Vistas
Flint Rock – Holston Mountain Lookout Tower
Holston Mountain is one of our most recognized mountain ridgelines in the east TN/southwest VA area as it spans approximately 28 miles from Elizabethton, Tennessee to Damascus, Virginia. It’s the prominent mountain visible while looking south on most of the I-81 corridor from the Tri-Cities to Abingdon. The highpoint of the mountain is Holston High … Continue reading
Laurel Fork Trail
The Laurel Fork Trail is located just upstream from the very popular trek on the Appalachian Trail to Laurel Falls. Designated as Cherokee National Forest Trail #39 this hike, however, is much more secluded, adventurous, and extremely remote. It requires numerous and often difficult stream fords, deep and muddy areas dammed up by beavers, some … Continue reading
Grayson Highlands Backpacking: A.T./Pine Mountain Loop
This is a loop hike in the Grayson Highlands that I tend to do about once per year, so I’ve posted it a couple times before, but not with all the snowy conditions that I experienced this time. My daughter Taylor and her boyfriend Cameron joined me over their spring break around the end of March. And … Continue reading
Iron Mtn Backpacking: TN91 to Wilbur Dam Road
I finished up a small section of Appalachian Trail that I had not completed before, covering the Iron Mountain ridgeline from TN91 to Wilburn Dam Road. This was a southbound 16 mile hike, spending one night. About 3 miles into the hike my first stop was the Nick Grindstaff Monument. This is very eerie place with … Continue reading
Rocky Fork Backpacking
Located along the TN/NC border in Unicoi County, TN is the newly purchased U.S. Forest Service property known as Rocky Fork. This 10,000 acre tract is very rugged, with unmarked trails and very limited trail maps. My good friend Jimmy Humston and I decided to do some exploring along the northern-most sections of the tract … Continue reading
White Rocks and Sand Cave (Cumberland Gap)
Near the Cumberland Gap, and located on the long Cumberland Mountain ridgeline, are two awesome formations known as White Rocks and Sand Cave. Both of these can be visited in the same day with a strenuous, ~9 mile hike within the Cumberland Gap National Historic Park from the trailhead in the Thomas Walker Civic Park. … Continue reading
Watauga Dam
Watauga Dam was completed in 1949 by the Tennessee Valley Authority, creating a very beautiful lake at 2000′ elevation. At the time of its construction, it was the highest elevation earthen dam in the world, and today it still remains as the highest in the eastern United States. What makes this area so picturesque is … Continue reading
Whitetop Mountain & Buzzard Rock
Whitetop Mountain is the State of Virginia’s second highest peak at 5525′, along with having the highest maintained road in the state. You can make this a very short and easy day-hike by taking this road all the way to the top of the mountain, but I decided to climb it on foot instead… starting … Continue reading
Grassy Ridge
Grassy Ridge is a prominent peak in the Roan Highlands sitting at 6180 feet in elevation. This expansive Southern Appalachian Bald offers 360 degree, unobstructed views, which are undoubtedly some of the best in the eastern U.S. This is also the highpoint of Avery County, NC. I left the house very early in the morning … Continue reading
Grayson Highlands State Park – Rhododendron Trail
First, I want to apologize for the lack of posts lately. I went on a 4-day backpacking trip about a month ago and injured my knee, so I haven’t been out much since that trip. I hope it is healing up so I can get back out on some longer hikes very soon. I’ve made … Continue reading