Columns

By David Freeze

  After seeing a long-distance view of Mt. Mitchell in the clouds the night before, I was still hopeful of reaching the summit in time to see the July 24^th sunrise. Still 16 miles away at my motel, I left on the dark and damp morning at just after 6am. I followed the Blue Ridge Parkway to the entrance road for Mt. Mitchell State Park and found most of it socked in by clouds.

    Mt. Mitchell was the first NC state park in 1915 and is one of the smallest at 1,855 acres. Named for Elisha Mitchell who explored the mountain and determined it the highest peak east of the Mississippi River at 6,684 feet. A railroad once operated on the mountain for logging purposes.

   Highway 128 is the entrance road, and I drove to the summit parking area while waiting for more daylight and a hopeful break in the clouds. I realized the area was enveloped in a cloud, so I walked the Balsam Nature Loop as suggested by the owner of Albert’s Lodge the evening before. What I found was sort of an enchanted alpine forest, well worth the effort. At the far end, I walked briefly for the first time on the Mountains to Sea Trail which crosses North Carolina.

    Back at the trailhead, I walked up the paved but steep Summit Trail to the observation area, I’m sure a real treat on a clear day. I was last here as a small child but couldn’t see more than 200 feet currently. A small museum and gift shop, plus restrooms are in the area too. The museum has a life-sized figure of area explorer Tom Wilson and his cabin.

   On the way back down, I stopped at the park restaurant that came highly recommended, but it didn’t open until 11am. Last was a stop at the visitor center for my passport stamp and a map, plus an interesting conversation with one of the attendants. I will return to see the views that offer parts of four states and are so spectacular maybe even Russia, according to Van at Albert’s Lodge with a smile.

    My next park was South Mountains State Park, listed as nearest Connelly Springs and the largest state park at over 20,000 acres. The park has elevations of 3,000 feet and has 47 miles of hiking trails, 35 miles of equestrian trails and 17 miles of bike trails. Opened in the 1970s, the park has primitive camping. The Cherokee Catawba Indians once hunted and fought in the park area and settlers came in the late 1700s. Gold was found in 1828, and 26,000 acres were logged before the state established the park.

   I asked at the visitor center about the most popular hiking trail in the park. The High Shoals Fall Trail is the signature trail and although the desk attendant suggested easier ones, I told her I wanted to see the falls. More than a mile to the falls, the second half was mostly wet rock steps. 400 of them this time, added to that a huge amount of people coming and going including what looked like kids’ day camps. I just stepped aside and gave everyone else plenty of room.

    The park has an extensive mix of 11 hiking trails varying in distance from .2 miles to 5.2 miles and with varying degrees of difficulty. Many of the trails can be combined for even longer efforts. All of the trails leave from one of the three trailheads.

     High Shoals Falls was one of the best I had seen on the state park trails, definitely again worth the effort. This was my 15^th park and the most challenging waterfall trail yet. On the way back, I took another trail to Big Bear Falls with a much easier effort.

     My next park was Lake Norman State Park, the closest to my farm, on July 26. The park opened in 1962 after Duke Power built the Cowans Ford Dam and then donated land for the park to the state. Lake Norman was created from 1959 to 1964, but the area is full of long-ago history. The Catawba Indians had a population of about 5,000 but they left the area after it declined to less than 100 because of disease and warfare with any of the eight other tribes close by. There is an interesting collection of arrowheads that have been carbon dated to before 2000 BC.

    With 17 miles of shoreline on Lake Norman, the park has campgrounds, a public swim beach, hiking and biking trails, picnic areas and pavilions, a community building, a boat ramp, and a fishing pier on its 1,328 acres. There is quality fishing in Lake Norman and the park lake. Kayaks, canoes, pedal boats and standup paddleboards are available in one of the smallest yet one of the best parks. There is a 30.5-mile Itusu mountain bike trail. I did the Lakeshore Trail, which is listed as six miles on the park map but closer to 5.6 miles. Two other shorter trails including one that is wheelchair accessible start near the visitor center. The beach is free except for a small charge to swimmers but boats can launch free on Boat Launch Drive. Campground sites are numerous with a bathhouse and restrooms nearby, while six new two room cabins which can sleep six have water, sewer and electricity also available. Everything is free with lots to do!

     16 parks visited, and 26 more to go!

