The Batram Trail is a 110 mile long designated national scenic trail, beginning in NE Georgia and terminating at the summit of Cheoah Bald in North Carolina. The trail roughly follows the path of 18th century naturalist and explorer,
. It is somewhat unusual in that it follows a circuitous course as it moves from south to north, suddenly changing direction at times. It appealed to me for a number of reasons: it was voted by hikers as the number one long distance trail in the country for solitude; it traverses scenic areas, river corridors, waterfalls, along with several nice peaks.
There is a twelve mile road walk in Franklin, which I had heard was best to skip unless you are a purist, which I am not. I thought this was probably another good reason to do this trail in sections.
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| Signboard in the Nantahala Parking Lot |
Section Hike- Nantahala River Parking Area to Cheoah Bald - 12.2 MilesIn order to get an impression of the trail, and check equipment, I decided to do a small overnight section from the Nantahala River to the terminus on Cheoah Bald. I stayed up late the night prior sorting and packing equipment. I wanted to pack as though I were thru-hiking the trail, rather than just out for two days. I am anxious to test my new, freestanding tent - a
Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 1
Day 1 - Thusday, June 4, 2020 - Nantahala River to Campsite below Cheoah Summit - 4.2 Miles
It was about an hour drive from where I live to the Nantahala Gorge where I would begin my hike. I drove past the NOC to Wayah Road and parked in the large circular parking lot. It is a big lot, but I DO NOT recommend parking here, at least for an extended hike. I had no problems on this little section, but my car was broken into on the final section. :-( I learned that there is a better and more secure courtesy lot for hikers behind the Duke power substation just up the road.
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| Wrong Trail Along the Nantahala |
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Bartram Trail Sigb
(A Better Parking Lot this Way) |
There is a big Bartram Trail sign in the parking lot. I initially went the wrong way, but backtracked and walked down the road toward the NOC kayak put-in. The trail south heads to the right behind the Duke station. To go north, I continued on Wayah Road across a small bridge to a bike path along the Nantahala River. I hiked on the paved and wide bike path along the river, finally crossing a bridge to the Winding Stair parking lot along Hwy. 19
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| Trail on Bridge on Bike Path |
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| Going Along the River |
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| Winding Stair Sign |
After crossing Hwy. 19, the trail crosses a set of railroad tracks before heading uphill into the woods. It zig-zags for a while, with a slightly confusing spot along a creek with campsites. The blazes are mostly yellow metal rectangles nailed to trees, and are generally consistent, but not as frequent as the AT. I headed up the mountain, intending to camp on the summit, but willing to stop earlier since I was starting late.
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| Sign On the Other Side of the Tracks |
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| Creek Crossing |
It was a steep climb, with a few big blow downs. The trail is generally in good shape, but not quite as well traveled as other trails I have been on. I finally reached a level section along a creek at the higher elevation, and began to see small campsites. My guide indicated several campsites along the way, so I hoped to find a suitable one short of Cheoah, and do the final climb in the morning. I crossed a small bridge over a stream and found a site just past it on the left around 5 p.m.. It was convenient to the water source, so I decided to make camp.
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| Climbing |
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| Passing Bartram Falls On the Way Up |
I pitched my tent just as it began to rain, and and made supper in the rain, which was no fun. There were swarms of tiny black gnats in the the area, and they love me, so I climbed into my tent as soon as I could to read my book prior to falling off to sleep. It rained most of the night, but I stayed somewhat warm, dry, and cozy.
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| Initial Rainy Campsite With My New Tent |
Day 2- Friday, June 5, 2020 - Campsite to Cheoah Summit and back to Nantahala River - 8 Miles
I woke up early, but as it was still raining and I only had a short hike up Cheoah, I took my time getting up. I finally pulled myself out of the tent and started breaking camp as the rain gradually diminished. Another hiker came by as I was preparing to leave. He was a very fast, ultra-light thru-hiker, who had been on the trail for four or five days. He had just camped a little south of me. I was anxious to query him about the trail and his experience with it.
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| A Little Brightness On a Gloomy Day |
I broke camp and headed up the the trail. It was a gloomy day, but thankfully no rain, and some nice colored flowering trees along the way. I reached the intersection with another trail/old logging road and continued on. It gradually got steeper, and I was elated to reach the intersection with the Appalachian Trail. It felt as though I were greeting an old friend. I turned right on the AT to the summit of Cheoah Bald, and the terminus of the Bartram Trail.
