Joyce Kilmer Forest hike
Has anyone hiked out at Joyce Kilmer? I was thinking about making a trip out there in a couple of weeks. Where can I get a map? Certain trails you recommend?
This is the map I have: http://www.nationalforestmapstore.co...uct-p/nc-5.htm
Yeah.....I was down there a bunch last year....
what are ya looking to do?
one loop I do suggest is going up haoe lead trail to hangover...spend night, come down deep creek....
basically all the trails to up to the ridge or so....
theres a ton of great hiking in that general area though (snowbird or sycamore creek trails are nice as well)...
Watch out for the bears in the area.
Did a lot of hiking in NC back in the early 1970's. Do not remember if I went into this area, do recall one place we called Raven Rock. Saw some huge Black Snakes... scared the heck outta me, they would take off and it seemed like a good 3 maybe 4 feet of the body would be up in the air. Like they powered themselves with the bottom half and kept the top half extended skyward. They were extremely fast., and the biggest snakes I've ever seen in the USA.
In this neck of the woods the copperheads and rattlers are the ones to watch for, have seen many but never a problem. About stepped on a big daddy copperhead laying cross the trail once, i was hiking fast but caught sight at the last second before planting my foot. I backed up slightly drank some water, had a snack, and enjoyed the company. After a bit we both mosied along...
Recommend the trail along Slickrock Creek. Can be reached in 3 hours from Farr Gap. I spent several days in there not long ago. It is beautiful. It takes about an hour to travel one mile so do not plan on making a lot of miles. Take your time and enjoy it. It is wild country full of bears, snakes, and wild boar. You will most likely be the only person for miles the entire time except for a few hunters here and there. The temps up there are in the low 30's at night. Be prepared for very cold and wet weather. Have a great trip. Another suggestion that is very close to the Joyce Kilmer/Slickrock is the Citico Creek Wilderness. It is also stunningly gorgeous.
Hangover Lead has a sweet view.
How many monkey butlers will there be?
One at first. But he'll train others.
Leave it to KY
Originally Posted by July
Go f ur self buffet cionnectr
huh?????
How many monkey butlers will there be?
One at first. But he'll train others.
Ken tuck? Where???huh?????
Jk
If you are specifically interested in Joyce Kilmer be aware the Slick Rock recommendation technically takes you out of JK (but is an awesome hike nonetheless).
I recommend allowing time to explore the “tourist” loops of the virgin forest if you’ve never seen them before. That loop is only an extra mile or two and well worth the time to see; the giant tulip poplars are fantastic.
My favorite trail is the Naked Ground trail out of Joyce Kilmer; what I find very cool is that trail is one of the few historic foot trails remaining in the southeast: whereas most trails we use today were either constructed or improved by the CCC or were original cut as railroad grades or logging access roads, the Naked Ground trail was used by the Native Americas in the area well before (who knows how long?) white European settlers discovered the area, let alone any park service or government intervention. And likewise the giant trees are there as the area was preserved from logging. I like to hike that trail and imagine what all of our woods would look like were they not second growth (as 99% of the Appalachians actually are). It’s kind of a walk through time in a way.
You could hike up the NG trail (I think it’s trail #55) and then come east across four mile ridge all the way to the hangover and then take one of the trails TN hiker suggested (Haoe Lead or Deep Creek) back down to your car at the Joyce Kilmer parking lot.
patman suggests a good loop but i would change it up just a touch, in order to avoid a road walk.....
take naked ground up to naked ground and the hangover....
then i would come down haoe lead trail and go to jenkins meadow trail and down that to parking area..........
if ya take haoe lead or deep creek trails down (both are fine trails though), to the trailhead---you'd have to do (and im just guessing) maybe a 2 mile downhill road walk to the entrance of joyce kilmer.....
Thank you for the recommendations.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote