A Hike on the Blue Ridge Parkway
If you travel north on the Blue Ridge Parkway and cross the Linn Cove Viaduct, you will encounter an overlook just past the 303 milepost without a sign...and a parking lot full of cars....you will have found the trail head to Rough Ridge.
This popular trail offers the best view to effort ratio of any trail we have ever hiked. It is a short trail, only 1.5 miles out and back, but offers spectacular views, great rock scrambling and a pretty fair workout too.
Not far from the parking lot is a nice bridge over a mountain creek and waterfall....the trail is rocky and well worn but rather narrow. This trail soon intersects with the Tanawha Trail...take a left toward Linn Cove and you will soon find the boardwalk of Rough Ridge.
The Rough Ridge Trail has three distinct overlook areas. The first is the Boardwalk which is about a quarter of a mile from the parking lot. The Forest Service has constructed a nice wooden boardwalk over protected vegetation complete with nice benches leaving access to a large rock cliff for the first of many panoramic views of the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains.
You get the first views of the Linn Cove Viaduct and Calloway Peak of Grandfather Mountain as well as the distant Table Rock Mountain.
From the Boardwalk you can also see the next two overlooks some 500 feet up a pretty steep and rocky trail.
You got to love those trails where you can see where you are going as well as where you have been.
The trail is narrow and rocky as well as steep. Because this trail is so sociable we had plenty of opportunity to catch our breath as we allowed folks coming down the trail room to pass. In another quarter mile we arrived at the next overlook a very popular rock cliff. Not wanting to wait for a spot, we scampered up some rocks above this cliff and got just as good a view without having to be sociable.
From this vantage point we had a 180 degree view of the world and a chance to catch the first rays of the spring as well as snapping some neat pics of the glory of the Blue Ridge that surrounded us.
The Linn Cove Viaduct is an engineering gift to the mountain. It skirts the mountain and provides vehicle traffic with a unique driving experience.
This peak is on our summer bucket list. We are hoping to hike the Daniel Boone Scout trail to the summit as soon as we get in a little better shape....you know how Fat Bald White Guys like to eat in the winter time!
The best view may well have been to the southeast toward Blowing Rock. Look closely and you can see our peeps on the Boardwalk taking pictures of the nice young couple posing on the rock cliff.
The trail to the summit of Rough Ridge did not seem quite as steep. The trail is surrounded by rhodies but spring blossoms are a least a month away. Though the temp was in the upper 40's we were very comfortable hiking without a coat. Very little wind and a warm sun made all the difference.
When we arrived at the summit rock, we found it to be occupied by four college kids. So what is a Fat Bald White Guy to do but become sociable....turns out that among the four, one was a fellow Wolfpacker! Katie, Alex, Tyler and Matt are from Cary and have been friends for some time. Great folks who got a laugh when I handed them my Hiking with a Fat Bald White Guy card and asked if I could make them famous by putting their pic in my blog.
Yep that mountain top is calling and the FBWG has got to climb that peak. As good as the view is from the summit of Rough Ridge, I can only imagine the magnificent view that awaits us....but that will have to wait another day. Leaving the summit we spied some other rock cliffs we wanted to explore, so we followed the Tanawha Trail off the summit. We got to do some nice rock scrambling for the effort. At the first of the cliffs, caught our fellow Wolfpacker, Katie, giving us a "thumbs up".
We were drawn to a split rock formation. Hearing the voices of young people above us, we figured that if they could climb to the top so could the Fat Bald White Guy and his Hiking Companion.
Getting to the top proved pretty easy...mainly because some teenage girls showed us the trail but even the Fat Bald White Guy needs help every now and then. When we got to the top we found ourselves alone for the first time and we stretched out and caught some rays! We also got some nice pics too.
Climbing down from the top of the rock formation I was intrigued about climbing to the top of the other rock. But Fat Bald White guys are not as limber as most folks and I thought better of trying to make such a climb...then a young man showed up....a wirey fellow. Saying that it was an easy rock to climb, he promptly made like Spiderman and was soon standing in a place a Fat Bald White Guy would never stand.
Rock scrambling is almost as much fun as playing in creeks. If you make it up to Rough Ridge summit, make sure you visit the split rock. You can visit the top of the rock on the right without Spidey skills by following the trail behind the rock formation.
The trail out was nice if for no other reason we got to revisit all the views we enjoyed climbing to the summit. As we got back to the parking lot, I was pleased to see a Boy Scout working on a rock cairn. Being called away from his work before he could finish by his family, I took up the task and as is my custom thanked God for the beauty of his creation with each rock placed on the cairn. Rock Ridge is one beautiful hike.
Reviewing the trail is easy....this is a popular trail for good reason. It is reasonably vigorous but very short in length. So the view to effort ratio is very good. The access near MP 303 is a 9....would be 10 but you may not get a parking place....the trail is an 8 as it is well maintained but very sociable.... scenery is a 9...can't wait to return in the fall! Overall this is a solid 9 trail. It is one that you can make much longer by taking the Tanawha Trail from the Linn Cove access (4.0 mile) or Boulder Field (3.5). Just be prepared to be sociable!
