Cherokee Hiking Club
198 Crews Drive, Benton, TN 37307
Bob Bald / Hangover Dayhike
Saturday, September
10, 2011
Brief Description: This moderate hike will take us from the Wolf-Laurel Trailhead up the Stratton Bald Trail to Stratton Bald, then over to Haoe and the Hangover where we will eat lunch. Then we will exit via Bob Bald and the Fodderstack/Benton MacKaye Trail to Beech Gap. We will then finish our shuttle and go to the Harris's log home in the mountains for dinner and our monthly meeting of the club.
Length: about 10 miles
Difficulty Rating: moderate due to the elevation rise
Elevation Gain: about 800 feet from the Wolf Laurel Trailhead at 4550' to Stratton Bald at 5336'
Hike Leader: Rick Harris, 423-253-6358, harrisri@aol.com
GPX Track from Wolf Laurel Trailhead to Bob Bald
Profile to Bob BaldGPX track from Wolf Laurel Trailhead to the Hangover
Profile to HangoverMap of Hangover and Bob Bald from Wolf Laurel Trailhead
Directions to the Trailhead: We will meet at the Tellico Plains Hardee's at 9A
M, then do our shuttle, leaving cars at Beech Gap then taking the Santeelah Creek Road to the Wolf-Laurel Road up to the Wolf-Laurel Trailhead. After the hike, we will have to retrieve our cars at the Wolf-Laurel Trailhead,
Trail Description: This trail is one of the most scenic to be found anywhere. From the Wolf-Laurel Trailhead, we will climb up Stratton Bald Ridge to the top of the mountain at 5336 feet. We will then hike on the Haoe Lead trail out to Naked Ground, then out to the top of Haoe and on out to the Hangover. From the Naked Ground campsite, it is almost a sheer drop off for thousands of feet with grand vistas looking into NC. The Hangover is what its name implies, a rocky outcropping with full 360 degree views of the surrounding mountains. At the very end of the trail, there is a sheer drop off of several hundred feet, which is hanging over the bluffs a little bit. It makes you dizzy and it is a little scary. The trail dr
ops about 500 feet to Naked Ground (elevation 4860') on a ridgeline trail, then climbs back up about 500 feet to Haoe, then down
a couple hundred feet to the Hangover. From the Hangover, we will return the way we came but continue on the Stratton Bald Trail to Stratton Bald, then we will go on down to the little bit lower Bob Bald at 5294 feet which is a big open field with 360 degree views of the surrounding Tennessee and NC mountains. Will will then continue on down the Stratton Bald Trail west to its intersection with the Benton MacKaye/Fodderstack Trail, then head north to Beech Gap on the Cherohala Skyway at the state line. These trails in places are steep and in other places are in a rhododendrum thicket which as its name implies is "thick"... Though the total elevation gain is not all that much, about 800 f
eet, you will know at the end that you have been challenged. But the challenge is well worth it.
Cherokee Hiking Club Dinner & Meeting: will follow the hike. If you are coming just for the dinner and meeting, then be at the Harris' home in Tellico Plains by 6 PM. We will serve Cincinnati Chili and will provide paper plates, plastic wear and napkins. Please bring a dessert or salad or chips or something. Directions to the Harris Home are below:
Directions to the Harris's home in Tellico Plains:
Ø In Tellico Plains, turn by the Hardee’s onto TN 165, Cherohala Skyway
Ø Take the Cherohala Skyway (TN Route 165) into the mountains east from Tellico Plains. Go east toward the high mountains in the direction of North Carolina
Ø Go past mile post 9, then about a half mile further down the highway, turn left onto the Miller Church Road (CR 534). There is a sign there that says Miller’s Chapel
Ø Go North (left) on Miller Church Road for 0.12 miles to a T-intersection
Ø Bear left and go 0.37 miles to CR 515, Shaw Mountain Road, just past the Turkey Creek Firehouse
Ø Turn right onto CR 515 and go 0.82 miles to the top of the ridge
Ø Turn right onto an unmarked dirt road. There are three mailboxes, the green one says 533
Ø Go down this gravel road 0.23 miles to our entry road on the right, which has a steel forest service type gate with our name on it. The gate will be open. Also, there is another green 533 sign on a tree by the gate.
Ø Go down our drive, which is about 0.2 miles long to our log home
If you need to call us in route, our numbers are below. However, your cell phone will not work as soon as you head into the mountains
Home phone: 423-253-6358
Cell phone: 513-260-1184
Richard & Brenda Harris (and Jake, our golden retriever)
533 Shaw Mountain Road
Tellico Plains, TN 37385
Post Trip Report: Eleven members and friends of the Cherokee Hiking Club took this fabulous hike today in great cool sunny weather. We hiked up the Stratton Ridge Trail from the Wolf-Laurel Trailhead to the ridgeline, then turned north on the Haoe Lead Trail past Naked Ground, Haoe, and out to the Hangover, where we ate lunch. We then returned the way we came with a detour to Bob Bald for a late afternoon sun break, then back to our cars. We then returned to the Harris home for Cincinnati Chili and our monthly club meeting. We got back to the Harris home right at 6PM where there were many others waiting for us to let them in the door for the chili fiesta. A great day of hiking followed by great food and socialization.
Participants were Rick Harris, Brenda Harris, Jake Harris (our golden retriever), Richard Sullivan, Pam Sullivan, Clayton Pannell, Buddy Arnold, Rick Foster, Jennifer Schroll, Randy Morris, Tom Smith, and Connie Fulmer.
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