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View Full Version : Middle Prong Trail Conditions



ncwild
11-06-2013, 14:37
Just got back from a trip into the Middle Prong Wilderness Area. Started at Hwy. 215 near the Blue Ridge Parkway and camped the first night at Green Knob on the Green Mtn. Trail. From Green Knob at 5,875 ft. on the Green Mountain Trail, heading North down to Hwy. 215 at 3,140 feet, the trail deteriorated to the point where it was hard to locate at times. There were numerous blow downs blocking the trail, and the leaves covering the roots and rocks made the steep descent, along without any switchbacks, treacherous to say the least. After reaching Hwy. 215, and the West Fork of the Pigeon River, we proceeded up the Forest Service Rd. #97 apx. 2 miles to reach the Haywood Gap Trail, to head back up into the Middle Prong towards Mt. Hardy. We got apx. 200 yards down this trail, and the trail was gone. Don't know if it had been flood washed or landslided out, but I took the pack off and searched for the trail. After not locating it, we aborted our trip. I realize that wilderness trails are unmarked and that trail maintenance can be non existent, but we had done this same route several years ago with these trails much more visible and easier to navigate. Just curious if anyone has hiked these trails recently and encountered these same difficulties(?). I contacted the Pisgah Forest Service Station, and they knew nothing about the trail conditions on these two trails. Thanks for any information.

brian2o0o
11-06-2013, 21:52
I did some of that area the last week of September. I started at Black Balsam parking area and took the Flat Laurel Creek trail to the Little Sam trail. I hit the MTS trail and crossed over 215, then took the Green Mtn Trail north in search of Green Knob. According to my GPS and looking at my map, I had arrived at Green Knob, but I couldn't find the nice clear bald area that I had seen in all of the pictures from my research before the trip. I followed the trail past what I thought was green knob until the trail started to become hard to follow. I didn't get on the trail until about 1:30pm, so it was getting dark. The rain was also starting to set in for the night, so I turned around and headed back towards 215. I ended up getting turned around in the dark where the Green Mtn trail intersected with the MTS trail. I ended up just following the GPS on back track and bushwacked downhill for a 100yds to find the MST in the direction I wanted to go. It ended up pouring all night, and the next day, so I backtracked back to the car at Black Balsam. My intentions were to take the Green Mountain Trail north to 215, and then cross the river and take the Fork Mtn trail back into Shining Rock. Anyways, I had a good time despite the weather and my mishaps. I would like to go back sometime and actually find the clearing on Green Knob.

moshi
05-19-2014, 17:26
Anyone have any current information on Fork Mountain, Green Mountain, Buckeye Gap, and Haywood Gap trails.

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