Flat Creek Falls and Heintooga Tailgating --Autumn Colors & Elk !

 

Purple Fall asters along the path to the Masonic Marker

Flat Creek Falls and Heintooga Tailgating 

--Autumn Colors & Elk ! 

Sunday Oct. 18, 2020 

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Photos are here starting with current frame

(Album is a combination of various trips in different seasons.

start with current frame and click arrow right to advance)

Flat Creek Falls on Tennessee Landforms 

** The waterfall is off trail.  I'm not providing anymore directions for that than 

the waypoint.  

   We wanted to get out to see some Fall colors at high elevations.  We talked it over and decided to go to the Smokies.  We'd go hit the Blue Ridge Parkway and Heintooga.  We figured that area is usually far less crowded.  It will close in a couple weeks for the season.  It will remain closed until May or so of next year. 

It is a particular favorite for me, but I don't like to go there alone as much.  I prefer it when I have some company especially Kenny.   We packed up our stuff to have a picnic.  I know how the park service has been especially with the Rona so I made sure we had contingency plans for the picnic.    We were blessed with perfect weather for the day. Blue skies. Sunshine.  A cool start to the day with the temperature at dawn being 38° and warming to 67° by midday.   We knew the temperatures at the higher elevations would likely not warm up quite that much.

We went prepared with various layers of clothing.    The drive over was pretty and the traffic was surprisingly light.  We saw the usual crush of vehicles and people at the Laurel Falls trailhead and the Alum Cave Trailhead.  Kenny expressed that he was glad he had hiked LeConte several times because with the vast numbers of people he was not willing to subject himself to that mess. I had to echo his sentiments.   Too many Hoo-mans!

       We got up into the area just past Newfound Gap and heading toward Cherokee.  We were seeing some Fall colors, but were a little surprised how much green was still about.   It shouldn't have come as a shock since we've only had one good cold snap and that was this past Friday.   Peak colors are a little ways off yet thankfully.   I needed a mercy call so rather than deal with the crowd at Oconaluftee Visitor Center I told Kenny to pull off at the Collins Creek picnic grounds.   The restrooms were open and there were very few people around.We were able to get going again quickly.   We looked for elk on the way through Oconaluftee, but saw none this morning.   

       We saw no one hiking Kanati Fork trail and far fewer hiking Kephart Prong than usual.  The visitor center parking lot was jam packed already as we passed by.

Kenny was trying to get his bearings and asked me "Do we turn and get on the parkway?" I started paying attention more closely so I could navigate for him.  I have been to this area much more recently than he has.    Once you turn onto the Blue Ridge Parkway it is still eighteen miles til you come to the spur road. 

Below is a view from the spur road into Maggie Valley.  Beautiful Fall colors!

      I told Kenny to please stop at Black Camp Gap.  We have driven by there many times, and not once have I ever stopped to see the Masonic marker.  I was going to fix that today.   We pulled up to two or three vehicles there already.  It is a super short walk to the monument.   Maybe 100 feet.  It is fully wheelchair accessible. 

Ramp heading up to the masonic marker. 

Below: a description plaque for the marker.  

Below: a close up of a detail on the masonic marker.

     

      I found this very touching on the inscription.  I think today with all the political division and strife in the world I find it very comforting to see things like this.  I believe the Freemasons are becoming ever more relevant.  They were begun for a variety of reasons. Some of the reasons were mistrust of organized religion and extreme mistrust of governments.   Politics and organized religion working together to enact the "will of God!" is a terrifying thing.  They had to have someone they could trust thus the brotherhood of Masons.   Things are cycling back round to the need for more of that.

    

  I talked to a gentleman named Vic here at the monument.  He was a refreshing and interesting person to encounter.  He is a smart man who thinks for himself.  Critical thinking is often in short supply these days.  It gives me much hope for the world and our country to meet folks who like myself... don't want to be told what to think and believe.  We want to think for ourselves and figure things out.    I think he is a little like me in the contrarian department just maybe.   I found the masonic marker to be well worth the stop to see. The area is extremely peaceful and pretty.

