Exploring Off the Cherohala Skyway-Swan Cabin & Cold Branch Falls

Last green-headed cone flower lingers into Autumn

Exploring Off the Cherohala Skyway--Swan Cabin & Cold Branch Falls 

Dana Koogler Thursday Oct. 4, 2018

  I got a chance to go hiking Thursday.  I looked over my wish lists and finally settled on 

a trip to some spots off the Cherohala Skyway.   I've had a heel that is really smarting so I

would have to plan lots of shorter adventures with plenty of bail out opportunities if it got

too bad.    I drove down to Tellico Plains and it was a beautiful Autumn day.  Up at the high elevations it was sixty-six degrees and sunny.  Lots of puffy white and gray clouds 

and some fog up that high.   I had wanted to hike out to the Swan Cabin and explore around it.   I found the gate unlocked, but  I parked just inside it and walked.  I did not know if anyone would be renting the cabin, and I did not want to be rude.   I hiked the short distance in to the cabin to find no one there.   I had learned of a slide type falls behind it.

I wanted to try to locate it.  I had no way points or information other than the fact it existed.

Above and Below-- photos of the cascade I found very close behind the cabin. I did not believe this was really the "Swan Slide".  Turns out it wasn't!

   I found a sign pointing the way to the falls and a rail fence with a gap in it. A video I

watched indicated the folks hiked back through that spot to reach it.   I went ahead and

quickly found the same conditions they did on the video. Lots of rhodo, but it got worse.

Huge downed trees and an absolute wall of rhodo.  I found a small cascade, but it did not look right to me.  I could not recall exactly what size the "Swan Slide" was. I knew it was not a huge waterfall, but this still didn't look it.  I then wondered was I mis-remembering it?  Was this it and it just had less water on it?  That couldn't be right. Cold Branch had more water coming over it today than I'd ever seen before.   I did some snooping around, but could find no way to progress. No signs of others pressing on in any direction.   I finally decided with a hurt foot, being solo and a long way back
 in the mountains it would be best to gather some more info and come back with Kenny to hunt further another time.  I learned after getting home and watching the video another time sure enough that was NOT the Swan Slide.    (watch the video at 12:49 to 15:59 )  **Edited to Add**
Per "Chuck" Francis....... the Swan Slide is a very short hike.  Instead of going through the gap in the fence bear right onto the trail to it from the road before the cabin.   It goes higher and avoids the downed trees and the low cascade I found.   Thanks my friend!

     I doubled back and took some video footage and photos of Swan Cabin.  It is a pretty spot.
The start of Autumn color was in the trees around it.  All down the lane were blue and white striped
gentians and asters of pale lavender.     I waded out into what is known as Swan Meadows beyond the cabin.  It was the first time checking this out.  Not a lot blooming, but a few things.   A few ladies tresses orchids, stiff gentian, haw bushes with bold red berries, lots of beautiful goldenrod wands, white asters, and lots of hitchhikers. I came out covered in them!  Briar scratches all over my legs.
It was still pretty. Meadows in this area come in different flavors.   What is known as a meadow may have been allowed to grow up into a second growth sized forest. It may be kept partially mowed and maintained or be anywhere in between the two.  Swan Meadows is a tweener.    It is still pretty.
I would like a chance to return and see what it is like in Spring and Summer wildflower wise.
Maybe I can find Swan Slide and check out flowers at the same time!  I hope so.   The road coming up here from Santeetlah is closed several months of the year.   

Above: Autumn is coming to the high elevations around the Swan Cabin

Wall of rhodo and tall trees with shelf fungi near the stream 

The gap in the fence is where the trail starts to the slide.  I wonder if it would be easier to come down to it off Bob's Bald? 

This path heading west straight out from the cabin goes to Cold Branch as a water source. It continues in the direction of Strawberry Knob and the  FR 81 and 81G

 Straight on view of the Swan Cabin

My first glimpse of Swan Meadows

 Some color comes to the Meadows

The bright red mass you see bottom left is a haw bush.  May haws make delicious jellies!  
Very tart. 

 Goldenrod blooms in the meadow

Above-- close up view of Mayhaw fruit

Mayhaw berries  are a very Southern fruit

 Smilax leaves have turned red!

 Asters in the field

 The sky changed every few seconds!

 Nodding ladies tresses orchids in the meadow

 Stiff Gentian in the meadow

 Profile shot of the Swan Cabin

 Decorative Gentian.. striped blue and white! These bloomed all along the road

Road to the Swan Cabin 

Cold Branch Falls 

  Once I had satisfied my curiosity about all things Swan... I walked back up the road to the jeep.  I sat down and cooled off.  I drove back down to a pull off above Cold Branch Falls. 

