Going batty this Halloween…

We attended the 1st annual Halloween Bat Count yesterday at Sunrift Adventures in Travelers Rest. Sponsored by the SC Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) and Sunrift, the bat count was a great way to celebrate these awesome creatures of the night around an especially appropriate holiday.

What is now Sunrift, an outdoor outfitter specializing in cycling, backpacking, climbing & paddling, was once Brown’s Feed and Seed. The large building that stands behind the store dates back to 1904 as part of the cotton gin, and the old scales on which cotton was weighed still stand at the back of what is now called the Boat Barn. Along with the barn, the new buyers inherited a colony of bats that had moved into the roof of the building. It took the installation of eight bat houses and several years of plugging holes to keep the bats outside!

Why do we need bats here in the Upstate? Not only are bats major consumers of insects including mosquitos and various agricultural pests, but they contribute to our economy as well as our ecosystem. According to a 2011 study bats provided an annual pest suppression service of $115 million to the state's agricultural industry, and with the use of less pesticide they also help reduce the impact of these chemicals on other native wildlife species.

However, bats are in serious trouble. White-nose Syndrome is a disease that has devastated bat populations across North America, killing well over six million bats so far. Originally documented in New York in 2006, it was found in Pickens county in 2013; the mortality rate is 90-100%.  While the disease doesn’t affect humans, species such as the little brown bat have become locally extinct from their northeastern hibernation sites. Locally, tri­colored bats have tested positive for white-nose syndrome, their populations plummeting 60% in just a few years.

Of the fourteen species of bats that live in South Carolina, two call Sunrift home: the Big Brown Bat (Eptesicus fuscus) and the Mexican free-tailed bat (Tadarida brasiliensis). SCDNR biologists gave a quick lesson on bats to those gathered for the count, and armed with paper and pencils, everyone headed towards their assigned box as the sun started setting.

As the bats woke up and prepared to leave their boxes, we could hear them squawking and chirping. Knowing we would be distracted by the boys, we chose to observe (and leave the counting to others) and settled in at a picnic table with a view of three of the boxes. It wasn’t long until the first bat dropped down and then swooped up and away, departing on its nightly hunt. The seconds ticked by, and then a river of bats would flow from the house, sometimes in a trickle, but sometimes filling the sky for a few moments. The flight would cease from one box only to resume from the next, and as I sat in awe of the sheer numbers the boys zoomed around us, squealing in delight.

We have a bat box in our yard, but it has sat empty for a couple of years. Armed with a new desire to see a family of bats move in, we will soon be relocating the house to ensure it is suitable for habitation. I hope you’ll consider adding a bat box or two to your property; not only will it help with mosquito control, but the beauty of the bats surging out at sunset was a sight to behold…

Wishing you a batty Halloween from our little cat, George Washington, and Thomas the Train!

Find the US Fish & Wildlife fact sheet on White-nose Syndrome here, and the SC DNR info page here.

From Pisgah to Cherokee on the Blue Ridge Parkway

The Blue Ridge Parkway stretches for 469 miles through the Appalachians in the states of North Carolina and Virginia, a ribbon of road connecting Shenandoah and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Owned and managed by the US Park Service, the Parkway picks up where the Skyline Drive leaves off, ending at GSMNP and the Cherokee Indian Reservation in NC. The common way of referring to a specific area on the Parkway is by milepost, starting at 0 at the northernmost point and increasing as you travel south.

Being in that the southern terminus of the Parkway is only a 2 hour drive from Greenville, that puts about 100 miles of the scenic roadway within easy traveling distance for a weekend trip, or better yet, a long weekend. We’ve explored a good bit of the section between Mt. Mitchell and Balsam, but the very last bit had somehow escaped our wanderings – that is, until our Great Smoky Mountain National Park tour.

After circumnavigating the entire eastern section of GSMNP over a several day period, we spent the night in Cherokee, and fortified by a delicious breakfast of eggs and pancakes at Peter’s Pancakes and Waffles we set off for home. With blue skies above and the whole day ahead we decided to travel a good portion of the way on the Blue Ridge Parkway, exiting at milepost 412.2 and US 276. This would double our travel time, but give us 88 miles on the Parkway and then take us through scenic Pisgah National Forest and the town of Brevard.

