Hiking the Cherohala Skyway - Nantahala National Forest, NC

Описание: On October 7 I drove all the way out to the Cherohala Skyway because Huckleberry Knob is crucial to many peakbagging lists. Since it is a short hike, I also did a few hikes in the immediate area. The Cherohala Skyway is a national forest scenic byway, running 43 miles east-west from Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN. The skyway bisects the Unicoi Mountains, ranging from 900 feet to 5,400 feet. It is managed by Nantahala and Cherokee National Forests, unlike the Blue Ridge Parkway which is managed by the national park service.

Beginning from the east side I started with the Spirit Ridge Trail, which is a short paved walkway to an east overlook that is handicap accessible. Although the view was underwhelming, the tree tunnel was beautiful. Next I drove to the Huckleberry Knob Trailhead. The trail follows a forest road over Oak Knob with good views, then ends at Huckleberry Knob. Huckleberry Knob is the tallest peak in the Unicoi Mountains at 5,580 feet and is the 4th most prominent peak in the Southeast. The grassy summit has outstanding views. The highest section of the skyway is southwest surrounded by Hooper Bald and Haw Knob. North and northeast are the highest elevations of the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness including Stratton Bald and Haoe. Further northeast are the southern Great Smokies. You can pick out Gregory Bald and Thunderhead Mountain, but it was too cloudy to see Clingmans Dome. Due east the pointy peak is Cheoah Bald. The highest peaks of the Nantahala Mountains are southeast, including Copper Ridge Bald and Wine Spring Bald. You could see Standing Indian with less clouds. Almost due south is the Fires Creek Rim. The panoramic views from Huckleberry Knob rival those of Wesser Bald.

Next up was Hooper Bald. The short trail leads to the impressively long and rectangular bald. The views are underwhelming compared to Huckleberry Knob. You can see the range HP across the skyway, and Haw Knob rising above Big Junction to the northwest. For my fourth hike I drove further west into Tennessee to follow the Mud Gap Trail/Benton MacKaye Trail south to Whigg Meadow. This bald has good views of Haw Knob and Little Haw Knob, and long distance western views of the North River and Tellico River headwaters. I then tried to find the trailhead for Falls Branch Falls, and missed it twice before realizing the hike would be longer than I originally planned. So I gave up and drove back to Big Junction to bushwhack to Haw Knob, and immediately gave up. The old forest road was overgrown with head-high weeds that were awful. Save that for the winter I guess. Lastly I thought I would check out the short Wright Creek Nature Trail, which was also a dud. What a worthless trail to nothing. To summarize, a really good first half of the day with a sour finish.

Spirit Ridge Trail - 0.7 miles, 100 feet elevation gain
Huckleberry Knob - 1.9 miles, 380 feet elevation gain
Hooper Bald - 1.3 miles, 200 feet elevation gain
Whigg Meadow - 3.6 miles, 715 feet elevation gain
Wright Creek Nature Trail - 0.5 miles, 150 feet elevation gain

Hike location
https://goo.gl/maps/QEkttSjPYGK2