Father / Son Trip 2019

Lakeshore Trail 3.0
Forney Creek Trail 0.4
Bear Creek Trail 2.8
Day One 6.2

Bear Creek Trail 3.1
Welch Ridge Trail 0.3
High Rock Trail 0.4
High Rock Trail 0.4
Welch Ridge Trail 0.3
Bear Creek Trail 3.1
Day Two 7.6

Bear Creek Trail 2.8
Forney Creek Trail 0.4
Lakeshore Trail 3.0
Day Three 6.2


This year, just for a change, we went with plan A. We all arrived on Sunday to start some home projects.  The usual tree cutting was a big hit again this year. No body even got hurt.

Monday we started the backpack while the women folk started spending. We headed off to North Carolina which with our drought we were pleasantly surprised with plenty of moisture over there. We headed down the "Road to Nowhere" and started on the Lakeshore trail heading West. The tunnel is right at a quarter mile long and right around there we saw all the people that we were going to see in the next three days.

We turned on the Forney Creek trail for a short spell before heading up the Bear Creek trail. We were going by Steve's description, which he memorized this year and left the printed addition at home. We were looking for a trail on the left which lead to a old settlement. We spent some time exploring the area off an old roadbed and never found anything. Shortly after we came to a split in the trail. On the right was a bridge and going up the hill was a no horse sign. On the left was a lesser used trail with no signage. Steve went left and I went right. We both came back with the same report "trail looks used and keeps on going." We decided to explore further. We did the same, but for longer. Same report. Chose on going left because of the no horse sign.

It was warming up as we approached our campsite #75. A big open campsite right on the creek with good access. Section of good hanging trees near the bear bag hanging area. We set up camp and ate dinner. Dad retired to his hammock and we stayed up a little later.

The next morning we made our packs into day packs and headed up the mountain. It was a long steady climb to the top. We stopped and ate lunch on the way. We continued on to the High Rocks for a wonderful view of the mountains below and an old tower house in disrepair.  Afterwards we headed back to camp for the night, cleaned up and ate dinner. Just about bed time it started to rain and rained throughout the night.

In the morning as we ate breakfast, I noticed a swarm of yellow jackets by the rock that we had used to clean up on the night before. Upon further inspection, there was a nest there next to the rock. Boy talk about lucky. We packed up camp and headed out.

We had a short rain shower on the way out and Steve did a massive fall on the trail after stepping on a wet long. He was a little slow on recovery, but made it the rest of the way out. We saw more people as we approached the tunnel again.

We got an ice cream in Bryson City and then headed home. The ladies had a great adventure on their own and we swapped stories over pizza.

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