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| Heading Up the Trail |
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| Glad to See an 'Old Friend'! |
There were several hikers resting at this point, and I sat down to rest and visit a bit. It was still overcast, so the views were limited. I visited with the BT thru-hiker I had seen earlier, and headed back the way I had come.
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| Grateful for the Sun on the Return Trip |
The weather cleared as I hiked downhill, with a few good views of the Nantahala River valley and the ridge line beyond. I encountered the thru-hiker as I passed through the Winding Stair parking lot. His wife was coming to pick him up, but was two hours away. I asked him if he needed a ride somewhere more convenient, and he asked if I would shuttle him to the NOC, which I was happy to do since it was on my way home. I returned to my car and picked him up on the way back. It was nice to visit and pick his brain a little more about the Bartram Trail. This was a nice, but intense two day section hike.
Section Hike - Russells Bridge, GA to Franklin, NC - 57 milesI would begin my section hike at the Bartram Trail southern terminus at Russells Bridge on Hwy 28 in Georgia. Ginny would drop me off at the beginning, and I would park my car in Franklin, NC, where I hoped to end up. Having a car at the end meant that I could take my time. There is a 12 mile road walk in Franklin, and I had absolutely no interest in walking that far on roads, so I parked my car at the entrance to the
Tessentee Bottomland Preserve. It is a couple miles from where trail comes out, but my guidebook indicated no parking at the trailhead. I found this to be incorrect the last day, as there IS a new parking lot at that point on Hickory Knoll Rd.
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| Original Marker at Russells Bridge |
We left on Thursday to drive to Highlands, NC, where we spent the night, and visited with some friends who live there. I wanted to get an early start for the hike on Friday.
Day 1- Friday, June 12, 2020 - Russells Bridge to Campsite on Skirt of Rainy Mt - 14.9 miles
We got up, ate breakfast, and drove down Hwy 28 to Russells Bridge. We drove past it at first and had to backtrack as it is not well marked. It was a nice day with good weather. I bid farewell to Ginny, who snapped my pic, and headed down the trail. I found the trail to be generally in good shape, not as many blazes as the AT, but easy to follow.
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| First Bridge Crossing |
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| Chattooga River |
For much of day I followed the course of the Chattooga River. It is a very scenic and somewhat wild river. I had read that this is where the movie, 'Deliverance', had been filmed. My ears were peeled for the sound of banjos, but was relieved to hear nothing but the sound of water and wind. I took a small side trail to Dick's Creek Falls. I saw no one else, but a few campers near Warwoman Creek. It was interesting to note the distinctive original Bartram Trail stone markers at some intersections.
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| Old Machinery |
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| Chattooga River |
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| Dick's Creek Falls |
The terrain was gently rolling, but began to climb after leaving the river corridor. I followed the ridgeline up, passing a mother/son duo who were on a section hike. I came to a small campsite to the left of the trail on the skirt of Rainy Mountain and made camp. There was a small creek crossing the trail a short distance from my campsite. This was a good first day on the Bartram Trail, and it felt good to be hiking it.
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| An Original Stone Trail Marker |
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| My First Campsite |
Day 2- Saturday, June 13, 2020 - Rainy Mt. to Campsite on Skirt of Raven Knob - 9 miles
It was another nice day to hike, and planned to go a bit shorter, since yesterday was longer. I broke camp and stopped for water around 8:30 a.m. The trail traversed in and out of many small coves and crossed side trails used by the Rainy Mountain Boy Scouts. I went up and over a ridgeline before descending to Warwoman Dell about 10:30.
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| A Nice Wide Trail |
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| Distinctive Blaze of the Boy Scout Trails |
I stopped for a short break to consult my map and guide in a pavilion. This was also the site of the planned Blue Ridge Railroad, the project which was aborted at the start of the Civil War. There is constructed tunnel for this line which was never used.
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| Bartram Trail Marker at Warwoman Dell |
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| The Blue Ridge Railroad |
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| Pavilion at Warmwoman Dell |
Proceeding on, I crossed Warwoman Road and into the woods. I began encountering many day hikers as I headed up the trail to a really nice waterfall. I snapped a few pics and towards Pinnacle Knob. On the way I passed through some large, well-used campsites. This was obviously a very popular area. It was steady and often steep climb until I reached a side trail leading to the summit Pinnacle Knob. All the day hikers were heading here and, though I am sure it is wonderful, I decided to skip it. I wanted to get into camp early.
