Mountains to Sea Trail - Craven Gap to Haw Creek Overlook (Buncombe County, North Carolina)

 

North Carolina's Mountains-to-Sea Trail spans some 1,175 miles from Clingman's Dome, the tallest point along the Appalachian Trail to the tallest sand dune in Jockey's Ridge State Park on the outer banks. I'd love to backpack this trail someday, but that's not today unfortunately. I'm in Asheville this weekend for a race, but I wanted to stretch my legs a little bit today in advance of the race tomorrow. Doing a small section of this trail seemed like it would do just that.

I chose to hike a section just northeast of town from Craven Gap to the Haw Creek Overlook. From the map, it seemed mostly flat and with a distance I felt I could handle without any leg fatigue that might hurt my time at the half-marathon tomorrow. I woke up a bit later than I had planned, but I don't really have anything I have to do today and so, it really has no impact. 

Driving the windy Town Mountain Road, which runs parallel but above the Blue Ridge Parkway, to the trailhead, I encounter a black bear running across the road right in front of me and climbing up the bank to my left. I know there are a great many bears in this region, but this is the first time I've seen one myself. It's unfortunate, as this is a residential area with many homes and the bear surely makes a living by digging through our trash. 

Reaching the parking area, I take a couple of minutes to get my bearings before heading out. It's a little confusing here due to the junction of this road with the Blue Ridge Parkway and a couple of different paths into the woods. I eventually figure it out though and begin hiking the trail. It's lush and green all around me this time of year, though the trail is well maintained. I do spot a lot of poison ivy though and will have to be conscious of where I step. As I expected, the trail is mostly flat with just a few little climbs. 

As I approach the southern end of my planned trail, there is a fairly steep climb followed by a decent. One small section has some stone steps placed to aid in the ascent. Dropping down the other side, I see the sign for the overlook and decide this would be a good place to stop and enjoy a granola bar and some water. It's not that hot, but it is so very humid here. As I join some other hikers out on the rocky clifftop with the Blue Ridge Parkway far below, I'm actually a little surprised to realize that I'm experiencing a fear of heights. I don't think this spot is particularly dangerous, but for whatever reason, I feel how tense my legs are and an elevated heart rate. I finish my bar and get some water, while enjoying the view. I'm somehow relieved though when I finally decide to head back to the trail. Strange.

The return trip requires attack that small mountain again and I feel up to the challenge. As I reach the bottom of the other side, I encounter a small box turtle on the trail. I try to not to bother him, but he still retreats mostly into his shell as a defensive tactic. I snap a picture and wish him a good day before continuing north back to my car. 

When I finally reach the Craven's Gap again, I'm pretty sweaty from the humidity. I decide to put on a dry shirt that I normally have packed in the back of my car. Ah, much better. I notice that my GPS app lost connection at some point and so the map and distance is a little off, but according to Alltrails.com, this section should have been 5.7 miles. I'll go with that. It's a nice little trail and I'd like to see more of it someday, but for now, I'm off to my next adventure.