Solitude on Andrews Bald

I took the opportunity to hike to Andrews Bald after work yesterday, despite the fact it was going to be around 7 before I could get to the trail head. After getting off at 6 I started up to Clingmans Dome and made it to the parking lot by 6:45. I strapped on my daypack and started towards the trail head, which is located between the water fountain and Observation Tower trail. The trail dropped off to the left, descending over loose rock and some excellent trail building using telephone poles. Alot of work went into that, kudos to the trail crews. The trail itself starts off with lots of loose rock and huge stone slabs to the left. After a tenth of a mile, the trail makes a sharp left and drops into a spruce and fir forest, although many of the firs have died due to the balsam woolly adelgid. The trail continued to descend through more loose rock and gnarled roots and then levels out on ridge that is loaded with juvenile spruce and fir trees. As I'm hiking, I'm surrounded by the trilled call of the Veery, a visitor from the Northern tier of the country, singing its song like a flute.

Nothing in particular was blooming along the trail except for the occasional bluet, but the earthy smell of the forest was more than enough to keep me enthralled. The sun was setting, so I was moving along fairly quickly, hoping not to get caught in the dark on the return trip. While scooting around a turn, I could hear a group of people coming towards me, wondering out loud if there were any other idiots out here this late. Perfect timing, huh? I'm your idiot.... After chatting for awhile, I got back to movin along. In about a mile, the Forney Creek trail drops off to the right, while our trail continues on straight. Continuing along a level section, the trail abruptly starts an eroded rocky climb. It climbs through the quite forest only to descend towards Andrews Bald.

This area is named for Andres Thompson who herded cattle on the bald in the 1840's. During this time, Forney Ridge was called Rip Shin Ridge, a testament to it's rocky slopes I'm sure. Andres moved his family to the bald around 1850, where he continued to live after returning home from the Civil War. The origins of the Southern Appalachian balds is still a mystery to scientist today. Some think they were created by fires, and others thinks it's from Eastern Bison grazing here and then maintained and expanded by the Cherokee and later on by the settlers of the region. Although we may never know, they are beautiful spots, that are unique and becoming rarer in Southern Appalachia.

Andrews Bald unfolded slowly, hiding it's magnificence behind scattered stands of young firs., with the occasional Rhododendron or Flame Azalea peeking out. I came around a large stand of firs to be stopped by gassy field with azaleas and rhodo acting as a foreground to a view of the Unicoi, Snowbird, and Balsam mountain ranges. Such a magnificent view that spread out in front of me. Flame Azaleas (rhododendron calendulaceum) in their fiery oranges acting out in against the green backdrop punctuated the occasional Catawba Rhododendron (rhododendron catawhiense) that was sill blooming in a soft purple hue. This is why I live here. This exact moment, this view, this unbelievable beauty. The only sound I can here is the buzzing of bees and the slight rustle of of the trees in a soft breeze. The moment is intruded upon by a plane flying high above me to somewhere, with people who might never get the chance to achieve complete peace in a place such as this.

Sitting on a rock, I can see Lake Fontana in the distance shining like a jewel on a green carpet. Two forest fires are burning some ways off. Looks like ones around Chillowee and the other somewhere around the Balsams. Light clouds are blowing across the horizon as the sky darkens to deeper blues while the sun falls slowly to the horizon. Suddenly, I snap out of my trance and remember I need to get back before it gets too dark. I really don't want to walk up that loose rock in darkness. Moving along the trail, I am accompanied to the trail head by the continual singing of more Veerys, such a pretty song. I'm jolted back to reality as I can hear loud voices and laughter above me at the Clingmans Dome parking lot. As I get to the top, I run onto one of the L.E. guys I know that is responding to someone having tried to breakin to the Friends of the Smokies donation box. Sad. I don't know how they're going to get into it, the locks were destroyed.

After chatting for a bit, I jumped into the truck for the ride home in the deepening twilight. I was lucky enough to catch the last bit of a beautiful sunset from the Bunches Bald Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. After soaking in the last few rays of light, it was time to get home before Cat started wondering where I was. It was a wonderful evening to do this hike, the blooms had peaked, but even without them, this is still a rewarding hike. It was made all that more special by being the only one there to enjoy it. I surprised myself by making this hike in a little over an hour for both legs, but not including time spent at the bald, which was definitely not long enough. I would rate this as somewhere between easy to moderate. There were no brutal climbs, but the amount of rock moved it into the moderate area. Total lentgh was about 3.6 miles and it is definitely worth it!