Not even 5 miles in and we had pulled off on at least five scenic overlooks; the view from each was better than the last! As it became apparent that we wouldn’t be able to stop at each and every one, we prioritized; here are the highlights of this section of the Parkway.

Waterrock Knob, Milepost (MP) 451.2

With a tiny Visitor Center and pit-toilet facilities, it wasn’t the amenities that drew us to Waterrock – it was the short hike to the summit. The 1.2 mile round-trip hike has an elevation gain of 600 feet, the strenuous uphill climb to the top rewarded with views of Clingmans Dome, Mount LeConte and Mount Guyot, the highest peaks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The first ¼ of a mile is paved, and as we kept climbing the view opened up, eventually bringing us to a rocky outcrop that featured the best views.

Richland Balsam Overlook, MP 431.4

These dozen miles of the Parkway are the highest, and the very highest point is Richland Balsam at 6,047ft. Although there is a moderate, 1.25-mile loop trail that leaves from this area, we settled for the views off to the south and to the west in addition to a few pictures with the large sign.

Devil’s Courthouse, MP 422.4

According to Cherokee legend, this geological formation was home to the spirit Judaculla. The parking area provides a good view of the bare cliffs, but to reach the top will be a 0.9-mile hike taking you up about 150ft in elevation. The first half of the trail is paved, taking you alongside the Parkway to the ridgeline where the pavement turns to dirt. Soon after you’ll reach the viewing area on the rock outcropping, with 360˚ views of the mountains. On my visit numerous fools had ventured over the wall to take selfies, their foray endangering not only their own lives, but the habitat of the rare peregrine falcons that nest on the cliffs. I enjoyed the markers that helped identify various landmarks in the distance (such as Caesars Head and Sam Knob), but the view was marred by the loud, brightly-clothed selfie-takers in flagrant disregard of the posted placards. I waited for a few clouds to roll in, and then returned to the parking area to rejoin the boys who were roaming the parking lot looking for states they had not yet crossed off on their license plate hunt.

Sam Knob, MP 420
Turn on FR 816 (Black Balsam Road) just past mile marker 420 and park at the end of the road for this 2.2 mile hike that will take you to the top of Sam Knob (elevation 6,045 feet), on the edge of the Shining Rock Wilderness. After climbing 570 ft in elevation you'll find panoramic views from rocky outcrops in the heath balds, gorgeous any time of year! 

Graveyard Fields Overlook, MP 418.8

This area takes its name from the stumps that were left after decades of logging and a couple of intense forest fires, when the charred stumps looked like tombstones. The 2.2 mile Graveyard Fields Loop Trail takes visitors through the mountain laurel and rhododendron, across the expanse of berry bushes and (what in the springtime would be) wildflowers, with spur trails to a couple of waterfalls. The parking lot tends to fill up quickly, and the trial can be crowded in the fall and spring.

Looking Glass Rock Overlook, MP 417

This overlook features a view of the mountain of bare rock that seemingly shines in the sun like a looking glass. An 0.8 mile trail leads to a swimming hole at the base of a waterfall, which over the years has earned the trail the name of “Skinny Dip Falls Trail.” We left this hike for another visit, as we still had creek-exploring session in store for us on the Pisgah, but made a note to return in the future for a summer hike.

We turned off the Parkway at MP 412 onto US-276, the Forest Heritage Scenic Byway. Winding our way through Pisgah National Forest we passed a few of our favorite Pisgah destinations including the Pink Beds Picnic Area, the Cradle of Forestry, Sliding Rock, Moore Cove Falls and Looking Glass Falls. A short distance from the falls we pulled over for lunch, utilizing a picnic table to eat and Looking Glass Creek to pass the time. As the sun slowly sank behind the mountains we continued south through Brevard, crossing into South Carolina and Caesars Head State Park just in time to catch the very last daylight reflecting on Caesar’s Head. And then it was a race against autumn in our descent, the forests becoming greener as we drove down to the Piedmont. However, it wasn’t but another week until fall caught up to us, the brilliant hues of the Blue Ridge Parkway following us home to Greenville.  