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| Information Sign On Warmwoman Road |
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| Nice Waterfall |
I paused briefly for lunch and water. I was looking for a campsite indicated in my guide as being near an intermittent stream. I along a ridge and through coves and arrived at spot that seemed to match the description. I found a the remains of a disused campsite on an old logging road just uphill from the stream. It matched the description in my guide, so I decided to make camp a little after 2 p.m. I know this is early, but I often like to chill out with my book in the tent and sometimes take a little nap before supper. I am grateful for another nice day of hiking.
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| Convenient Sign |
Day 3 - Sunday, June 14, 2020 - Raven Knob to Campsite S. of Hales Bridge Rd. - 13 miles
I intended a longer day today, and it turned out well. I got up and ate a breakfast of oatmeal and coffee. My stomach was feeling slightly queasy. I broke camp and started hiking around 8:15. The trail conditions were good, with many switchbacks on the climb up Flat Top Mountain. I took a break around 10:15, and tried eating some jerky, but my stomach was saying, 'no'!
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| Trail Marker with Blaze |
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| I Can Never Resist |
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| View From Flat Top Mountain |
I stopped for lunch by a spring on the approach to Rabun Bald, and arrived at the top of this 2nd highest peak on the Bartram Trail after 1 p.m. There were fantastic views from the observation tower on the summit. There was a small group of guys with electrical equipment set up. I couldn't really figure out what they were doing. One of them did mention that a storm was on the way, so I did not tarry too long. I tried to place a call to Ginny, but surprising the service was bad.
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| Approaching Rabun Bald |
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| Great View From Rabun Bald |
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| From the Observation Tower |
I headed down the long slope, passing many day hikers ascending the mountain. I crossed bridges and passed small waterfalls. Again, my guidebook indicated the location of a forgotten campsite near Hales Bridge Road. I found it, and set up camp just as the rain arrived. I remained in my tent during the thunder storm that followed.
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Passing Bridges and Waterfalls
(Above and Below) |
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| My Secluded Campsite |
Day 4 - Monday, June 15, 2020 - S. of Hales Ridge Rd. to Whiterock Gap - 12.3 miles
Today was an eventful day of hiking, and I don't say that lightly. I slept until close to 7 a.m. I have found from experience that it generally takes me about two hours from getting up to breaking camp. I tend to develop certain routines that evolve over time, but with new equipment, the routines also change. I am getting used to my new tent, and am learning more efficient ways of pitch and take down.
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| Signboard and Map at Hale Ridge |
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| Climbing Into North Carolina |
I was camping only .2 mile from Hale Ridge Road, which also marks the state line from Georgia to North Carolina. I trail was fine, although the terrain seemed a bit more rugged. I reached the Osage Overlook on Hwy 106, crossed and began to ascend Scaley Mountain. The ascent was gradual but somewhat rocky. I heard wind chimes coming from a house to the left of the trail.
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| From Osage Mountain Overlook at Hwy 106 |
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| Climbing Scaley Mountain |
A large dog suddenly ran past me and up the trail. I assumed that the own was coming along behind me, but there was no one. I then thought the dog must belong to someone local. I kept climbing, trying to ignore him, but the dog remained in close proximity. I stopped for lunch at a connecting trail intersection, and dog sat down to watch me eat. There was writing on his collar, and since he seemed friendly, I decided to check it. It said his name was, 'Pig', and he hiked the trail alone, and that if he should follow you to the Osage overlook, to call a listed phone number and his mom would come and pick him up.
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| 'Pig', the Hiking Dog |
Since the Osage Overlook was the opposite direction, I was hoping he would return. I made the mistake of offering him a piece of jerky, which he gladly devoured in two bites. I continued to the open summit of Scaley Mountain, which was very scenic and brimming with blueberry bushes. Pig followed me all the way. I took some pics and visited with two day hikers on the summit. I hoped that Pig might remain with one of them, but he stayed with me as I continued my hike.
