AT in TN – Roan Highlands Ramble – 6/17/17 – 6 Miles
My training for our AT hiking in Maine next month was behind
schedule when a friend told me about her own plans to hike on an upcoming trip
to England. Where’s a good local trek
with great views to keep you motivated? Well,
I know just the place (not local) but...it’s a long drive there and a long
drive back, but you’ll be so glad you made the trip! Trish, her sister-in-law D’Lane, and I made a
day of it.
June is a popular month at Roan Mountain, when the azaleas
and rhododendrons bloom profusely at every turn – in fact, the day we chose was
the town’s annual Rhododendron Festival and traffic was bumper to bumper. After that slowdown we were definitely ready
to get our legs moving.
The Appalachian Trail crosses the road at Carver’s Gap and heads
northbound across grassy wildflower-covered fields and over the summits of Round Bald and Jane Bald. Then a
teensy side detour to Grassy Ridge Bald is the third summit in this triple crown. Our out-and-back hike started in sunshine,
then we watched storm clouds gather, felt the wind pick up and blow the clouds
through the gap, depositing a misty rain, and then the sun shone once
again. Some folks might have been uncomfortable
being exposed to all that, but my trooper friends appreciated the front row
seat to Mother Nature. What a grand show! Photos
below, no captions needed.
“Climb the mountains and get their
good tidings. Nature’s peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.
The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,
while cares drop off like autumn leaves.”
~John Muir
