TRAY

 

 

Last week I was given a last-minute, one-day work assignment near Atlanta.  I had to be in Kennesaw by 7:30 on Friday morning, so I drove down Thursday afternoon and spent the night.  I travel for work almost every week, and I like to make the most of my opportunities.  On this occasion, I was able to meet up with a friend in Kennesaw on Thursday evening for dinner and a few beers.  On Friday afternoon, I hoped to squeeze in a hike in the mountains of northern Georgia before heading home.

 

Tray Mountain has been on my to-do list for years.  Several people have told me that it has great scenery.  Recently, Backpacker magazine ran an article listing the “best” view in every state.  They chose Tray Mountain, and the article reminded me that I still hadn’t been there.  For Friday afternoon, I planned a hike on the Appalachian Trail to the summit.  The best option was a hike from highway 75 at Unicoi Gap, 9 miles north of the touristy town of Helen.  The round-trip hike would be over 10 miles, with more than 3,000’ of elevation gain.  In the end, I extended the hike to 11 ½ miles by continuing on to the Tray Mountain Shelter beyond the summit.

 

I finished my job at 10am and drove north.  The drive took longer than expected, and I didn’t reach Unicoi Gap until shortly after noon.  There were four cars there when I arrived, along with a solo backpacker that had just finished a short section hike.  I organized my gear and hit the trail, which starts with a steep climb up Rocky Mountain.  I passed a couple that had climbed up the trail a short distance from the parking area.  The guy asked me if there were any views ahead.  I told him that I wasn’t familiar with the trail, but that Tray Mountain was supposed to have great views.  I then mentioned that it was 5 miles farther on.  At that, they headed back down.  Surprisingly, they were the only people I saw all day.

 

It turns out that there are quite a few other views along the way.  I stopped for a quick lunch on the wooded summit of Rocky Mountain.  A hundred yards farther on, I came to the first of several overlooks.  This stretch of trail skirts the summit, but traverses a series of cliffs along the south side of the mountain.  Those cliffs offered some nice views, which was a nice warm up for the scenery to come.  A descent to a forest road followed.  From there, I hiked through long tunnels of rhododendron and galax before crossing a second forest road.  A bit later I reached a great campsite in a clearing.  The A.T. Database calls it the old cheese factory site.  Was there really a cheese factory here once upon a time?

 

A bit farther was another view.  This one encompassed most of Tray Mountain, though the actual summit was blocked from view by trees.  A third forest road crossing followed, before I finally entered the Tray Mountain Wilderness.  The final climb up Tray Mountain began here.  Along the way I was treated to another view, this one a narrow window through the trees to the north.

 

A final climb brought me to the rocky summit.  There is another narrow view to the north from here, and a nicer, broader view to the south.  The A.T. Database mentioned more great views from the trail leading to the shelter, so I continued on.  A short, steep descent brought me to the spur trail, which I followed past several campsites.  One was situated near the brink of a cliff, and it featured another fine view to the east.  The shelter was just beyond, with a blue-blazed trail continuing on towards a spring.  I turned around there and headed back up.

 

Shortly before the summit I reached a small campsite next to the trail.  I was looking for an unmarked trail that leads out a spur ridge to a sub-peak.  I hadn’t seen it on the descent, but I found it behind the campsite.  I followed the narrow path through tangles of rhododendron to an isolated campsite in a small clearing at a wide spot along the ridge.  I found a rocky perch just beyond the campsite, with a fantastic view east and south.  It was the best vista on a day that was full of them.

 

So, was it the best view in Georgia?  Possibly.  I’m no expert on the mountains of Georgia, and no doubt there are many good views there that I haven’t seen.  Of the places I have been, only Rabun Bald is in the same league.

 

I had a snack there before heading back.  I returned quickly, as it was almost 4pm when I left, and I still had a long drive home.  The return hike went quickly, though the steep climb back up Rocky Mountain slowed me down a bit.  The walk back was pretty uneventful, except for spooking a bunch of wild pigs.  They scattered in every direction, and I wasn’t able to get a photo of any of them.

 

It was almost 6 pm when I returned to the parking area.  I still had a long drive home, but it was worth it.  I’d hiked in a new area – one I’d like to explore further.  I’d seen some great views, but had barely ventured into the Tray Mountain Wilderness Area.  A great 3-day backpacking trip would be from Unicoi Gap to the Standing Indian Campground in North Carolina’s Nantahala National Forest.  Heading south from Unicoi Gap also sounds like a nice trip.




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