Bone Valley - GSMNP

“I've seen a lot of GSMNP.. but a trip to Bone Valley has not been one of my destinations.



I realize the easiest way to get there is by boat.

I realize the second easiest way is 89 to 83 via Lakeshore and Hazel Creek with a side trip up Bone Valley Trail.

I also realize that I most likely won't go EITHER of these ways.

Right now, I'm considering driving up Thursday night, parking at Clingmans, and then hiking the Welch Ridge trail Friday (stopping at High Rocks) and getting as far along Cold Spring Gap trail as I possibly can.

I'd like to spend all of Saturday exploring the Bone Valley area all the way up to Halls Cabin (the most remote historical structure in the GSMNP).

The next day, I'll start making my way up Hazel Creek trail, and returning to my car late Sunday or early Monday.

Anyone interested, or have some input?
last edited: 4/13/09 2:04:40 PM”

“I don't think I can make that weekend, but I was planning to do a similar trip sometime this fall or in the spring. I was going to try and do it in two days and therefore was probably going to miss Bone Valley itself (Although I too would like to check it out someday).

Here is my preliminary trip plan:

Welch Ridge Hazel Creek Loop (29.5 miles)

Day 1

Start at Clingmans Dome Parking Lot and take the AT 4.2 miles till the Welch Ridge Trailhead. Take Welch Ridge 7.3 miles to the Cold Springs Gap Trailhead, taking time to take the 0.6 mile round trip to High Rocks. Take Cold Spring Gap Trail 3.5 miles to Hazel Creek Trail. Follow Hazel Creek Trail for 1.5 miles until you reach CS#82. ( 17.1 miles)

Day 2

Take Hazel Creek Trail 6.5 miles until it intersects with the Welch Ridge Trail. Follow the Welch Ridge Trail 1.7 miles back the AT. Follow the AT back 4.5 miles to Clingmans Dome Parking Lot. (12.4 miles)


I will keep an eye on this trip and if for some chance I can make it then, I will sign up.”

“I'm not willing to do it in two days, Mocs.. can you let an old man like me take three?..

LOLz.. give me one day head start, and you can catch up with me.
last edited: 4/13/09 2:07:19 PM”

“Sounds like a tough two days.

I am hoping to make a trip like this in the fall, so I am an interested maybe”

“I wish I could make this trip or another one some friends have planned in early May. Gotta do the racin thing in Dega tho. Iffin' ya want to fish I would recommend campsite #84 as it does not allow horses. I dunno about 82 but it would be a close second. Bone Valley Ck. is a very cool place to fish esp. the mouth at Hazel C. Junct. Remember if you fish this area the fish are wild and very spooky. I got a couple of rises but not hook-ups last trip.”

“all signed up now and I looked up TownDawg's picture ,oh he's a cutie. Cannot wait to meet you TownDawg.”

“http://photobucket.com/

:)”

“LOLz... I have a stalker?

Anyway.. I was reading thru the trail descriptions last night, trying to plan some.



Hazel Creek trail and Welch Ridge trail are both relatively flat, so it really doesn't matter which we do SOBO and which we do NOBO.. now Cold Spring Gap trail is a different story entirely.. if we go clockwise then the connector (Cold Spring Gap trail) is a steep downhill, and obviously if we go counter-clockwise it becomes an uphill.

I also noted numerous stream crossings on both the connector and Hazel Creek trail.



Other than that, the jury is still out as to exactly the details of the itinerary... but it will shape up as time goes on.

One thing I noticed as I read thru some of the historical books on the trails, there are some old ranger cabins and other outposts in addition to all the historical buildings.



It would be nice to find as many of those as we can... (and I'll let you read thru the lines).
last edited: 4/14/09 5:52:24 AM”

“I asked my wife if she wanted to go to Bone Valley. She thought I was talking dirty to her.”

“The only draw back is that I have noticed the snakes to be plentifull over there in warm weather.”

