climb out the valley as the smoke was terrible and my chest hurt. So, I wrapped a wet paper towel over my mouth and nose and got out on the last day of the trip to my car. Funny thing is, the burn came to within a hundred feet of the car.

[The Cleaner]

Why is it always around the peak of the crowd, the forest service always wants to do a burn along the trail. I was walking with them over Big Bald one year and No Business was burning for a week straight. USFS lost control one day and started detouring hikers down to the old road below the shelter.

Directing hikers to go down Jerry Miller to the trailhead and getting shuttled to either the FSR road below Flint Mtn shelter or to Devils Fork Gap would be easier. Horse Creek road and trails are an awfully long way to reclimb the mountain. From Horsecreek campground trailhead it's only 4 miles(+2000ft elev gain) up to the AT.Just before the AT is a great overlook with views to the north&west.You can see peaks in KY&VA if you know their compass heading...

[The Cleaner]

And as for their burning policy,last year they did a burn north of today's burn.In traveling past&thru the area several times after, there was no difference on either side of the trail.You could see no visible difference in the burned area or the unburned area.I know that it's supposed to reduce built up material and lessen the severity of a forest fire but seems like a waste of money in this certain area.Everyone knows that the government would not waste money.....:o

[Blissful]

Hopefully it burns away this stomach virus thing....