NC Bartram Trail Hike

Our friend Cliff Hardin recently wrote a good guide about hiking a 58 mile loop of the NC Bartram Trails and the Appalachian Trail, starting and ending at the NOC. This hike can be done in 5 days, following the guide below. A 3-day version of the hike is also described at the end of the article:

"A Great Hike" by Cliff Hardin

"Hikers seeking a great hike should consider the 58 mile loop hike, utilizing the Appalachian and NC Bartram Trails, starting and ending at the Nantahala Outdoor Center.

Since this hike starts and finishes at the same place, the NOC can be used as a "base camp". This allows you to take advantage of the NOC's lodging and great restaurants the night before and the night after the hike.

You can also make arrangements to leave your vehicle in a secure parking lot. Contact NOC reservations at 1-888-905-7238 or visit their website www.noc.com for more information.

Tip: I personally like to stay in the Bartram Bunkhouse and always request one of the 2 bunk rooms, a bargain at $16 per person, per night.

5 Day, 58 mile hike:

Day One: 11.6 miles: After a good night's rest and a great breakfast at the NOC's River's End Restaurant, take the AT South from NOC. Hike to Cold Spring Shelter; spend the first night in the shelter. Water is available here, be sure to treat or filter the water. Keep in mind a lot of the 11.6 miles will be uphill, as you will be climbing to Wayah Bald the first day and part of the second day. Plan on a few rest breaks and carry enough water for the day's hike.

Day Two: 10.9 miles: It is 5.9 miles from Cold Spring Shelter to Wayah Bald, with the AT and NC Bartram Trails joining just North of the summit (5,385'). Wayah Bald would be a great place for lunch, while you enjoy some awesome views, from the tower, that was built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937. After you enjoy lunch and hopefully take some great pictures, take the Appalachian/Bartram Trail for 1.8 miles to Wine Springs. The BT and AT separate here. You may want to get water here before hiking on to Jarrett Bald, where you will camp for the night.

Day Three: 12.3 miles: The hike starts out with downhill for 2.5 miles to Nantahala Lake (SR 1310). After about a mile of road walking you will come to a store, on the left, where you can get a cold drink and obtain water for the rest of the day's hike. It's 9.7 miles to Piercy Creek, where you will find some nice camp sites, with water available from the creek.

Day Four: 10.8 miles: After 7.3 miles, with a lot of downhill, you will reach Nantahala River Launch (US Hwy 19/74). Be sure to go by the Bartram Historical Marker, for pictures, before hiking the 3.5 miles to the 2nd crossing of Ledbetter Creek, your camp site for the night.

Day Five: 11.5 miles: It's 3.7 miles to Cheoah Bald (5,062'), the northern terminus of the NC Bartram Trail. From here take the AT 7.8 miles to finish the hike at NOC. Be sure to allow time for pictures at Bartram Falls and at the summit of Cheoah Bald.

After a good meal, a hot shower and good nights rest, you will be ready for the trip home, carrying with you memories of a great hike and hopefully some great pictures.

It's possible to make this a 3 day, 40 mile hike by getting a shuttle from NOC to Wayah Bald, thus eliminating the climb from NOC to Wayah Bald on the AT.

Tip: I have been successful in obtaining an early morning shuttle for my Bartram thru-hikes from NOC employees prior to their going to work. You can still leave your vehicle in a secure parking lot and will be hiking back to the NOC.

3 day, 40 mile hike:

Day One: 13.5 miles: Wayah Bald to Nantahala Lake 7.5 miles, then 6 miles to Appletree Campgrounds. There are nice camp sites, just north of Appletree.
Day Two: 15 miles from Appletree Campgrounds to 2nd crossing of Ledbetter Creek.
Day Three: 11.5 miles: Same as day 5 of the 58 miles hike.

I highly recommend that the Bartram Trail Maps be obtained and used in planning any hike on the Bartram. The maps are available on the NC Bartram Trail Society website online store. http://ncbartramtrail.org (or available at Ranger Stations). The cost is only $15.00 for the entire set of seven maps, and you can use maps 1-4 to plan your hikes of the rest of the NC Bartram Trail. You may also want to consider becoming a member of the NC Bartram Trail Society.

As you hike the NC Bartram Trail, keep in mind that you will be taking a trip back in early US history. The trail follows, as near as possible, the travels of William Bartram through the beautiful mountains of Western North Carolina in the mid 1770's.