North Carolina Blue Ridge Parkway experiences by milepost here.

Blue Ridge Parkway map here. 

Oconaluftee River

On our way into Great Smoky Mountains National Park on Newfound Gap Road we came through Cherokee NC, at which time we passed right by the Oconaluftee Visitor Center; this was actually where we saw our very first elk (a small part of the Cataloochee Valley herd has split off and now lives in the area). However, it wasn’t until we had completed our loop of the east half of the National Park that we stopped in with several goals in mind.

First, we wanted to have lunch; we had worked up an appetite hiking up to Mingo Falls in Cherokee. We navigated through the traffic jam that had formed around the elk already out in the field, and luckily found a spot in the overflowing parking lot. Having grabbed a picnic blanket we headed to the grassy area just next to the Visitor Center with our sandwiches, only to find that our arrival was just in time for live music! The timing couldn’t have been better; on the porch there were half a dozen musicians playing traditional Appalachian music as part of the Back Porch Old-Time Music Jam series.

Our next item of business after lunch was for the boys to show their completed Junior Ranger activity books to a Park Ranger and receive their Junior Ranger badge and certificate. We had picked the booklets up on the way in at the Clingmans Dome Visitor Center, and the boys had diligently completed each task, picked up litter on their hikes, and engaged with Park Service volunteers in Cataloochee Valley. Once again I am impressed by how involved the boys got into the activities, the material covering a wide range of topics but very well thought out, age-appropriate and suitable to each portion of our visit. Here I would like to note that there was a cost of $2.50 for each Junior Ranger booklet, but as entry to the Park is free, we felt this was a reasonable fee.

The Visitor Center has the usual exhibits, facilities and knowledgeable employees, as well as maps and informational brochures concerning to all sorts of topics related to the Park, its history and its inhabitants. The Visitor Center also has the distinction of being a “green” building; constructed and donated by the Great Smoky Mountains Association, the state-of-the-art facility features energy efficient design and eco-friendly materials.  We stamped our Park Passports, chose a couple of souvenirs from the gift shop, and then headed out to the Mountain Farm Museum.

Most of the farm buildings in the Mountain Farm Museum date back to around 1900, and were moved from their original locations to create the open-air museum. Originally located throughout the area that is now the Park, visitors can explore the structures at their leisure. The Museum includes a log farmhouse, barn, apple house, springhouse, and a working blacksmith shop. Make sure to check out the Davis house, as it was built out of chestnut wood before the chestnut blight eliminated the American Chestnut from our forests in the 1940s.

We continued on along the Oconaluftee River Trail, a 1.5 mile hike that connects the Visitor Center to the boundary of the Park with the Cherokee Indian Reservation. Not only is the trail one of only two in the Park to allow dogs and bicycles, but it is also the Cherokee Oconaluftee River TRACK Trail, with the trailhead on the Cherokee end. On our hike we examined interpretive panels about Cherokee folklore (it was fascinating to see the information translated into Cherokee Syllabary!), passed under the terminus of the Blue Ridge Parkway (the 469-mile drive that connects GSMNP with Shenandoah NP in Virginia) and stopped at the entrance to the Park to snap a picture at the welcome sign.

At the southern end of the trail we picked up the Animal Athletes TRACK Trail brochure, and on the hike back various Cherokee legends came to life as we listened to stories of how animals helped create the world and why certain animals look the way they do. As we were doing the pictured exercises to be as strong and fast as the animals in these legends, we kept an eye out for animals that call the area around the river home – and we weren’t disappointed. Not even two dozen feet from the trail an elk was resting in the shade, waiting for dusk to arrive so that it can go feed in the meadow. Groundhogs were running to and fro around their burrows, wild turkeys were foraging along the treeline, and at the confluence of the Oconaluftee with Raven Fork we watched a woman catch and release a beautiful rainbow trout.