“rattlesnakes chili, or water snakes or both?”

“I remember going down Cold Spring Gap at the end of a wet day. I remember it being slick, rocky and rough on the knees.

Personally, I'd go in via the AT and down Hazel Creek and out via Cold Spring Gap over to the tunnel but that's mostly cause I'd want to do that section of Hazel Creek. It would require a pretty big shuttle though.

I'm interested but a few things would have to come together for me to make this one. I'll put myself as a maybe and hope for the best.”

“Copperheads and rattlesnakes.

I have always seen more on that side of the AT, below 3000'

I think it is because they were pushed up hill along with the rodents when they flooded the Little Tennessee.”

“HPM -- thought about that route..

"travel south on the Newfound Gap Road into Cherokee NC. In Cherokee, turn right on US 19 and drive 10 miles to Bryson City. At the old Swain County Courthouse, turn right onto Everett Street and cross the Tuckasegee River. Follow Everett Street through town (it changes to Lakeview Drive) and continue to the Park boundary. Continue 5 miles into the Park. Lakeview Drive ends one mile beyond a viaduct at the mouth of a tunnel. Lakeshore and Tunnel Trails begin at the end of the parking area."

That would not be so bad, HPM.. we could meet up at Newfound Gap.. and do all the shuttling to make it work.

"On the NC side, the Lakeshore trail from the road to nowhere to Hazel Creek can't be beat for solitude while seeing lots of historic stuff when you get to Procter. Go from there up to Bone Valley and back out over Welch Ridge and you have experienced the Smoky's at their best."

By the way.. Mocs hiked from the tunnel to CS #86..



chili - oh well.. boots, pay attention. That would so suck though, to get bit on a backpacking trip.
last edited: 4/14/09 9:56:13 AM”

“Mocs -- but that's the Lakeshore trail.. and we'd travel the Bear Creek trail.. naw.. I'll stick with my original idea.. there are too many things I want to see in the original plan.”

“So the dates are 9/3 - 9/7/09 right?”

“Day 1
Start at Clingmans Dome Parking Lot and take the AT 4.2 miles till the Welch Ridge Trailhead. Take Welch Ridge 1.7 miles to the Hazel Creek Trailhead, and travel approximately an additional 6.5 miles to CS#82. (12.5mi total)

Day 2
CS #82 to CS #84, with side trip all the way to the end of Bone Valley trail and back. (7.5mi total)
NOTE: Consider getting an early start on day 3 with a stealth camp somewhere.

Day3
Officially -- CS #84 back track to Cold Spring Gap trail, take Welch Ridge Trail back to the car. Make sure we include a side trip to High Rocks. (Officially a 17 mile day, but if we took the stealth option... hMmm)”

“HPM -- Labor Day weekend.. so I can get the "free day".. but I'm flexible.. thought we might start on Friday (travel in on Thursday) -- but if we can pull it off in three days we can wait till Saturday morning to start.”

“Why is there not a single official campsite in the stretch of trail.. that sucks majorly.”

“The logical thing would be to exit using CS #75 but I really wanted to hike Welch Ridge trail. I'm trying to get GSMNP on the phone.”

“Cause there is no water along Welch Ridge. Well, not that I've found in three hikes of it. Could be there and I missed it.

Going up Welch Ridge from Hazel via Cold Spring Gap is a very long day.

CS #83 is right there at the Bone Valley Trail junction. You might want to consider that instead of #84. It's a huge site and it reduces extra packing if the goal is Bone Valley.”

“I was reading some of my trail books last night.. and there IS water along (slightly off-trail.. follow manway.. etc).. that trail.. but I don't recall from memory the exact locations...

84 is fine, and would shave a few miles off. It just means I have to actually CALL and get a reservation, instead of self-service.

HPM -- If you can take a phone call email me a number to call you at.
last edited: 4/14/09 10:52:25 AM”

“Gotcha on the free day. That is a consideration for me too now that I get PTO. (w00t!)

