Elk Knob State Park is one of the gems of the North Carolina State Park system. It became a part of the system only in 2003 after being acquired by and donated by the Nature Conservancy. Just a few miles from Boone, it does not garner the attention other nearby parks, like Grandfather Mountain and Blue Ridge Parkway parks have. At 5520 feet one would think it would dominate the surrounding area but it merely blends in with Snake Mtn, Three Top Mtn, Bluff Mtn and Mount Jefferson to name a few. To the north is the Grayson Highlands. South is Roan Mtn, Black Mtn, Grandfather Mtn and a host of others. So it is just another mountain in the sea of mountains. Elk Knob and several nearby neighbors differ from the others in that the alkalinity of the soil does dot support Rhododendrons. Roan, Grandfather and the Grayson areas are loaded with Rhododendron. Much of Elk Knob's ground cover is a thin bladed natural grass. You see it everywhere.
Originally, a jeep trail accessed the mountain top. It went straight up with few switchbacks and has eroded badly. Due to its steepness, it made for a strenuous climb. Local volunteers, including a group from Appalachian State University, have over the last 4 years built a wonderful trail. The stonework on this trail is fantastic. The new trail weaves its way to the top in a series of switchbacks, crossing the old jeep trail many times. As of right now, there is just a short piece right at the top that needs completion. Our visit was during a foggy day, so we had limited views but a sign atop indicates the many mountains you can see on a clear day. I recall it listed Pilot Mtn at 65 miles was visible on nice days,
We encountered some nice wildflowers, like the White wood aster below. We also saw some Blazing star on top. Much of the upper portion had colonies of Indian Pipe growing too.
No comments:
Post a Comment