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| Final Ascent |
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| On the Summit of Scaley Mountain |
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| Pig of the Mountains |
It began to rain, and Pig followed me for the next five or six miles until I reached Jones Gap. My goal was about two miles further, and I was worried he might .follow me into camp. I was getting short on food, and there was no way I could care for him. My cell phone service in the area was also iffy, so I couldn't call the number on his collar. Fortunately, I encountered a very helpful day hiking couple with dogs of their own, who called the number and offered to take Pig back to his owner. :-) They needed to take their dogs home first, and gave me a leash to hold Pig I waited for them to return. I checked out the great views at Jones Gap as I waited.
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| View at Jones Gap |
After saying farewell to Pig, I pressed on to White Rock Gap, with great views of Whiterock mountain ahead. The rain had stopped, but the weather turned windy and unseasonably cold. I slept in my rain gear to stay warm. It has been an interesting day.
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| Clear View of Whiterock |
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| My Campsite in Whiterock Gap |
Day 5 - Tuesday, June 16, 2020 - Whiterock Gap to Franklin, NC - Hickory Knoll Rd. - 8.3 miles
This is my last day of this section hike, and felt no big rush to get to my car. I got up, ate breakfast and broke camp. It was a short hike to the intersection of the Whiterock Trail. I decided to take the brief side excursion to have a look. I passed a few nice flowered areas on my way to the rocky summit, and some campsites near the summit. I snapped a few pics and backtracked to the Bartram Trail.
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| Flowers on the Path |
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| Side Excursion to Whiterock Mt. |
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| View From Whiterock Overlook |
The trail heads down to a few gaps and up and over knobs, ridges, and ravines. There were occasional obscure places requiring care in sticking to the main path. At one point, seemingly out in the middle of nowhere, I passed by the remains of a North Carolina school bus. This seemed so strange, since it was at a fairly high elevation, and there were no roads in the area...hmm.
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| A Strange Place to Park a Bus! |
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| Over Hill and Dale, Peaks and Valleys |
I continued hiking along the ridge until turning west towards the gap at Hickory Knoll Road. There were occasional views of the valley to my right as I hiked. I decided, since I was not in a rush, to stop and cook up some ramen noodles for lunch. These always give me a little more energy later in the day.
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| Lunch Time! |
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| Glimpses of the Valley Below |
The trail finally descends steeply, and past private residences before reaching the road. It was here that I noticed a new trailhead parking area on the other side. This was not indicated in my guidebook, which must've predated it. My car was parked to at the entrance to the Tessentee Bottomland area, which was about two miles down the road to the left. I hoofed it down the road, grateful for the completion of another great trail adventure.
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| The Finish Line! |
Section hike - Wallace Branch, Franklin, NC to Nantahala River Parking - 35 miles
So here is the account of my final section hike of the Bartram Trail - a great trail for solitude, and so far I have had every campsite completely to myself. I have previously hiked the to northern terminus on Cheoah Bald, and then the southern stretch from Russells Bridge to Franklin. There is a 10-12 mile long road walk section in Franklin, which I really had little inclination to do. That being the case, I could begin my hike at Wallace Branch, where the trail reenters the woods.
Day 1- Wednesday, Sept. 23, 2020 - Wallace Branch to Wine Spring Campsite - 12.7 Miles
I got up early, having packed the previous day. Ginny was planning to drive separately and meet me at the NOC, where she would the follow me to the Nantahala Parking. This is where I would leave my car and end my hike. After dropping off my car, we drove to the trailhead at Wallace Branch in Franklin, where I would begin my trek.
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| Ready to Go at the Wallace Branch Trailhead |
I stopped to buy a water bottle for the holster on my pack, and the hit the trail around 10 a.m. The initial trail was obviously well-used, and I soon passed a nice waterfall on my right. It was a continuous climb for most of the day, stopping once at a nice view spot, 'William's Pulpit' before taking lunch in a gap.
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| A Well Used Trail... |
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| ...and a Scenic Little Waterfall |
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| View From William's Pulpit |
I encountered my first day hikers of the day as I made the long ascent up Wayah Bald. They had come from there, and passed me as they headed back up. My guidebook indicated the trail a fenced in area that included a mine shaft, and to avoid it - no problem! The terrain opened up a little as I made the approach, and I finally reached the intersection with the AT. I turned left as the BT paralleled the AT for a few miles. I recalled the brutal climb up Wayah Bald on my year 2 AT section hike. I stopped for water at a spring not far from the junction.
