Destination: Grandfather Mountain

Welcome back to High Country where the summer spirit of adventure has found its way deep into the scattered crags of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Lest we be waxing Tennyson it can still be said that the lands of the Lost Province are the perfect place to “watch from the mountain walls.” Between Boone and LInville, North Carolina, and with the most perfect summer weather this side of the coffee plantations of Mombacho, the wranglers have found their way to the slopes of Grandfather Mountain. At 5,946 feet (1,812 m) it boasts the highest peaks and most rugged hikes in the Southern Appalachians. Welcome to Destination: Grandfather Mountain.

Covering two-thousand feet of elevation the eleven hiking trails vary in difficulty and ecological communities. From gentle paths along with Watauga River to some of the most “sporting” hiking anywhere adventure seekers can get a serious workout while enjoying some ridiculously amazing vistas.

History

You know how it works. Over 700 million years ago tectonic plates within the earth’s crust came together. Among the results was the creation of one of the highest peaks in the Blue Ridge Mountain range.

The Cherokee named the mountain “Tanawha,” meaning “a fabulous hawk or eagle.” It was later named “Grandfather” by settlers who recognized the face of an old man in one of the cliffs. The area has been recorded in literature by countless historical figures including Daniel Boone (1760’s), Andre Michaux (1794), Asa Gray (1841) and John Muir (1898).

It is the highest peak on the eastern escarpment of the Blue Ridge Mountains, one of the major chains of the Appalachian Mountains. It is located at the meeting point of Avery, Caldwell (highest point), and Watauga (highest point) counties. The Blue Ridge Parkway curves past the south side of the mountain and also through the nearby Grandmother Gap.

Trails of Grandfather Mountain:

The west side trails begin at NC 105, near NC 184 (Tynecastle Hwy). A sign reading “Profile Parking” points to the Profile trail, which climbs steadily for 3.1 miles before intersecting the Grandfather trail. From there it is 0.4 miles south to Calloway Peak, and 0.8 miles north to Attic Window Peak. It’s 1 mile to Macrae’s Peak and 1.9 miles to the swinging bridge.

The east side trails can be found at Boone Fork parking area at mile marker 300 of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The trailhead is joined by way of the Asutsi trail at Serenity Farm on Hwy 221. The easiest east side route to Calloway Peak is to follow Tanawha Trail to the Daniel Boone Scout trail. This includes two large fixed ladders that traverse rock faces. The Cragway trail is steeper and littered with boulders but offers excellent views of the Boone Fork bowl, or “medicine valley.”

The Grandfather trail covers the 2.4 miles of ridge line between Calloway Peak and the Swinging Bridge (Linville Peak), passing Attic Window and MacRae Peaks along the way. This trail is among the most difficult and technical in the region. In addition to significant steep elevation gain and loss, trail conditions include frequent exposure to very high winds, contiguity to several large cliffs, crossings of cracked boulders, and multiple traverses aided by fixed ladders and cables. This 2.4 miles is normally covered at below half of normal hiking pace. In favorable weather conditions this trail is considered advanced. In poor weather, this trail should only be attempted by experienced hikers.

Features

The primary ridge of the mountain is oriented roughly north to south, and features four named peaks: Calloway Peak (5,964 ft.), Attic Window Peak (5,949 ft.), MacRae Peak (5,844 ft.), and Linville Peak (5,295 ft.). Although not as high as the adjacent Calloway and Attic Window Peaks, MacRae is much more difficult to reach due to challenging and exposed approaches from both both directions.

The area represents the Eastern Continental Divide. Two rivers have headwaters on Grandfather Mountain, the Linville River, flowing east, and the Watauga River, flowing west. Many lesser streams originate on the slopes of Grandfather, including: Upper Boone Fork, Little Wilson Creek, Wilson Creek (North Carolina), Stack Rock Creek, and others.

The attraction side of the mountain, which includes the Mile High Swinging Bridge, is accessed by way of Grandfather Mountain Entrance Road. Admittance fees are charged at the main gate. Part or all of the attraction is sometimes closed due to frequently inclement weather in the late fall, winter, and spring.

Hiking and camping are free in the “backcountry” area now designated as a state park. The required permits are available at all trail heads. Those intending to enter or leave the park via the attraction must still pay admittance. Fire is prohibited at many of the higher elevation campsites, due to high winds.

Visit the Grandfather Mountain website and like their social media sites at Facebook, Instagram Pinterest and Twitter.

Taken from the field notebook of Lucienda Rosalita 

“We are on the trail about 6:30 am. A late departure for such endeavors but Thunderbird was up late smoking and drinking rum. The walk up Profile Trail is a wonderland of blooming rhododendron under a thick deciduous canopy. Thunderbird’s knees and ankles are already visibly trembling and we are no less than halfway up the trail. He’s begun grumbling about the size and frequency of the boulder fields. We pass streams and thickets as the trail through the hardwood forest gives way to the “Peregrine’s Flight”, a vertical path of boulders rising all the way to Shanty Spring. This is the last sure water source on the trail, which is good news for those of us who have already began rationing our limited supply. Once again, we have run out of water somewhere near the summit and history has shown us that on the way back down no one will care whether the water running down the side of the mountain is full of parasites or not. 

At Grandfather Trail we decide to head south toward Macrae Peak and the swinging bridge. This is an amazing walk/scramble along the ridge line, supplying us with breathtaking views of the mountains all the way to Virginia. It is also littered with boulder-strewn vertical assents that are working to break both the spirit and body. Thunderbird continues to creep ever slower and produce more and louder noises when climbing over and around the rocks. After five hours we both realize it’s time to start heading back or someone is going to be sleeping on the mountain. The trail has gotten no less easier and as his feet and ankles deteriorate Thunderbird’s pace continues to drag. It is like mountain climbing with a manatee.”  l.r. 7/13/20

From the land of the Cherokee, keep up with the wranglers as we forge ahead into the very vortex of summer fun with foundations in advanced tubing. Learn from world champion river tubers as we navigate the raging rivers of Watauga and Ashe counties. Also watch for the five part series, “Lessons in Sloppy Fly Fishing” and answer the question, “How safe are the river trout?”  It may just be another in a long line of serious missteps.