August 22, 2006
| This week’s hike was on the Bartram Trail in extreme N. Georgia. We hiked to Rabun Bald and beyond to Flint Knob from Kelsey Mountain Rd. near Sky Valley.
HIKERS – Melissa Anderson, John Bellamy, June Bellamy, Jack Jacobi, Dick Metzgar, Wayne Miller, Bruce O’Connor, Jeanne O’Connor, Teresa Renew, Dan Ross, Doug Russell, Bob Presley, Donna Presley, Tony Presley, Carole Wintle . TRAIL INFO. – We accessed the Bartram Trail by way of Kelsey Mountain Road and hiked up the access trail to Bee Gum Gap and joined the Bartram Trail and hiked to Rabun Bald (Georgia’s second highest peak- 4696 ft.) then continued on to Flint Knob and returned. Total hiking distance – 6 miles Directions: Take US 441 north from Clayton for 1 mile past Dillard; turn right onto GA 246 toward Highlands, NC; continue on GA 246 and NC 106 for 7 miles; turn right onto Hale Ridge Road (FS 7), which is beside the Scaly Post Office; go 2.1 miles and take the right fork (FS 7 goes left); go 1.3 miles and take a left fork onto Kelsey Mountain Road and drive to the end of the pavement and park on the side. You will see two trails leading up the mountain. The left trail is more of a hiking trail and the right one is an old road. Both will lead up to the Bartram Trail. The left fork is a bit shorter. Another great day for a hike! Partly cloudy, humid, temperatures ranging from the low 70’s to the low 80’s.. brief rain shower near the end of the hike. FLOWERS IN BLOOM: Woodland Sunflowers, Joe Pye Weed, Southern Harebells, White Woods Aster, White Snakeroot, Flat-topped Aster, White Yarrow, Starry Campion, Rattlesnake Plaintain Orchid, Bull Thistle, Heal-all, Alumroot, Featherbells, Silverrod and False Foxglove. BIRDS IDENTIFIED: Towhee, Blue Jay, Pileated Woodpecker, Peregrine Falcons, Gold Finch. |
 Our parking spot was at the connector trail access at the end of the pavement on Kelsey Mountain Rd. |
 Here we are at the Bartram Trail intersection at the base of Rabun Bald. |
 At the Rabun Bald Observation tower, we left our hiking sticks at the bottom. |
 View one from Rabun Bald. |
 View two! |
 View three! |
 Looking over Sky Valley! |
 About a mile past the Bald, we come to this trail sign. |
 Yellow Swallowtails enjoying the thistle flowers! |
 A recently downed tree provided the only trail obstruction. |
 The Mountain Ash trees were loaded with berries! |
 The OFHC gang for today’s hike: (l-r front) Tony Presley, Melissa Anderson, Donna Presley, Teresa Renew, Dick Metzgar, and Bruce O’Connor. (l-r back) Carole Wintle, June Bellamy, John Bellamy, Wayne Miller, Doug Russell, Dan Ross, Bob Presley, Jack Jacobi, and Jeanne O’Connor. |