Our Favorite Dayhikes - Part III

Today's featured hike is a quick out-and-back for when you need to get away for just a little bit. It takes you to the highest point in Graham County - Huckleberry Knob, 5,500+ ft. - near the Tennessee state line. The picture of me to the left is on the top of the Knob...no higher peaks around!

The Cherohala Skyway is a very popular road for both people out for a lazy Sunday drive or those motorcyclists who like to enjoy the area's natural beauty at about 75 mph! Not only does the road wind 36 miles through the mountains from Robbinsville, NC to Tellico Plains, TN, it also rises up above one mile elevation and serves as a great starting point for many great hikes in the area. For more information, check out the Cherohala Skyway website.

To reach Huckleberry Knob from Robbinsville, NC you would follow NC 129 north out of town and follow the signs for Cherohala Skyway. Once you have passed Snowbird Mountain Lodge and the turnoff to Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, you are officially on the Skyway. Follow the skyway for approximately 8 miles to the Huckleberry Knob parking area. This will be the 6th overlook area on your right. Park here and begin following the old road behind the gate.

This hike is very easy as you follow the road grade up to the first clearing, called Oak Knob. This is one of a series of "balds" in the area, so named due to their lack of vegitation. Scientists are not really sure why these areas don't have trees - theories range from too much wind to the wrong kinds of soil. The first settlers to this area used to let their cows roam and graze on the wild grasses that grow on these balds. Anyway, as you follow the footpath through Oak Knob, you'll see Big Huckleberry rising up off to your left. You'll enter another stand of trees and then break on through up to Big Huckleberry.

Follow the footpath up toward the top and you'll see a memorial cross and plaque retelling the story of two unlucky men who died on Huckleberry in the winter of 1899. If you geocache, this is also where you might find a treasure! Hang out on the bald for a while and enjoy the 360-degree panorama around you. Off to the east will be Robbinsville and the mountains beyond, to the northeast you can see some of the peaks of the Great Smokies National Park rolling into the distance. If you face west, you can see Tennessee and some of the lakes on the Little Tennessee River system.

I have never camped here, but there is a fire-ring and plenty of soft spots for a tent. The wind can get a little strong here, so make sure to bring some stakes for the tent and check the forecast before you go. If you go in mid-late September, make sure to pick some of the Huckleberries (wild blueberries) that gave the knob its name...they are one of my favorite fall treats!

This is a great trip for anyone just looking to get out for a few hours, whether they're locals or folks just passing through on the Cherohala. The roughly 2.5 miles are easy enough that kids will enjoy the hike and the views from the top can't be beat. For more info on the geocache on Huckleberry Knob click here and for more info and pictures about the trip itself, click here.