The sentiments and craftsmanship expressed in and on the marker are very moving.   Universal benevolence is a fine thing we should all aspire to regardless of religious beliefs or political stance.  One of the things we noticed at the Masonic marker parking area was a sign saying "Picnic area closed". There is one picnic table at the monument lawn.  It was not in use, but we couldn't see why it would be closed over corona especially if there is only one table.  

       

    

Below is another example of some of the best Fall color we saw today.  Looking toward Maggie Valley.  

View of the mountains from Heintooga

   We saw some elk cows along the road today.  Below is photo of two of them.  

Look closely. Click the photo and it will enlarge to full size. Easier to spot them. They are on the slope grazing. The photo below that shows one that was by her lonesome down in a gully grazing. 

Below: Lone elk cow grazing in the gully below the road. 

  We finally arrived at the end of the spur road.  The first indicator the picnic area here was closed was a group of folks sitting in the grassy parking lot in the sunshine.   

See photo below. 

  

  The beautiful picnic grounds here at Heintooga were closed already for the season. I don't think it had to do with the corona virus, but the preparations for the end of the season.  The road will close at the end of the month or sooner if the weather turns bitterly cold.   Restrooms and picnic grounds closed.  I know it was open for awhile this past Summer.   I don't know if the facilities were ever opened for use.  The campground at Balsam Mountain.. both the one for the park service as well as Mile High Campground which is privately owned were all closed.  It was irritating to find them closed for use, but we came prepared.  We had our own grill which is far faster and easier to use than charcoal grills.  We brought along a table cloth and just sat out in the sun on the grass.  

Above: Closed picnic area.  Another example of the national park service and their frequent mentality of "An empty stall is easy to maintain"... our tax dollars at work.  (Proverbs 14:4) If the road is open til month's end the picnic grounds my tax dollars pay for ought to be accessible til the end of the month.  Grrrr!

Above: Kenny the grill master . We're tailgating it today!

Below: our checkered table clothe for our picnic.

 We had some burgers on the grill that were delicious and very satisfying.  Good thing cause we were going to need the energy.  The upcoming hike was a tough one energy wise.  

Above: our lunchtime view 

Below: trail from parking area out to a view point and some benches.  It is at the back of the picnic area.  It is the Flat Creek Trail that runs from here all the way back do the other trailhead along the spur road.  

Below: I hiked all through the picnic grounds while Kenny was grilling. I helped him prep the stuff and since we weren't both needed to do the grilling I took off.

Below: Viewpoint from the Flat Creek Trail at the rear of the picnic area.

Below: a charming view of the picnic area.  Lord willing, we will get back up here next May when it reopens for a cookout and group hike. I'd love that.  I want to hike the Flat Creek Trail through as a shuttle hike in Spring.   

  Once we'd picked up our lunch stuff we set off back in the direction of the Flat Creek Trailhead along the road.   We passed it on the way to the road's end and it was full.  We arrived back to find only two vehicles there.  One couple pulled up just as we did.   They set off just ahead of us.  I couldn't help wondering if they were hiking it through?  I doubted anyone else would attempt to take the manway down to the falls, but you never know for certain til you get there.  

    Below: A section of the Flat Creek Trail 

Above: a partial view of the mountains from Flat Creek Trail on the way to the falls

  We enjoyed the hike on the trail through a gold and green forest of tall trees.  The streams were easy to cross, but flowing well enough we knew there would be plenty water on the falls.   Most folks if they even make it to the creek take a look at the eight foot high cascade and think that is Flat Creek Falls.  It is not.  Flat Creek Falls is two hundred feet high in its entirety.  It does not count the numerous cascades that continue down the mountain below the main falls.   Here below is a video from a trip in 2015 that includes the cascades below the main falls.  I somehow failed to take photos of those. I expect it was because by the time I got there I was worn out, and still had to climb back out of that hole. 

