The entire Graveyard Fields parking lot was almost completely full when I arrived.  I was in a bit of a hurry because I wanted to get up to Black Balsam Knob with plenty of light and at the time I wasn’t sure how much further down the road it was.  I decided to quickly tour one of the waterfalls, Second Falls, and route back to the top. 

After Graveyard Fields I drove a little further down the road and was surprised to see the a sign for Black Balsam Knob so soon.  I turned right, passed a trailhead on the right and continued to the end of the road.  I checked the signage and noted that neither said Black Balsam Knob.  I drove back to the first trailhead I’d seen and saw that it said Art Loeb trail.  A bit confused, I went back to my car and pulled out my atlas.  It showed that the Art Loeb trail did lead to Black Balsam Knob as I’d originally suspected.  I pulled out my camera and GPS and hiked through the woods, first checking out a short trail that forked to the right leading to a camping area.  The trail gradually climbed up through the tree until breaking into the openness of the knob.  I soon passed a beautiful girl walking her dog and topped the first knob where a group was setting up camp.  After a little downhill I climbed up to the top of Black Balsam Knob enjoying the scenery.  I followed the trail to the right toward the end of the knob where I soon found a perfect spot to lay down.  The long grass cushioned my body and the ground contoured perfectly to my form.  I napped at GPS:  NAD27  351938.83  825226.12 for probably about 40 minutes.  It was so quiet on top of the knob.  Aside from the occasional sound of a car, I mainly just heard my ears ringing.  I circled around to the other side of the knob continually enjoying the great view and wonderful weather and finally turned around and summitted the knob and hiked back down.  I hiked .66 miles back down from the summit losing 349 of elevation. 

9-30-06  Driving to Franklin and Camping.

From Black Balsam Knob, I continued west on the Blue Ridge Parkway wondering at first if I’d accidentally got turned around because everything looked so similar to what I’d already saw.  I drove until I reached the junction with 74 and drove southwest.  When 64 split off 74, I went with it stopping at Subway for dinner where I ate a foot long chicken teriyaki sub.  I continued south on 64 to Franklin and got off and started southeast on 28.  Soon I found that the Van Hooke Glade Campsite, GPS:  NAD27 350435.43  831448.42 +-26, was closed for construction.  After checking out a couple side roads, I decided to drive into Highlands where I called Brandon and then asked a gas station clerk where he camped.  He showed me a camping area along Blue Valley Road.  Brandon and Jeff decided to camp near Franklin and I drove off to find the Blue Valley Road campsite.  I traveled south on 28 out of Highland and turned west onto Blue Valley Road.  When the paved road continued to the right, I went straight onto a gravel road and drove ahead until I saw a pull off on the left side of the road.  The campsite had two entrances, parking for 4-5 vehicles, and a picnic table.  I hadn’t been there long when some cavers in a van asked if I was part of the group rappelling Whiteside.  I soon ask them which group they were referring to and found that a group of 20 cavers preparing for the El Capitan rappel were rappelling Whiteside.  I called Brandon and let them know and then bunkered down for the night at GPS: NAD27  350047.03  831355.52 +-24. 

Black Balsam Knob

Black Balsam Knob  

Black Balsam Knob

Black Balsam Knob

Black Balsam Knob