Appalachian Trail - Day 030 - Dennis Cove to AT Mile 440.2

Day: 030

Date: Wednesday, 24 May 2023

Start:  Dennis Cove (AT Mile 420.1)

Finish:  Ridgetop at AT Mile 440.2

Daily Kilometres:  34.7

GPX Track:  Click here for Julie’s Strava & Photos

Total Kilometres:  746.5

Weather:  Warm, sunny and breezy.

Accommodation:  Tent

Nutrition:

  Breakfast:  Muffins

  Lunch:  Italian sub/Turkey & cheese sub

  Dinner:  Rehydrated meals

Aches:  Dave - tired and minor right knee pain; Julie - nothing to report

Highlight:  Laurel Fork stream, Laurel Fork gorge and Laurel Falls in the early part of the day were spectacular.  The trail followed and crossed the pretty boulder-strewn stream a number of times at the base of the sheer rock gorge walls, with the falls themselves being a particular highlight.

Lowlight:  None really.

Pictures: Click here

Map and Position: Click here for Google Map

Journal:

Apart from being woken by an intoxicated fellow thru-hiker knocking on our cabin door at 2:00am trying to find his “buddy”, we slept well.  We rose early and left the sleeping resort at 6:30am and made our way back to the trailhead, 0.6 miles away along the quiet minor road.

Once we began hiking along the AT from the trailhead, we passed a number of tents beside the trail, but no sign of life.  In fact, for the whole day, we only saw two other thru-hikers, which was unusual.

After an easy first mile or so, as we neared Laurel Fork stream, the trail became much more technical and slow as it tried to follow the stream through the rocky gorge, but the scenery was awesome (see above).  We were in the Pond Mountain Wilderness, and soon we left the stream behind and began the long steady ascent up what we presume was Pond Mountain and then an equally long descent to Wautauga Lake.  However, the grades weren’t too bad and the forest was beautiful with abundant wildflowers and, particularly, blossoming mountain laurel lining the trail and brightening the forest.

We had a break at a picnic table beside the swimming area in Wautauga Lake, a very pleasant spot, and there were even a few people in swimming.  The trail then spent much of the rest of the day following the northern shore of the lake, including crossing the dam wall that formed the lake.

There was another long climb after that, still following the lake shore, but at a much higher elevation, and we had occasional views down to the lake and marina far below.  Again the grades weren’t too bad and, with the breeze at altitude taking the edge off a warm sunny day, the hiking was quite pleasant.  As always, the ridgetop walking, even with the views masked by the trees, was beautiful.  Fresh green foliage, different wildflowers, occasional bird song and the breeze in the trees made it a special place.

Around 6:15pm, we began looking for a tentsite, and found one atop the ridge among the trees at 6:30pm,  Another good, if energetic day.