Enjoy your hike,
-Cliff Hardin, NCBTS Board Member"

Thanks for the article Cliff! Here is a slideshow of images that Cliff put together of his personal trip down the trail:



Enjoy!
-John Puckett

Bartram Trail Section 7: Ledbetter Creek

Flowing into the Nantahala River not far after the river's first significant rapid, Patton's Run, Ledbetter Creek is an almost negligible feature on the river trip. Paddlers are usually still settling down after the shuttle, and the creek is just another part of the abrupt transition into a (mostly) natural setting.

But despite its modest enhancement to the Nantahala River trip, Ledbetter Creek is probably the most amazing part of the Nantahala Gorge, though to see it boaters will have to drive back up the gorge after the river trip. The trailhead is just down the road (east) of the Patton's Run pull off. You can park at the picnic area on the north side of the road (where I always park), or at the parking area by the bridge on the south side. Coming from the west, when you see the Mystic Lands development slow down, you're about there. The hike heads north, so you may as well park at the picnic area unless there's no room.

The trail begins winding through a camping area which the Forest Service seems to have marked "no camping". This is a bit maze-like, but you'll be working left (or west) to the creek, spanned by a Bartram Trail Society bridge:

After the bridge the extra side trails through the campsites consolidate into the one yellow-blazed Bartram Trail, and you're off. From here you the trail begins an uphill trek that disappointingly leads away from the creek. It's still very beautiful, but after your first experience with the lush, verdant, soothing creek, you don't want to leave. This portion of the hike gains elevation, and this is where you pay your dues for the beauty ahead. Section 7 of the Bartram Trail gains well over 3,000' in its last four miles, making it one of the most strenuous hikes around the area, and while the hike up to Bartram Falls doesn't do a third of this, it does give you a taste of that climb. This isn't extraordinarily difficult, but if you're not in good shape be prepared to take extra time and bring plenty of water. In summer heat this extended climb can challenge people. I'm in pretty good shape, and I have to pause a few times on the way up myself. This is a typical view on the uphill:

On the way up you'll be treated by some good views of the Gorge. There's no grand overlook, but you can see the other side through the trees, and you can tell you've gained a good chunk of elevation. Unfortunately, you can hear traffic pretty well on the way up too, but when you've put most of the climb behind you, you turn off to the north and this noise immediately vanishes. In late July you start to see some blackberries on the way up too. Here're some from yesterday:

After topping out, you'll wind through a rhododendron tunnel fortified by large rock formations jutting starkly of the side of the mountain. If it's hot this is a pleasant place to cool down after the climb. In here the trail winds back down to the creek. Keep going and eventually you'll reach the first of a series of creek crossings. For me this is where I stop "hiking" and start "loafing", meaning that from here on I'm admiring/marveling more than going anywhere expeditiously. This crossing is where you'll be thankful you either a) hiked in river sandals or all condition shoes or b) brought some in your day pack to change into. There are plenty more to come, so you may as well just leave the sandals on. (I did the whole hike in Chacos yesterday and never stubbed my toe and only once or twice got debris in my shoe, so I recommend those.)

From here, you begin a gradual uphill climb along Ledbetter Creek. This gorge-in-a-gorge features lush flora (including mushrooms--there must have been 25 different types of mushrooms yesterday), lots of wildlife (we saw turkeys, salamanders, songbirds and a bunch of crazy-looking bugs) and countless picturesque cascades. Below are some of the best photos, but for a full gallery go to the Nantahala Outdoor Center Facebook page. These and many more are between the first creek crossing after the climb and the 50' Bartram Falls:

The piece d'resistance, and more or less the end of the day hike, is Bartram Falls. This is a great place to chill out, and it's worth walking up the trail just beyond the falls to see the mini-falls right above it. As always, don't go too close to this (or any of the falls). The rocks are slick, and sadly a few people die every year in North Carolina trying to get a bit too close to waterfalls, so be careful!

Here and back you're looking at a six-mile round trip. The Bartram Trail Society estimates the hike at around four hours, but give yourself a bit more time to mosey about if it's a pretty day. I recommend going in the middle of the day since you'll be in a mini-gorge with lots of shade. Things can get dark quickly, so you probably don't want to get caught in twilight without a light. Though the Bartram Trail map won't be a very helpful navigational tool for this hike (it's a map of the entire trail), it has interesting contextual information that may enhance the hike (William Bartram info, other day hikes, natural history, etc.). You can get a copy of the map, and any other necessary supplies, at Nantahala Outdoor Center's Outfitter's Store about seven miles east on US 19/74. Every hiker of this section should be grateful to the Bartram Trail Society for their diligent trail maintenance.

For more photos visit Nantahala Outdoor Center on Facebook and look for the Ledbetter Creek photo album.