I've already done everything from ridgetop to ridgetop in the Forney Creek drainage. So for me the only thing that matters is doing Hazel Creek and Bone Valley. The rest is just beautiful country with good company.”

“Well I want to see high rocks... but I could be persuaded to exit out at the "road to nowhere" if we had to... like I said I'm trying to get GSMNP on the phone to see if they have ANY suggestions.”

“If you go up Cold Spring Gap you have no choice but to walk right by high rocks. It's right there.”

“DOH -- you are right.. I kept seeing the "blue squiggly" and thinking "path".. LOLz..

Well there you go. If I can't talk GSMNP into any alternative, we can exit using Bear Creek Trail.

Welch Ridge trail would be nice though, cos it is soooooo flat.
last edited: 4/14/09 11:19:56 AM”

“I just found a copy of the 1973 Smoky Mountain Trail Guide published by the Sierra Club.

I will read through it tonight to see if it has anything different than the bible on the subject.”

“so, what's wrong with the approach from Fontana Dam? I can see no good loops but the approach has got to be the easiest and the shortest, no?

if this is really in September, I maybe be in.”

“chili -- yeah.. I will go back thru all my references tonight and scan for water supply locations and ranger/trail maintenance cabins.

offtrack -- There's nothing wrong with that approach except it avoids part of what I want to see. (and there's no reason why you can't start from Fontana if you want.. ).. The only thing for me is I HATE that drive into Fontana. The "tail of the dragon" road takes me forever, and the last time I drove it was 11pm and foggy.
last edited: 4/14/09 11:40:22 AM”

“that's understandable and i hear ya on the drive. i've done it at night and in snowy/icy conditions. it was fun for a flatlander though. i'm so tired of these straight roads we have here. :D


i kind of scanned through Thunder Mt. Quad for you on a few older maps but I didn't notice anything.. you however may find something useful, hopefully.
http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/gmdhtml/nphtml/gsmhome.html
last edited: 4/14/09 12:21:18 PM”

“Hazel Creek and it's five campsites are the greatest in the Park!”

“Maybe I could join ya'll on this trip but with a twist. I would cross Fontana by canoe and hike to #83 and flyfish all weekend. Then have a trout dinner ready when ya'll get to camp! On second thought you better not rely on me to catch enough fish to live off of. LOL”

“0.0, Junction -w- Welch Ridge Trail
1.7, Cascades Campsite, (-W-, abandoned by park service)
1.9, Hazel Creek Cascades, (-W-)
4.6, Proctor Creek, (-W-)
5.6, Walkers Creek, (-W-)
6.4, Calhoun cs82, (-W-, Joshua Calhoun former homesite)
8.2, Junction -w- Cold Spring Gap Trail, (Backcountry Ranger Shelter)
9.5, Bone Valley cs83,(-W-, Hall Cabin (circa 1880), 1.8 miles up trail)
10.2, Sugar Fork cs84, (-W-, Dilapidated Building)
11.7, Sawdust Pile cs85, (-W-)
14.6, Brick Kiln
14.8, Junction -w- Lakeshore Trail, (Granville Calhoun House (circa 1928))
14.9, Proctor cs86, (-W-)
15.3, Hazel Creek Embayment, (-W-)
last edited: 4/14/09 6:31:14 PM”

“0.0, Junction -w- Hazel Creek Trail, (Backcountry Ranger Shelter)
0.3, Hazel Creek Crossing, (-W-, wide difficult crossing)
1.3, End of Abandoned Roadbed, (rocky and steep from here on out)
3.5, Junction -w- Welch Ridge Trail
last edited: 4/14/09 6:31:36 PM”

“0.0, Junction -w- Cold Spring Trail
0.6, Junction -w- High Rocks Trail
0.9, Junction -w- Bear Creek Trail
1.2, Bearwallow Bald
2.4, Hawk Knob
2.9, Mount Glory
4.8, Junction -w- Jonas Creek Trail
5.5, Junction -w- Hazel Creek Trail
6.8, Hazel Creek Manway
7.3, Appalachian Trail”

“Now I will let you translate some of this..