Can you spot the elk in the upper right photo? (Groundhog center top, turkeys lower right)

Once we were back within sight of the Mountain Farm Museum we cut over to the river where we spent the next hour relaxing as the sun slowly sank in the sky. Although we had one day left to explore the Smokies, this would be our last day in the Park. It was only fitting that we would get caught in an elk-viewing traffic jam on our way out…

The next Back Porch Old-Time Music Jams at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center are on November 19^th and December 17^th. The December date is also “Holiday Homecoming,” with demonstrations of old time crafts such as quilting, weaving, basket & doll making, apple cider pressing and apple butter churning. The event is free and runs from 10am to 3pm; for more information visit the Great Smoky Mountains Association website.

Crossing under the terminus to the Blue Ridge Parkway

A night in Cataloochee Valley

Cataloochee Valley from the overlook

There are two ways into Cataloochee Valley. The first and most direct route involves about 11 miles of winding mountain roads, 3 of which are gravel. A second, more scenic route is to take highway Route 32 (the Old Cataloochee Turnpike) from Cosby, TN, a good 14 miles of gravel road. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about 520,000 acres, but the mileage to reach this eastern vestige of the Park that is daunting: 65 miles from Gatlinburg and 39 from Cherokee. However, I had booked the last available campsite at the primitive campground for that evening, and so it was all in as we turned off Interstate 40 near the TN/NC border and headed into the mountains.

We opened the sunroof to let the filtered autumn light in, rolled the windows down to breathe in the cool mountain air, and crossed our fingers that the noise coming from the rear driver’s side wouldn’t get any worse. The ‘turnpike’ is a marvel in road-building, what was originally a livestock trade route was completed in 1860 just in time for the Union Army to move into North Carolina from Tennessee during the Civil War. The road immediately turned into gravel, and as we wound our way up into the mountains from Jonathon Valley we passed a few homes and driveways. Later, nothing but endless forest - other than the two (probably) locals in their pickups who barreled down that one-lane road without guardrails with only a curious glance at the out of state sedan just moseying on along. Then down we went, twisting and turning on our descent into the valley, finally coming to a large bridge over Cataloochee Creek and the hydrologic bench-mark streamflow station operated by the US Geological Survey. Boards rattling as we pulled across, we were in the home stretch; a few more miles and we crossed back over the creek to enter the meadows.

Cataloochee Valley is nestled among 6000-foot peaks, an isolated area that used to have one of the largest and most prosperous settlements in what is now the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Cherokee hunted and fished in the valley, naming the area “Gadalutsi” (meaning standing up in a row), but white settlers pushed into the valley in the early 1800s. In 1910 there were 1,200 residents, and although they were amazed when rumors surfaced that the government would buy the land to form the Park, by 1938 all but a few families had moved on. The history of these former residents of the Valley can be explored in the preserved school, churches, barn, and several homes in the valley.

Viewing wildlife in the Smokies can be challenging because of the dense forest cover, which is why areas like Cades Cove attract so many visitors; the open meadows provide some of the best opportunities to see deer, elk, bear and turkey. As many animals are most active at night, often it is during the early morning and late evening when they can be seen – and we weren’t disappointed as we made our entrance in the waning light.

In the spring of 2001 the National Park Service released 25 elk in the Park. Originally roaming over much of the eastern United States, elk were eliminated from the region by over-hunting and loss of habitat. Another two dozen elk were released in 2002, and today an estimated 150 to 200 animals residing in GSMNP. The majority live in Cataloochee Valley, although in recent years a satellite herd has appeared on Balsam Mountain and a group of about 20 elk have taken up residence near the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.

By camping in the Valley we were able to enjoy prime wildlife-viewing time without having to drive the narrow mountain roads at dark or attempt to make the trip in the early morning hours. The campground was ideal for car camping, with 27 sites open mid-March through October for tents or RVs up to 31 feet (group camping is also available by advance reservation). We set up our tents, cooked up some chili for dinner, and topped it off with hot chocolate and s’mores before crawling into our sleeping bags and settling in for the night.

The next morning we proceeded down the Cataloochee Entrance Rd to the main meadows. White-tailed deer and wild turkey were grazing in the distance, and while we were speaking to a pair of volunteers (that had a portable wildlife lab in their vehicle!), an elk bugled off in the distance.