By David Freeze

Mountain State Parks!

   Visiting more mountain state parks on July 16^th was an easy choice. With highs in the mid-90s here, I headed for the cooler hills. My first stop was Stone Mountain State Park, the first of three parks for the day that I had never visited. From my guidebook, I expected to see glimpses of the granite dome as soon as I entered the park, but I didn’t. Over four miles in circumference, it stands at 2,305 feet and is the centerpiece of the park.

    I stopped first at the park office for some tips on the best hiking, a map and my treasured passport stamp. The attendant looked at my back brace and suggested some easy hikes to see a waterfall and a short one to see the restored 1880s farm within the park. She told me about the prettiest falls in the park but cautioned me because of 300 steps down and back to see it from the base. The office had nice displays concerning the history and wildlife in the park. The park, opened in 1969, has 14,353 acres and tops out at 2,305 feet.

    I drove to the lower hiking area and walked a portion of the Stone Mountain Loop Trail to see the Hutchinson Homestead, a wonderfully restored house, barn and a handful of other outbuildings required for the self-sufficient farm family of the late 19^th century. All the buildings are closed to the public, but I would love to return someday to see the insides. Signboards told of the history of each building and most of them included photos of the Hutchison family in the early years of the farm.

     Just behind the farm and slightly farther up the trail was my first sight of Stone Mountain, a genuine “wow moment”. I’ve seen spectacular scenery all across America and Canada and assure you the actual stone mountain ranks very highly, especially when viewed from the top of what I suspect was once a large hay field for the farm. Above all this on the top of the mountain is the highlight of the Mountain Loop Trail. Once my strength and balance recover more, I will do that one before 2024 is out.

    I did the .75-mile Connector Trail to stand atop the Stone Mountain Falls, the one with the 300 steps down and of course 300 back up. Probably better seen in the late fall and winter with less foliage, I still couldn’t stand not to do the 300 steps. Solid wood steps with a railing helped and I was able to make the descent but could only see about half of the 200 feet of the falls due to the lush foliage. I met a couple on the way back up who said, “We saw you with the back brace and knew if you could make it, we had to do it!” I had a blast, but my heart was pumping!

      I also walked the short distance to Widow’s Creek Falls, complete with plenty of standing water for a cool pool dip. My last stop in the park was the historic Garden Creek Baptist Church, established in 1897 and still holding services on Sunday.

     Grandfather Mountain State Park is one of the newest state parks, opened in 2009. The 2,456 acre park doesn’t have an office but has nice trail-end bathrooms, benches and a parking lot off Highway 105 South. Still in developmental stage, the park is mostly wilderness with hiking trails, backcountry camping sites and beautiful views of Grandfather Mountain. The Profile Trail, the centerpiece of the park, climbs from the parking lot 3.6 miles over 1600 feet in elevation increase to the crest of the mountain. I walked about .75 miles of the trail, all well done with good footing and new steps. Other trails are at the Boone Fork Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway.

     This is not the Grandfather Mountain home of the swinging bridge and other attractions. Operated by Grandfather Mountain Stewardship Foundation and located close by, this park charges an admission fee.  

     Lake James State Park, established in 1987, has 3,743 acres and 150 miles of shoreline. Lake James was created by Duke Power in the early 1900s. The park office/visitor center is new and impressive. There is a 700 ft. swim beach area in the Paddy’s Creek Section of the park. I walked the Fonta Flora Trail, paved for a section down to the lake, that becomes a walking trail with the first of the many scenic views of the lake. Becoming packed dirt, it quickly crossed a steel bridge over a beautiful section of the lake, before more dirt trail.

     Lake James was my tenth park, but the first with a major emphasis on mountain biking. Nearly 20 miles of trail with rated areas for beginners, intermediate and experienced bikers are exceptional, and I was surprised to see all of this promoted in the visitor center. In my view, these trails along with many of the hiking trails would be a great place for running too. 

     The lake has excellent facilities for swimming, boating (paddleboards, canoes, kayaks too), picnicking and fishing in or on its 6,812 acres of beautiful water fed by the Linville and Catawba Rivers.

     Finally, a two-mile section of the Overmountain Victory Trail from the Revolutionary War along with at least nine other hiking trails, none rated strenuous, are available.

     I am way excited to continue this quest of the NC State Parks. 10 visited with 32 more to go!