  Below is a view of a little Autumn color in the off trail section.  It was rough, but at least it was pretty. 

  We hiked further out the trail today than I ever had before.  It wasn't because we were so ambitious or motivated. It was because neither of us had ever seen the manway in Autumn and had trouble recognizing exactly where it was.  The up side is we got to see another 0.30 miles further out the trail than we had before. Flat Creek Bald is rather pretty.   We backtracked and found the manway right where we left it.  It was easier to notice coming this way.  I think primarily because I had eliminated all other possibilities at that point.   

      Down the short manway we went.  It was nice that this time of year it was not knee high, thick grass.   It is unmaintained and is very snakey during warm weather.  Spring is not so bad.   So now we've hiked this in three seasons.  Spring, Summer, and Fall.   We managed to fight our way through the rhodo and over and under downed trees to make our way gingerly down the steep slope to the falls.

We took time to visit each section of it.   I was astonished when I got to the bottom and realized that I was already there! I had in mind it was another 0.10 mile or so to the base.   Kenny helped me get positioned in the middle of the creek for taking pictures and video.   The base of the falls is shaped like a fan or a scallop shell with fingers of water splayed out across it.  Above that is a long, tight stream of water disappearing into the surrounding trees and shrubs.  Click on the photo below to see a full sized image of it. 

  The glowing leaves of gold, rust, copper and green around the falls were beautiful.   It is a lovely spot on the planet far as I am concerned.   

We were tickled that though we are eighteen years older than the first time we visited here, we can still get 'er done!  

Below is a video of the falls from the top down.  I am sure the video isn't as inclusive as the one in 2015.  For one I did not climb down to include the lower cascades.  Another thing is that having been multiple times before I was not as focused on each aspect of the chute leading down to the base.   Still pretty.

It is worth mentioning that the night before we were to go I got curious.  I did a search of Facebook to see what popped up about Flat Creek Falls?  I was real specific too since there are a couple other waterfalls with the same name.  I made sure to search the correct one.   My own material came up.  A few other folks came up who hiked the trail, but did not visit the falls.  One person came up who went to the creek via the manway. Only one person came up who had actually visited the falls and been down to the bottom. Brett Haas!  He's the man! I liked his photos and video on Facebook when I found them.  I later got a friend request from him and of course accepted!  

Below is a little bit of a vista through the trees of the surrounding terrain and color.

Below is a photo of the falls from about halfway down.

Above is a shot of Kenny through the mess we had to walk through and down.  This is actually a good spot. Otherwise I'd probably not have even bothered taking a photo at all.  

    The climb back up was very slow and deliberate with much bellyaching on my part.   At one point the Drama Queen here was flopped on her face on the dirt.  Kenny lay beside me minus his face in the dirt... laughing at me.  Laughing at two old folks who still think we're the schiznit.  Right.  No, no we're not.  

Once we got back up toward the top we had happen exactly what happened to me one other time when I was alone for this adventure.  Off trail it is easy to get confused about exactly where you crossed the creek or climbed over or under something.  It all starts to look the same cause for the most part it IS the same. 

We passed our original spot where we forded and had to hunt it.   It made me feel drained.  I got myself out of that mess by simply getting in the stream and started climbing and walking IN the creek. I knew the stream came out beside the manway on up. I probably hiked 1/4 mile in the creek that day, but it was Summer then.

Today that would have been possible, but I sure didn't want to do that.  

Hot as I was it would have felt good though. Kenny dived down toward the creek and found we'd missed our spot by fifty feet.   

   Once back on the manway we trudged back to the trail. Once on the trail we trudged slowly back to the truck.   It is a forgiving trail since it is not much uphill especially on the way back.  You have the horrible steep climb back up from the base,the climb back up the manway to the trail, and once on the trail a few gentle, gradual ups and downs til you get within 1/4 mile of the trailhead.  Once there it is all uphill, but on switchbacks.  It helps that the scenery is gorgeous the entire way.

