Date: 04/16/2024
Name: Chimney Rock Trail to Big Scaly Mountain
Distance: 8.0
Difficulty: Strenuous
Total Climbing Elevation: 2247
Type: Out & Back
Notes: It was a "great day for a hike," but it was challenging with little trail maintenance. The first 3.2 miles of the hike was on a mostly overgrown, fairly steep and rocky old road bed with numerous, but passable blowdowns. After the unmarked turn on the final 0.8 mile ascent of Big Scaly, the trail shallows out, but toward the top more blowdowns and a number of very large rock outcroppings are encountered requiring careful footing. The latter half of the outbound leg of the hike is through a widespread burn area which is slowly recovering. However, the early growth includes large sections of thorny bushes the we had to hike through. The view from Big Scaly is quite impressive with Standing Indian Mtn. to the north. However, it was quite smokey today from controlled burns to the west. There were quite a few wildflowers in bloom, but Bluetts and Woodland Betony dominated much of the upper trail with numerous White Trillium and Mayapples towards the front end of the hike. With a ~2,300-foot climb and unmaintained trail, this is definitely a strenuous hike best accomplished in the winter or early spring when the overgrowth is at a minimum. One bonus to this hike is the beautiful drive to the trailhead along the very scenic Tallulah River. TODAY'S HIKERS: Matt Henderson, Jack Treadman, Jenny Bell, Ken Kellerman & Cutie Pie and Mike Bell
AllTrails Link: Chimney Rock Trail to Big Scaly Mountain
Additional Search Terms: April