The morning was spent exploring the historical structures and enjoying the colorful show of foliage. Five historic buildings are located along the road in the valley, and other buildings can be reached from the 6-mile Little Cataloochee Trail. Make sure to pick up the Self-guiding Auto Tour booklet at one of the visitors centers; it provides brief histories of each structure as well as a map and interesting background information on the area.

It wasn’t long until the valley started filling up with visitors who had made the trip that morning from Maggie Valley or Cherokee. We decided to let them have a turn, and packed up for our trip out of the valley… this time a mere 10 miles on the ‘short’ route to the interstate!

One final stop; the overlook near the intersection with Big Creek Rd. is worth the stop (the first picture in this post is taken from the lookout). A little path leads to a higher point that allows for an unimpeded view of the valley and mountain peaks surrounding it, and if you’ve lucked out to be there on a beautiful fall day – well, it’s enough to make you wish you had a week’s reservation at the campground instead of a day!

Mingo Falls and Cherokee, NC

To the south of Great Smoky Mountains National Park are the town of Cherokee and the Cherokee Indian Reservation (Qualla Boundary). The home of the eastern band of the Cherokee Indians*, the sovereign nation is also the southern gateway to the Smokies, which is how we came to be in Cherokee; we had taken Newfound Gap Rd. from Cherokee up to Clingmans Dome, north to Sevierville & the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail, around to Cataloochee Valley and then back to Cherokee to close the loop, with a day on the Blue Ridge Parkway still planned on our trip.

  

In addition to the natural beauty of the Smokies all around, Cherokee is also known as a casino town with its Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. However, there’s so much more to this seemingly kitschy mountain town… If you would like to learn about the history and culture of the Cherokee people you have a multitude of options. Visitors can explore the Oconaluftee Indian Village, a recreated village from 1760, visit the Qualla Arts and Crafts Mutual to see authentic Cherokee arts and crafts as they’re created (bead working, pottery, stone carving, wood carving, basketry, finger weaving and more), or check out the Museum of the Cherokee Indian to learn about the fascinating heritage, history and culture of the Cherokees. Some of the most popular things to do in Cherokee include attending the Mountainside Theatre production “Unto These Hills” telling the story of the Cherokees, fish the Oconaluftee River, or revel in the scenic beauty of the region.

We chose to hike in to see one of the tallest and most spectacular waterfalls in the southern Appalachians, Mingo Falls. The hike to the falls is short, but steep; the ¼ mile trail is mostly stairs up to the base of the falls. Despite the easy access and beauty of the falls, there was less traffic headed to this waterfall on a busy autumn weekend than at the other Smokies waterfalls we had visited, including Grotto Falls.

The small parking lot had speedy turnover, and soon enough we were climbing up the stairs along Mingo Creek. Mingo Falls is called Big Bear Falls in the Cherokee language, and it cascades 200 feet nearly down granite boulders on its descent to Raven Fork and the Oconaluftee River. At the top of the stairway a short path leads to a viewing bridge at the very base of the falls.

Even with very dry weather in the past months, the falls were still a sight to behold. As the boys splashed in the creek, we took a moment to just enjoy: the sounds of all that water rushing by, the colorful foliage reflected in the pools below, the smell of autumn with a hint of wood smoke in the air.

If you’re staying on the Cherokee end of GSMNP you should definitely find time to visit Mingo Falls. Our next stop was the Oconaluftee Visitor Center only 5 miles away, but the beautiful waterfall remained with us on the remainder of our journey.

*The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians has over 14,500 tribal members who have lived in this region for generations. The Cherokee people continue their traditional lifestyle of fishing, hunting and gathering wild foods from the mountains as well as enjoying modern careers. The tribe operates the Cherokee Indian Hospital Authority, tribal services for visitors & residents, and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino & Hotel. For more information, please visit www.nc-cherokee.com.

Behind Grotto Falls

After the mountain vistas and high peaks of the previous day, I wanted to show the boys a different side of Great Smoky Mountains National Park; one of moist hardwood coves, abundant animal life, towering trees and fragrant forests that in my mind embody this National Park. The timing of our visit coincided with prime leaf-peeping in the region, and despite the draw of the unique historical and biological value of nearby Cades Cove, I knew that it would be bumper-to-bumper traffic, overflowing pull-offs and very little, if any wildlife sightings – which is why I turned my attention to the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.