It is like a narcotic for the pain if I have something pretty to see.  

     I stopped to take one last photo before we wrapped up our hike for the day.

It was of a lone copper beech tree beside Bunches Creek.   It made for quite the scene.   It looked to me like a fairy story.   I always think of James Taylor's song "Copperline" when I see one of these trees.  The lyrics mention copper beech in them.   It is a mellow, happy song that has an Autumn sound to it.

I'm including the video here because it is a favorite. I hope those who read this trip report will enjoy it as well.  

     

Even the old folks never knew
Why they call it like they do
I was wonderin' since the age of two
Down on Copperline

Copperhead, copper beech
Copper kettles sitting side by each
Copper coil, cup o' Georgia peach
Down on Copperline--James Taylor

   

        

   Once back at our truck I took a deep drink of water.  I changed shirts and put on some clean gear.   Tidied myself up a bit.   I got out an apple, but never ate it.

We headed back out toward home in the truck.  I had brought my blanket and used my wonderful neck pillow.  I began drifting off to sleep even before we got to Oconaluftee.  I woke up long enough to see a bull elk on the road.  I saw a bunch more in the fields near the visitor center.  There was an elk jam, but it moved right along.  The park service has figured out how to allow folks to enjoy seeing the elk without totally clogging up traffic.   I didn't much care though. I was that tired. I dozed most of the way home.    Once home I forced myself to eat a cup of yogurt.  We went to see our grandkids, but I had to come on home pretty quickly. I was in bed at eight p.m.   The sheets and my pajamas felt so cool and comfortable.  I went to sleep with a cat laying on my back purring.  I slept til 6:15 a.m. the next day.

I woke up feeling ready to whip a wildcat!    

Below: Kenny's beautiful new truck.  I was sure glad to see it when we got done.

Above: huge herd of elk at the visitor center. 

Above: nice looking bull elk along the road

Flat Creek Falls Bushwhack

Yellow lady slippers seen Friday in the GSMNP



Flat Creek Falls Hike/Bushwhack

Friday May 22, 2015
Dana Koogler
Mike Gourley
Kitty Myers

Pictures are here beginning with frame 46
The rest of the photos in the album are from previous trips to 
Flat Creek Falls 

Flat Creek Falls Pix

Here is a link to a previous trip report . It shows a different time of year.

 Dana's Solo Bushwhack to Flat Creek Falls

     Flat Creek Falls is far and away one of the least visited waterfalls in the 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park.   Heintooga is where it is located and the area

gets a lot less visitation than other areas.  The road to it is gated for seven months of the year because of the weather up high.    The other reason not many folks go to see this falls is 

that there is no trail that takes you to the falls.   Flat Creek Trail takes you on a pleasant walk from Heintooga Picnic Area down the hill, out through the woods and back up the hill to the road 

below the picnic area and nature trail.    An unmaintained man-way takes you down to Flat Creek from the trail to a tiny cascade above the falls.  Once at the creek level there is no path of any kind.

The other turn offs to making this trek?   Weeds. High weeds. Lots of briers.  Snakes in the weeds

that are crawling over your feet and ankles while you're trying to find your way through those weeds.

Treacherously steep terrain.  Rhododendron.  Last of all a boulder field.  

     The falls is over two hundred feet high.   It is worth seeing, but it cannot be viewed from any point

not even a helicopter or an airplane in its entirety.  Why? Because of the steepness of the terrain and the rhododendron and trees overhanging the stream.  

       I first visited it in May 2002 with Kenny.  We found it and made it to the base on the first attempt.   It was quite a neat experience for us especially as I was trying to hike to all the guidebook

waterfalls in the Smokies. It was one of our early attempts at going off trail.   

         I made a second attempt at visiting it with Maggie Bacon in August 2009.  