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| Color on the Trail |
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| View From the Ridge |
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| Making the Turn on the AT |
I continued to the summit and arrived at the observation tower. It had been recently rebuilt after having been damaged by fire. I took a few pics and visited with a day hiking couple. I didn't tarry long, since it was getting late in the day, and I wanted to locate a suitable campsite before it got too dark. The AT and Bartram Trail run together downhill for a considerable distance. I finally arrived at the Winespring Campsite around 6 p.m., and set up my tent. I rigged a bear bag and ate spaghetti for supper - delighted that this seemed to be a relatively bug free campsite - yay!!
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| 'New' Observation Tower on Wayah Bald |
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| Great View From the Top |
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| The Path Forward |
Day 2- Thursday, Sept. 24, 2020 - Wine Spring Campsite to Walnut Cove Campsite - 13.1 miles
It started raining and rained for most of the night. I stayed in the tent until past 7 a.m. in hopes that the rain would subside. There was a nice piped spring water source (The Wine Spring) where I tanked up with aqua for the day, and took off around 9:40 a.m. The Bartram Trail diverges from the AT, heading to the right, at this point.
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| A Misty Trail |
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| Bright Color in an Open Meadow |
I crossed some nice, fog covered, open meadows early in the day. The hiking was mostly on a level graded ridge line before descending steeply to Nantahala Lake. There is a road walk at this point, but not nearly as far as the one in Franklin. I headed north on the road along the lake for a mile or two. Some of the places in my guidebook had apparently changed, but I managed to locate the trail heading up a gravel road to the left. I stopped for lunch at a picnic table on the side of the road outside a closed business.
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| A Wide Open Trail |
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| Passing Sawmill Gap |
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| A Lot of Gravel Road Walking Today |
I headed up the gravel road past the Nantahala Dam, and along the Nantahala river. This continued for a long ways, past a nice piped spring to Junaluska Road. There was large pipe crossing the road. I had hoped to camp near the Appletree Group Camp, but this was not possible. I kept moving, and began looking for a suitable campsite. Unfortunately, the trail was overgrown through this section, and bedecked with blowdowns.
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| Underneath a Big Pipe |
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| Field in the Appletree Group Camp |
I could find no good sites, and was starting to feel a little anxious. I finally crossed an old forest road just beyond Walnut Cove Creek. It was not the greatest site, but was flat enough to pitch my tent. I was a little worried as I noticed two potential 'widow maker' dead trees up the hill from me. It began to rain as I cooked dinner, and continued on into the evening and throughout most of the night. I am hoping to finish the hike tomorrow, but am not wedded to the idea.
Day 3 - Friday, Sept. 25, 2020 - Campsite at Walnut Cove to Nantahala Parking - 9.1 miles
I remained in my tent a little longer again, waiting for the rainfall to lessen, grateful that a tree didn't fall on me overnight. I got up as it was still raining and started to break camp. There was no way to dry out my gear, so it would just need to be wet inside my pack. It was still pretty gloomy as I started down the trail.
There were many fallen trees and places that were nigh on impassable, but I persevered. The rain began to subside and the weather cleared somewhat as I continued. There was a bit of a climb up the first ridge and then down for some distance on an old dirt road. I spotted some wild pigs running up the hill ahead of me. This was the first real wildlife I'd seen on this trip, and only the second time ever I'd seen wild pigs. They seemed startled by my presence, which was fine by me.
The trail began climbing once again, and I continued to scramble over and around downed trees. I think I might've been getting a little too comfortable with it. As I was stepping over a split wet log, my right foot started sliding down the middle of it. That's when I noticed a snake in the corner of the log below me. There was no mistaking a copperhead. I let out a small yell, and did everything I could to keep from landing on top of it. Thankfully, I was able to stop my fall and get over the log, with my adrenaline level slightly elevated.
I returned to my car, and was saddened to find that someone had broken the right rear passenger window. A good samaritan had left a tarp to cover it, but there was broken glass all through the inside of the car. I never leave anything valuable in my car, so nothing was taken but some loose change and an empty silverware box bound for Goodwill. Still, it was a disappointing way to end an otherwise good hike. I always like to stay positive whatever the situation, so I just offer thanks to God for a great hike in completion of the Bartram Trail. If you like solitude with a bit of a challenge, this trail is a good one to explore.
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