Similar to Cades Cove only in that it’s a loop, the one-way Roaring Fork passes through rhododendron thickets and dense hardwood forests as it follows the old roadbed of the Roaring Fork community. To reach it, visitors must drive through Gatlinburg and then a short distance on Cherokee Orchard Rd, through what once was an 800-acre commercial orchard in the early 1900s. It was here that we saw our first bear; traffic had slowed to near stop despite the ranger waving everyone on. Not long after we spotted a wild turkey, of which we would see a lot of on this trip! After 3.6 miles we made the right turn onto Roaring Fork, where a tour booklet can be purchased from the kiosk for a small fee.

Built by hand, the road is narrow and serpentine, winding through the forest connecting the homesteads of about 25 families that lived in the area. Many had running water thanks to a series of troughs which can still be seen today, such as at the Alfred Regan Cabin. Proximity to the river and various tributaries also means fantastic natural geographic features; there are three major waterfalls within easy hiking distance of the Motor Trail. Rainbow Falls is a strenuous 5.4 miles to an 80-foot waterfall that is very popular due to the heavy mist that surrounds it, the Baskins Falls trail (3.2 miles) leads to a 30-foot waterfall, and a 2.6 mile hike will bring you to Grotto Falls.

We chose Grotto Falls as our destination, partly for the shorter distance, and partly due to it being rated moderate (it has an elevation gain of 585ft as opposed to 1,700ft on Rainbow Falls and 950ft for Baskins). Then there's the trees; although the old-growth hemlock forest is suffering the effects of the balsam woody adelgid, there are still enormous hemlocks to be seen. However the clincher was the grotto; the trail actually passes behind the 25ft waterfall!

The trail is packed hard with years of use, not only by people headed to the waterfall, Brushy Mountain and LeConte Lodge, but also by llamas! As the resupply route for the lodge, it is the trail that the llama train uses to carry supplies up the mountain. The llamas leave very early in the morning, and so our chances of catching them on the way up were slim to none. But in order to get a parking spot we headed out sooner than later, and so they hadn’t started their return trip yet (it’s my understanding that they usually return sometime in the afternoon). We had to settle for llama poop and checking out the llama trailer…

This is far from a secret hike, and is actually one of the most popular hikes on this side of the park; therefore it was not surprising that we arrived to a crowd at the waterfall. As the kids were still fresh we decided to keep climbing, hoping to reach the intersection of Trillium Gap and Brushy Mountain trail (3+ miles from the trailhead), where I’ve heard the views are pretty fantastic. However after about another mile we got our fill of views and elevation gain, and instead headed back down to linger at the falls.

Although there was still a crowd, it wasn’t quite as obnoxious as when we were on our way up. We let the boys play in Roaring Fork, and were rewarded with several salamander sightings including what might have been a hellbender judging by its size. 

A salamander (but not the hellbender), a millipede and a brown squirrel

Not only a haven for amphibians, the perpetual mist makes it ideal habitat for wildflowers such as white and yellow trillium in the spring, hence the name Trillium Gap.

source: here

Know before you go: The roundtrip distance to the waterfall is 2.6 miles and the hike is generally considered moderate in difficulty. It takes about 2-3 hours to hike to the waterfall and back so carry drinking water with you. Pets and bicycles are prohibited on the trail, and black bears are regularly seen in the area. Do not climb on rocks around the waterfall; people have fallen to their deaths and suffered serious injuries! Not only are you risking life & limb and causing erosion of sensitive habitat on your way to the top, but you are ruining other people’s photos for that selfie – and there’s nothing to be seen at the top! Finally, make sure to stop at the roadside Thousand Drips Falls near the exit of the Motor Trail; after a rain it’s a great cascade plummeting down the mountain, but even in drier weather it is still a sight to behold.

Once back at the car we continued on the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail and found a quieter spot to enjoy a picnic lunch. The boys spent an hour splashing in the cool mountain water before we packed up the car and headed east into the mountains, where more adventures awaited.

A boy finds his first salamander