We made the mistake many do and tried going down a chute to the left.  I got very uneasy and bailed out on the try.  The weeds and snakes crawling over me did not do anything to steady my nerves.
I was disgusted that I could not recall how to reach the base. I was determined to return and do it
on general principle.  June of the next year I did just that.   I returned during purple fringed orchid season in June and I went to the falls and made it to the base solo!  It was a very heady experience.
I experienced all the drops of the falls that time in a way never before.   It was almost like being
in a trance state.   I have thought back on that experience and shuddered in horror.   Why?
I simply cannot believe I was foolish enough to risk such a thing alone.

        Thomas Mabry had wanted to go to the base.  I told him I'd get him there.  Others invited
were Kitty Myers and Mike Gourley.  Thomas ended up not going.  We had a good time and things
went off without a hitch.   I had never seen the falls with quite that much water coming over.
The gate was opened that morning Friday May 22.. the day we picked to hike it. Earlier in the season
is better. More water on the falls.  Less chance of snakes.  Less vegetation.  It was worth going below the falls today seeing as how the lower drops of the falls were more scenic than I had experience on past trips.  It also gave me courage having buddies along for the trip.


                   Flat Creek Trail is a pleasant, easy walk on a well maintained trail.
The manway to the creek level has fallen trees and weeds on it.   Mike started down the
tromped path to the "Chute of Doom". The wrong way to the falls. Having done it before I
can easily understand why folks head that way.  

     Instead we crossed the creek and today to keep myself from having to wade the creek to find the trail on the return trip.. I flagged our route with bright orange survey tape.   We got down there and
wriggled our way through the rhododendron and weeds. The soil is soft and loamy. It is black and slippery. There are lose rocks and boulders on the way down.   It is a hypnotically beautiful falls.
Like before I got out on the rocks and trees near the edge to see as much of it as I could.  It was
worth it.

              There isn't much room to stand and view the falls at the base or shoot photographs,but
we made do.  We got wet and dirty, but it was cooler today and the trip easier than expected.
Mike got to looking at the GPS and we briefly considered heading over the ridge toward Bunches
Creek.   I had flashes of the map come back to memory once I got oriented.  I refused to do it.
It is only 1/4 mile to the road and/or creek, but the drop is about 400 feet.  No way man. I told Mike
I did not want to run Kitty off as I was just getting to know her and hike with her.  I was also not
wanting any of us to get hurt or to be miserable.   I knew I'd be miserable in a struggle like that.
We returned the way we came down.  It gave me a known quantity to deal with and the chance to
remove my survey tape.   The rest of the hike back out was uphill, but pretty easy.

       

Below is a video from this trip to Flat Creek Falls. It is longer than usual, but I had to do so
in order to include the last two parts of the falls.   The video showcases the falls far better than
any photo could ever hope to.

   

Pink lady slippers on the way over the mountain


We met at Mingus Mill. I shot a short video and photos while I waited on them.  Elk were munching all along the road.  The day turned out to be perfect!


Mountain laurel over Mingus Creek


No trail to the base of the falls. It is ugly.


Mike and Kitty in the brush around the falls.

Made it to the base.. but wait! There is more!

Cobwebby cascade below the main drop of Flat Creek Falls

This was the last drop of the falls we could reach today.  All of it is quite unique and beautiful.

  I certainly enjoyed meeting Kitty for the first time.  I hope we can hike together and have many more adventures.   She is an easy going person and very interesting to chat with.   She fits my style

of talking sometimes and being quiet sometimes.  

 She had been up late the night before working, but made it just the same!

What a trooper!  She was ready to bug out and head on home though after this part of the adventure.

Mike and I decided to head over toward Kephart Prong and see what other trouble we could round up for the day.   

Here is the link to the sound track in my head for the day.
I often hear this tune when I am bushwhacking or doing anything that requires
extreme focus, pain killer, and involves risk.
Sober--by Tool