Oct 4 Hyatt Ridge

Late Purple Aster

 Mountain Gentian

The hike today incorporates 2 trails, Hyatt Ridge and part of the Beech Gap Trails. The form a horseshoe which combined with a road walk completes a loop of about 10 miles. I begin climbing steadily up. The trail does not relent for the first 1.8 miles to the junction of Enloe Creek Trail. This section had been timbered about 100 years ago and now has many very tall and straight Tulip Poplars. It appears Elk have been using this trail as well as hikers and horses. At the junction, I stopped for a break. Someone had left a huge upright log, about the height of a low table.

At the junction, Hyatt Ridge Trail turns right and climbs the ridge. This area has not been timbered. It contained many very large Red Oaks with massive trucks and huge crowns. Also, all along this ridge are Chestnut skeletons, most laying on the ground but a few still partially upright. At each one, I see many young American Chestnut trees. None were fruiting. Above is a leaf with a still partially standing dead one in the background.

One of the massive Oaks I saw

The next trail junction also had a small log table with log seats. Here I continues to end of the trail at camp #44, also referred to as MacKee Spring. I looked about the camp but did not see the spring. My hike down was on the Beech Gap Trail. It weaved its way down the coves, passing several dry streams before reaching Straight Creek and the road walk back to my car.