0.0, Junction -w- Cold Spring Trail
0.6, Junction -w- High Rocks Trail

K. Wise, p383: "... seventy five yards below the boulder field, one large boulder stands alone beside the trail. Across the trail and fifty feet down the slope a large spring trickles onto the mountainside."
last edited: 4/14/09 6:40:21 PM”

“and this as well..

K. Wise, p384: "In the thickets, fifty feet beyond the outcropping, is an abandoned warden's dwelling, a one room log cabin with shingled sidings. On the front of the cabin is a small covered porch contiguous with an enclosed storage building... water was supplied from a cistern that was replenished by rainwater draining from the downspouts."
last edited: 4/14/09 6:40:37 PM”

“D. Murless, p205: "If you wish to continue up Bone Valley, look for an obscure foot trail leading left at a point where the Bone Valley Trail runs close to Big Flats Branch. Ford Big Flats Branch on the unmaintained trail and keep to the left around the point of the ridge."”

“(NOBO) D. Murless, p188: "... trail runs straight and soon reaches BearWallow Bald, an open area 10 or 15 acres. The trail then descends to a gap at 1.2 mi. It slabs left leaving the gap and reaches a spring, walled up with rock at 1.6mi. This is the only easily accessible water on the trail."

D. Murless also claims that hiking time is only 3.5 hrs (without a load) from High Rocks to the AT.
last edited: 4/14/09 7:00:59 PM”

“you can see if the NPS would let us camp in a very small group off trail along that section.
We could dry camp, or camel water at the last spot before camp.”

“That's what I am going to ask. I'm hoping they will give a small group an allowance, since George and the guys know me.. and all of us.”

“who needs water when you got whiskey right?”

“

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1088242777034463245JAOQhL
last edited: 4/15/09 5:58:29 AM”

“They did a "three night, 31 mile loop around the Welch Ridge near Clingman's Dome in the GSMNP" -- I was looking thru their route.. but not the one I want to do.

Picture of cabin at High Rocks

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1088242824034463245ngeNQS

Picture of group at High Rocks
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1088243277034463245duNwKW
last edited: 4/15/09 6:02:40 AM”

“"There is a spring north of water oak gap on the trail, it was running in 2007."”

“

a little research is a wonderful thing... still working on permission.”

“All right. I'm good.

Trip itinerary has been approved with the condition that I don't post the details online.

Day One
Start at Clingmans Dome parking lot, or Double Spring Gap AT shelter. End at CS#82.
Mileage 8.8 --> 2.4 (parking lot to shelter) + 6.4 (Hazel Creek Trail).

Day Two
Start at CS#82. Explore the area, take pictures and fish. End at CS#83.
Mileage 7.7 --> 3.1 (CS to CS) + 3.6 (Bone Valley roundtrip).

Day Three
Start at CS#83. End AT.
Mileage 13.2 --> 1.8 (CS to junction) + 3.5 (junction to junction) + 1.2 (exploring high rocks) + 6.7 (eventually reaching the AT again)

Approximately 30 miles total.
last edited: 4/15/09 7:40:14 AM”

“I miss Big Coop.
Good guy there.”

“I miss Big Coop, too.

A new campsite opened about a year ago. It is located on Lake Shore about two miles west of CS#85.”

“All right. Updated the trips page, so it's all in stone now.

Karo/Nowslimmer -- Join us on this trip if you can. Cross Fontana by boat, hike to #83 and meet us on Saturday. Have a trout dinner ready when we get to camp!

If you two can meet us, we can all plan on cooking something amazing Saturday night.
last edited: 4/15/09 8:05:02 AM”