Day One: 6.7 Miles..............Outcast Total: 1248.94
Day Two: 5.6
Total: 12.3
Marco, Dad, and I made this hike. We met at the top of Black Mountain and Dropped our cars. Then we loaded up the van and headed to Jewett Road to start the hike.
You can see maps at the Cumberland trail website.
From the Jewett road trailhead, its a pretty good climb to the top of Brady Mountain. The first overlook, Donnelly Overlook, is off to the right at the first split after the top. It has a slight uphill climb to it. Not marked well!
Lost Overlook is right off the right side of the trail.
The airplane crash site is even harder to find. When you go by some major big rocks on your right, there is a four wheeler path off to the left of the trail that looks like it goes over the edge. You will not see the crash site unless you go to the end and look over the edge. It is a steep slope that the wreckage is on. This is not marked on the trail. After you pass the large rocks if you look back to your left the four wheeler trail comes back up here.
Brady Bluff Overlook is the hot spot. The trail runs to the right. You can see to the Smoky Mountains. Grassy Cove is below you and you see all the farms. Beautiful spot. This is where we found our first people. A family of four.
We camped on the way down Brady Mountain on low gap. We saw the only other couple where we made camp. We made camp and told lies around the campfire. It was a beautiful starry night.
The next morning we hiked down to Hwy 68. Dad showed us how to slide down the trail. Experience I tell you!
We did a road walk to the Cox Valley Road trailhead. The creek was flowing so we filtered our water. Then we walked the creek, or I mean trail up to Windless Cave.
There are a couple of turns you need to know. First you get to a five way split. Turn right. There is a sign, but it is misleading. When you get to the bottom and cross the creek, turn right on the service road. No sign there. Just past this point you come to Windless Cave. They have the cave closed now for white nose syndrome. See picture as Marco didn't believe.
From here you go up to the top of Black Mountain. Look for the trail off to the left. It's a good climb to the top.
We ate lunch at the campsite on Black Mountain. Then we went through the big rocks and up the stairs which are similar to the "Stone Door", but narrower.
At the top there is a loop trail. The Cumberland trail goes to the right. The Southern Overlook is great! You can see all the way to the Smokey's here too. We continued on to the parking lot. Just before you get to the parking lot there are a couple of chimney's and a spring house from day's gone by.
Pictures:
2 comments:
Loved your pictures. Hiked that trail last fall - got lost twice on the southern end! Hard to describe the impressive rock structures at the top of Black Mountain to non-hikers.
Nice post. Let me share some advice to other riders. To hike the loop begin at the Black Mtn. Parking Facility and walk the paved ADA connector trail 700 feet back across the road and on to the Spring House. At the Spring House quickly pick up the Black Mtn. Loop Trail and Cumberland Trail up the stairs on your right and hike 0.2 miles to a left turn leading to the Black Mtn. Southern Overlook. On a crisp day the hiker will see White's Creek breaking through the Plateau on your left, Watts Bar Lake just beyond the Plateau, and the Smoky Mountains rising in the background. At your feet lies Little Cove with Grassy Cove, ringed by Brady and Bear Den Mountains to your far right. You also may need a good Boblbee hardshell backpack.
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