Tropical Depression (trop’i-kel di-presh’en) n. The way I always feel when I have to cancel a hiking trip because of the weather.

Last week, a tropical storm came up from the Gulf of Mexico just in time for the weekend. We had planned to drive to Hot Springs Friday evening and camp and do some dayhiking. Despite the threatening forecast, we decided to go anyway, although we did wait until Saturday morning to leave. By the time we reached Asheville, the sun was out.

Christy, Saucony, and I met Bob and Laura outside of Hot Springs. From there, we headed even farther off the beaten path into the Bald Mountains along the state line. We drove up to Big Creek (how many of those are there in North Carolina?) and eventually found the trailheads. We ran a short car shuttle, and were on the trail by the crack of noon.

We hiked up past a small sawmill and into the woods. We followed an old jeep road, which narrowed down to a heavily overgrown footpath. We had just begun when Christy spotted a fair-sized black snake in the weeds. Bob tried to get a picture, but it wasn’t in the mood to pose. We hiked up along Dry Creek, which was appropriately named since the water frequently disappeared underground. The farther we climbed though, the more overgrown the trail became. Worst of all, most of the weeds were stinging nettles, and we were all scratching like crazy when we stopped for lunch. We were lucky to find a spot that was slightly clearer than the surrounding jungle.

After lunch, we climbed farther, finally leaving Dry Creek behind for Green Ridge. The ridge hiking was easier and less overgrown, but reaching the AT was a real joy. The broad path seemed like a highway after the climb through the nettles.

We hiked the AT for a couple of miles, passing a civil war era gravestone in a lovely clearing. We then reached a 4-way intersection at the top of Big Butt (another of my favorite names) and turned left to stay on the AT. After a short climb, we took a short side trail up to Big Rocks. Normally the views would have been good, but low clouds obstructed most of the vistas.

After a short break, we continued on the AT through a rough, rocky, and slippery stretch before reaching another meadow. Here was another gravestone, and a mountain ash tree full of red berries. We continued along the state line crest, passing through more woods and meadows. We passed a group of 3 backpackers (the only other people we saw all day) and paused to chat. They had come up from the Tennessee side, on a trail even more overgrown than our own. They had the scratches on their legs to prove it.

We dropped down to a nice shelter in a clearing before climbing again. We then left the AT at a marked junction with the Fork Ridge Trail. The sign was reassuring, although the distance was wrong. We descended steadily, arriving at the trailhead a little before 6 pm. It had been a good hike at 10 miles (note that the mileage in Dehart's guide book is wrong) despite the itchy start.

We had originally planned to stay at a campground in Hot Springs. However, it was a good 45 minute drive to get there. Since there were plenty of tent spots along the edge of the parking area, we decided to stay where we were. I’m not usually a big fan of camping in parking lots, but this was a nice spot. There was no one else around, and the only light was from a sky full of stars. The only sounds were the rushing of Big Creek and the occasional call of an owl. We enjoyed a pleasant evening around the campfire, planning Sunday’s hike.

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