My best to my new found Wolfpacker friend...she told us she was a biology major but had decided that she would pursue a career in public service....and when I saw this quote I thought of her passion.....best to you Katie
" I began learning long ago that those who are happiest are those who do the most for others". - Booker T. Washington
FBWG
CROWDERS MOUNTAIN
Just south of Charlotte on I-85 looms two mountain peaks located in Crowders Mountain State Park. The Fat Bald White Guy and his hiking companion visited Kings Pinnacle last year.( http://fbwg-hiking.blogspot.com/2013/04/kings-pinnacle-at-mountain-state-park.html) We decided to hike Crowders Mountain on a 75 degree day on the first Saturday of Spring.
You may access both peaks from trails from the visitor's center. The trek to Kings Pinnacle is a moderately steep trail of 2 miles. The trek to Crowders Mountain is considerably longer. When we visited the park the first time we only hiked Kings Pinnacle saving Crowders Mountain for another day. Combining the hike with a trip to Kings Mountain National Military Park resulted in about 5 miles of hiking and a great day. (http://fbwg-hiking.blogspot.com/2014/03/kings-mountain-national-miltary-park.html)
To access Crowders Mountain it is best to use the Linwood Road access. Getting there is easy. Exit I-85 at the Crowders Mountain State Park exit. But follow the signs only to the first stoplight. Signs point to the right. Go straight and you will be on Archie Whiteside road and when it dead ends take a left and you will see the parking lot.
Be ready when you visit Crowders Mountain State Park to enjoy "sociable" hiking. The park is very popular and the trails are often very crowded. Today was no exception as we parked in one of the last spots left in the parking lot!
Crowders Mountain was once part of a large mountain range. It is an example of a geological feature known as a monadnock and though only 1634 feet in elevation, the peak is 800 feet above the surrounding countryside. You see this geological formation in several locations in North Carolina. Nearby Morrow Mountain in Stanly county and the Three Peaks of the Suara Mountain range in Stokes County (Pilot Mtn, Sauratown Mtn, Moore's Knob). I have profiled each of these peaks in earlier blog posts. These left over mountains are remnants of a mountain range thought to be more impressive than even the Rockies, seem to rise from the Piedmont foothills. While not reaching impressive elevations, all boast some spectacular cliffs. Crowders Mountain is no exception.
At the Linwood Road access, there are two trails to the summit. One is the Tower Trail which is a 1.8 mile trail along the gravel utility road to the southern part of the Crowders Mountain summit where transmission towers are located. The other is the Backside Trail which is a mile long trail to the northern part of the summit of Crowders Mountain. The Backside Trail is considerably more "sociable". Accordingly we took the Tower Trail.
The trail is a long and winding gravel utility road which allows occasional views of the rocky Cliffside which is used by many rock climbers. At the 1.25 mile mark there is a rock bench on the side of the road. Take my advice and stop and rest here. The next 3/4 mile is a 450 foot ascent.
The road begins a number of switch backs from which you can get glimpses of the surrounding Gaston County countryside. As we arrived at the summit we had a nice view of the Kings Pinnacle summit in the distance.
We have seen almost monthly of reports of folks falling off Crowders Mountain and wondered what made this mountain so susceptible to such accidents. We soon got a look at some potential victims for this month's accident report.
The Tower Trail ends at the transmission towers. You can pick up the red blazed Backside Trail at the rear of the towers. It is a narrow rocky trail but there is a really nice cliff to the left that provides a picturesque view of the Crowders Mountain Knob.
While we were resting on the cliff and enjoying the view of the Crowders Mountain Knob, we were entertained by an aerial dance of some hawks which my hiking companion chronicled.
Leaving the tower area we hiked a short distance to a number of rock cliffs which were very sociably occupied by all sorts of people, families and youth groups. We got to talk to three lovely young ladies from Beijing. One was a graduate at UNCG who was working on a project studying brain nutrients. I was surprised with the 156 views the Fat Bald White Guy has gotten from China that they did not know me?!....they were kind enough to allow me to photograph them....hopefully their friends in China will know that they got to hike with the Fat Bald White Guy.
The views were nice from the many different cliffs. The real problem was that there were far too many people vying for a spot on an open cliff that it ruined the back to nature feel of the mountain. I chose not to venture out to the northern cliffs but I captured a great pic of a couple on an isolated cliff.
The way back to the parking lot is via Backside Trail which means going down steps and if you read this blog you know the FBWG hates steps on the trail....I only am thankful that we took the Tower Trail up so that I only had to go down the steps as I am sure would have vapor locked on this climb. From the base of the steps there is a nice view of the rock wall of the Crowders Mountain Knob, no doubt a favorite for climbers.
The trail down was a wide well maintained trail. The Backside Trail is quite steep and would not be a crowd favorite on a hot summer day.
Crowders Mountain is a great day hike and wonderful place for a picnic. It is a rugged mountain and one which I plan to return to explore on a clearer, cooler day. The northern summit and the many cliffs are perfect locations for many nice pictures of the surrounding countryside including the skyline of the city of Charlotte. Access is an 8; the trails are an 8 was they are well maintained but also well used; scenery is a 7 for now but I am sure will be a 9 if I ever get out on the northern cliffs. Overall an grade 8 hike... a nice 3 mile loop to combine with our 1.5 mile hike at Kings Mountain National Battlefield Park .
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