Unaka Mountain, TN/NC

It should come as no surprise that I’m behind on my posts again; not necessarily behind on my outdoor pursuits, just blogging about them. As it stands, I have 2 posts to write after this one and, as I plan to take full advantage of the fall weather, hopefully many more to come. We’ll see how good I am at playing catch-up.

As my dedicated fan-base has likely noticed, I’ve spent a lot of time in Unicoi Co., TN recently. Diana lives in Erwin and the county offers miles and miles of hiking trails ancient and new; this makes my hike-selection much easier. Unicoi Co. is dominated by mountains – other than a narrow valley which is home to the towns of Erwin and Unicoi, the terrain is quite rugged; and over half of the county is owned by the federal government which provides a significant swath of real estate for wilderness exploration.

Of the many mountains within and along the borders of Unicoi Co., there is perhaps no more well-known than Unaka Mountain. This namesake of the Unaka Range - the mountains which trace the TN/NC border along the county’s eastern edge - towers above Erwin and Unicoi and is easily viewed while traveling down Interstate-26. While Unaka Mountain isn’t even in the top-10 in elevation among the peaks of the Unaka Range (the summits of the Roan Highlands are included in the Unaka Range and are much taller), it still offers beautiful views and great hiking.

Several weeks ago, I decided to get an unusually early start to a hike along Unaka Mountain. It was the first cool day we’ve seen since spring and I had hoped to be greeted by dense fog covering the mountain for an other-worldly hike in the clouds. By the time I reached the summit (easily accessible via Unaka Mountain Road) however, the fog had faded; but the early morning light and the high elevation provided for views that were welcome in place of the clouds.

 

 

 

 

I hiked along both Horseback Ridge and Stamping Ground Ridge, prominent ridges that descend into the valleys below, and the views along the well-maintained trails were spectacular. It didn’t take long for the crisp, refreshing morning air to yield to the thick, warm air of early afternoon – I was so excited to wear a fleece for the first time in months, but it was soaked with sweat and strapped to my pack after a couple of hours.

 

 

 

 

 

After hiking a little over a mile along each ridge, I drove down Unaka Mountain Road to the point where it is nearest to the Appalachian Trail. The AT follows near the eastern edge of the county and climbs over the true summit of Unaka, which sports a beautiful spruce forest more common at more northern latitudes. I parked the 4Runner near the short side-trail that leads to the AT and began my climb. This a very peaceful section of the AT as the trail meaders through the changing forest-types, ascending over 1.5 miles to the summit.

 

 

No views are to be found at the top – the dense spruce canopy prevents any line of sight to the coves miles below and creates an eerie forest environment otherwise found only in the Roan Highlands to the north. Once I reached the summit, I searched for the USGS survey marker signifying the peak. After about 30 minutes of wandering the area and searching the ground and rocks near the top, I gave up. I strapped on my pack and climbed back down to the 4Runner.

Hiking in cooler weather is so revitalizing, and it was good to get a brief glimpse of the seasons ahead. Although I was alone in my hike and it was relatively uneventful, I had a wonderful time – the great views and great weather filled my heart with an alacrity for more gorgeous hikes so uneventfully fulfilling.

Thanks for reading!