Panthertown hike in NC

“I have posted this trip for anyone that is interested. If anyone has a scanned copy of the map of this area or can tell me where to find on online please post that information here.
Thanks
rox”

“Info at:

Highlands Ranger District
2010 Flat Mountain Rd.
Highlands, NC 28741
(828) 526-3765
Directions:
Just off US 64, east of Highlands.

They have a backcountry trail map (the woman at the office said it is
very good) it includes topo detail. Cost is 5.00. They can take
credit card info over the phone, but I think they'd rather get checks
mailed in. I told her I live in FL and she took my info though.”

“I will most likely have Bebo and Destructoboy with me again.”

“Cool I was reading some of the sites and one of my students said he went swimming there in the spring and had a great time he is 12yrs old.”

“link to topozone.com map of the panthertown area.

1:100,000 scale”

“very cool
thanks”

“thanks for the invite. I will be in NH hiking on Mt. Washington that weekend.”

“One of those sites on the trip thread lists this hike as difficult, but it only has 300' elevation change. What gives? Is it hard or not? Really rocky or something?”

“i think that site must be for wimps, it could be pretty rocky, or a very unmaintained trail though.

The forest service lady said the area could be very confusing in places and the topo map was a "must".”

“I'm thinking about coming on this one, BTW, but I can't handle a lot of elevation change, so I have to pick and choose my hikes.”

“"One of those sites on the trip thread lists this hike as difficult, but it only has 300' elevation change. What gives? Is it hard or not? Really rocky or something?"
bitpusher
03:19:26 PM

May be TOTAL elev change.
Like three 1100 foot climbs and three 1000 foot descends.”

“Leave it to a Yahoo! site to do something that dumb...

I'll watch the thread...If I come it will be either late Friday (really late) or early Saturday.”

“Some of what I read indicates that the valley itself is pretty flat. The part I don't know about is what it takes to get into the valley. I'll have a good topo trail map in a few days and can let you know more then.”

“thats a pretty good map, looks like there'll be a descent into and a climb out of the valley.”

“Oh, that's a nice map. Where would we be starting from and going to? Anybody know?”

“I am a maybe for this trip, time will tell”

“I'm a maybe now too.”

“Where exactly is this place?
Just North of Georgia?
It might be within driving distance for me maybe.”

“I looked it up, it's in that little hunk of NC just north of Georgia and just west of SC.”

“don't know the exact starting point just yet, most likely though the parking area there close to Cold Mtn Gap. on the SE side of the area.

Rox said there was a shelter close to a parking area too though and I don't see such a thing on that map.

We'll figure it out by next week and post some good details.

Cashiers, NC is the closest town for mapquest purposes.”

“It is close to Cashiers. There is really one map of the area (it is probably the one you got from Pisgah) from what I understand the area can be very confusing..so that may be why they say difficult.

Have you gotten the map yet Roam? If it is the map I have it gives a good description of the area. I just can't recall off the top of my head the elevation etc. I will check it tonight and let you know.”

“I ordered it today over the phone. Prob won't get it till Monday. The forest service lady did say the area could be confusing.

Any info you can provide would be appreciated.”

“I've gotten some good firsthand info. Check your mail - I'm gonna type up my notes I took into some sort of logical format and send it to ya.”

“If you go to the Highlands take the road between Franklin and Highlands it is the Mountain Waters Scenic Byway there are several waterfalls and rapids. 106 to 64 right out side of Highlands has Glen Falls a must see as well as Dry Falls on the way up. http://www.westernncattractions.com/mntwater.htm injoy the area it is great.”

“My hoodlums have a staurday night sleepover/birthday party so they won't be coming :( don't know about me yet”

“take lots of photos on this trip”

“dammit hyway! Tell them they can do the sleepover the next weekend at your house.”

“you do the same, we'll visit both places vicariously.”

“whoa whoa whoa you two, don't ask, don't tell”

“jeez hyway, go get a Websters and look it up before you jump to conclusions.”

“hey folks , kinda eavesdropping on this...but i"ll tell you what I know having been here before.. Unless you have the map authored by Burt Kornegay you wont find the shelter on a topo...the correct trailhead to use for the shelter leaving a very short downhiller to the shelter is the Salt Rock gap trailhead....The key start point is Cashiers NC. Follow us-64 east for 2 miles to Cedar Creek rd. (SR-1120) plainly signed. Follow this left from 64 for 2.3 miles to Breedlove Rd (Sr-1121) on the right. Turn and follow this for about 3.5 miles to where it (the last time) became dirt....con't on till you reach the FS gate. From there its about a mile down to the shelter and huge camping area. Cold mtn gap is not the trailhead you want to use...once down in the valley its easy, very little elevation gain to see all the falls just basically the down getting in and a short up for out....hope this helps”

“thats the map I've got coming, thanks.”

“are there swimming holes there?

and I kmnow what the word means. I live my life through my children with it ;)”

“Salt rock gap trailhead location at 17S 0314230E / 3893350N, Shelter location at 17S 0314820E / 3892550N (coords. in UTM datum NAD27). Those are close enough.”

“just teasin hyway.

yeah, there's some good swimming holes!”

“Thanks guys for all of the great information! I am really excited about this trip. 2socks is there good fishing there? I am thinking about picking up a license and fishing rod & reel.

Roam I meant to tell you last nite that the shelter is right off that trail we are suppose to go in at.
Carlette should know.

Hyway if you look on the trip page the 2nd link has photos of the area.”

“Well..no need to post what I read 2socks covered it all.

Have fun!

We will be on the lake that weekend.”

“I'm gonna be up near Wilkesboro on the lake this Sat.. I am excited been a long time since I have been on a boat.”

“Well with all the water I suppose there might be some trout....but with all the falls there bouts and the people I'm sure theres gonna be plenty of Don't think they are gonna hang around...you can try though...think about a fly rod...hey the last time I was there no one was fishing....to many falls to see....but good luck”

“I wonder if I was to order that map tomorrow if I would get it time for the trip.”

“probably, the office is in Highlands and they told me they put it in the mail the day after the order, but that would still give it all week to get to Nashville for ya. They might express mail it if you offer to pay extra for the postage or Fed Ex.”

“I have that dang map and I can't find it..grrrr”

“so what are the plans, have they changed yet. I still need to know how to get there from nashville”

“Hey, you could come all the way to Asheville on 40 and then take 26 south to 280 west (or south) to Brevard and then 64 west.

Your target is Cashiers, NC or Lake Toxaway, NC.

We'll have a more detailed trip plan around the first of the week.

We'll be meeting Friday night and hiking only 1.5 miles or so to the first sight, then Sat. heading west across the valley and then comeing back Sun to the east side to camp on a mountaintop to leave a short hike out Mon morn.”

“I will be leaving work Friday afternoon around 4:30. It takes me 4 hrs to get to Aaheville. Looking at the map it looks like the best way to get to cashiers is to get off I-40 at waynesville. You then take the back roads which may or may not be that bad. I have taken I-40 to asheville then headed south towards SC and gotten off on hwy 64 and taken that to Bevard. How far past bevard is cashiers?”

“I think it's just a little over 20 miles, and that highway isn't as curvy as some.

I'll try to get some good directions from 64 to our trail head too. I don't think we'll be going all the way to Cashiers.”

“Panthertown, NC pics

just click into the folders and theres lots of pics”

“Hey Roam what time are you planning on getting there Friday night? I still can't find my map so I guess I will be ordering it today.”

“Has it ever been decided which trailhead we'll be going in from?”