Weekend Gem: Joyce Kilmer Loop
Trails in the Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests are the definition of real wilderness. Remote and beautiful, these areas inspire the human spirit while challenging the body. This 35 mile loop takes in a good mix of wilderness trails like scenic river valleys and high ridge hiking. Start out at the TH and jump on TR #55 headed up to Naked Ground. Along the way, you pass many scenic side streams as they dump into Little Santeetiah Creek. This trail climbs gently until the last half a mile or so before it throws down to a small pass on Haoe Lead where nice camp spots can be found. If you are spending a night here and need water, cruise down to Saddle Tree Gap and see if you can find on the north side of the Lead. It’s not on the NG Map, but I found some here last winter in a fold before it drops down the valley. Drop down now on TR #42 to through nice, but rugged tread in and out of roadie thickets and witch hobble to Slickrock Creek far below. This tread has great views up to Hangover Lead and Big Fodderstack Mtn. on the old BMT route. You don’t want to climb up this beast of a trail, the way is long, camp and waterless for a long stretch. Anyway, hit Slickrock at a wacky intersection sign that leads up higher to the start of the Creek. Keep taking #42 along this deep valley until it jumps over the Creek by TR #44 utilizing a nice log jam. Nice camps can be found here, take a load off and settle in.
After a great night’s sleep, start back up #42 as it climbs a bit to TR #139, Big Stack Gap Branch and make that left. Now here is the diamond in the rough. This 1.7 mile trail gently climbs up to higher ground while giving you lovely views back down to Slickrock and across to Big Fat and Yellowhammer Gaps. Before you know it, hit the old BMT #95 and make a left slowly ascending and then dropping to Big Stack Gap. From this Gap, you can see Big Fodderstack Mtn. siting poetically over Slickrock Canyon. Climb up to the shoulder of Fodderstack as the tread skirts the right side of the Mountain. I have seen a small use trail that looks like it goes over the top of the peak itself before rejoining #95 on the other side. I have never taken this side trail, but it might be a fun side trip! Next, drop on down to Harrison Gap before taking a nice ridgewalk over to Rockstack, a nice place for a lunch break among the rocks and roadies. Drop on down to Glenn Gap before skirting the right side of Chestnut Knob before the sturdy decent to Cherry Log Gap and TR #98 following the N. F. of the Citico into this rough, but beautiful Wilderness area. Here at a rigged etched in trail marker, follow TR #54A uphill to Bob Bald and then Stratton Bald. When the Trail open up to Stratton proper, make a right into a lush meadow where you will find a choice camp under some ragged chestnut trees. Views here extend out across the Nantahala and Cherokee Forests and down south into Georgia and the Chattahoochee. I hung out here for many hours soaking in the views, wildlife and flowers.
In the morning after a euphoric nights sleep, head down #54 onto Horse Cove Ridge. This intersection sign is marked Wolf Laurel TH, make that right. Steadily descend to another sign that leads off to the right to the parking lot, stay left. Slowly but surely, the tread starts looking like a actual forested ridge line. Soon it makes a hard right into the Goldie Deaden section where the ground drops off and affords you great views of Doc Stewart Ridge and the southern Nantahala. Keep your eyes on the trail though, it is eroding away and isn’t very wide. Next drop down to Obadiah Gap before making a hard left descending back down to where you started. Hit the road and make a left walking back a half a mile or so to the TH. Fish out that reward beer of yours and kick back, you earned it!