I ate a sandwich and once I was done I walked down the road to visit a waterfall by the road.
The heel of my left foot has been hurting like a son of a gun lately.   I was hobbling like Chester off Gunsmoke.   I managed to crawl down over the bank and take lots of pictures of the lower falls on Cold Branch.  It was the most water I'd ever seen coming over the falls. What a beautiful early Autumn day.  The high temperature for today reached sixty nine degrees.  It was nice.   I saw parts of this waterfall I had never visited before. Previously it would not have been worth doing what I did today.  I climbed all the way up and down it and crossed the creek to the far side to get shots from over there.   I stayed an hour or more.   I really enjoyed it and lost all track of time. My weary soul was soaking up negative ions like a sponge.  I was totally chill.    I was fine until I got ready to leave and then the heel pain reminded me that while my spirit was willing to do a great many things.. my poor body was ailing.   By the time I hiked back to the jeep I had popped out in a sweat from the pain.   I took some motrin and got off my feet.   

 I approached the falls so close to the top here is where I came out.  I was right up in it!

 The brink of the falls

 Middle ways down the falls. Another new viewpoint for me of this waterfall

The near side of the falls had water flowing on it today!  

 I worked my way across the stream to get this viewpoint

 Standing mid stream

Lower Falls on Cold Branch 

Above is a short pretty video of various views of the falls

Santeetlah Headwaters

    Initially I thought I was done for the day.  The motrin began to kick in along with my usual heavy dose of nosiness.   I stopped to take pictures of lobelia along the road. Butterflies nectared on these pretty blossoms.  Sunflowers and what was left of jewelweed lined the roads.   It was still very green around this part of the forest, but the leaves were turning yellow and brown and falling.   I got some nice shots of falling leaves in my videos.   I was driving back toward the Skyway when I noticed that a usually gated road was open.  I could not stand it and had to turn aside and follow it.  I believed it would end pretty quickly at a gate, but I was pleasantly surprised to find it went on for a good distance. I realized I was making it up into the Santeetlah Creek Headwaters. This is a place to look for unexpected waterfalls and massive trees!  It is also a place you will probably have all to yourself.    Finally I did come to a gate and

had to turn around. It was a quiet, beautiful drive with lots of scenic cascades along the way. 

During a time of heavy rainfall or good water volume like now it would be worth walking the road past the gate.  The road dead ends at a gate high in the mountains.  Looking on the map the road number changes from FR 81C  to FR 2654.   Continuing on foot would bring you out on the back side of Little Huckleberry Knob and beyond.   Based upon what I saw up in here I will be back.   It is beautiful and tranquil.    I spent time walking the creek and photographing a few un-named cascades and pretty Autumn leaf scenes.    

The last of the great blue lobelia and spotted jewelweed along the forest road

 Cascades along the creek

 Further up the stream

 Beautiful golden leaves in the water

The old road really had the crunch of Autumn and the spicey smell of it too! 

Magicmomma's Crystal Ball of the Futurecast

  I foresee a return camping trip to the area to visit all seven of the known, named waterfalls in the Wolf Laurel area.  I see a trip to visit the Swan Meadows to scope out what sort of blooms there are in Spring and Summer.  I see myself exploring more of the Santeetlah Headwaters to find huge, old growth trees and previously un-known waterfalls.   

    

Below is a short video of the Swan Cabin, Meadows and Creek.

Bob Stratton Bald Hike--Turks Cap Lily Pilgrimage

Turks cap lily --Lilium superbum 

Bob Stratton Bald Hike--Turks Cap Lily Pilgrimage  

Sunday July 17, 2017 

Dana & Kenny Koogler

Stratton Bald Pix here starting with frame 285

(gallery compiled from multiple trips) 

    I first visited Bob Stratton Bald in July 2012.  It was a perfect day.  I had such a good time.
I had happened upon a trip photo by the Chattanooga Hiking Club. They had visited Stratton Bald in July another year.  It  was so pretty.  I had never been at all so I figured I'd fix that problem and perhaps get lucky and find the flowers just as pretty when I went.   I did.  The mountain trail was misty with fog on my way.  I felt the entire time like I was in living dream.
It is wonderful to have such a sublime experience. The draw back to it is that every subsequent trip you want to be just that way again.  It seldom is.   I have had enjoyable trips since, but nothing to top it.  I think that is as it should be. One trip I had arrived to find the lilies past peak. I did not want to miss the peak bloom this year so I tried to time it out just right. Mid July weekend should do it.   I had seen a fellow's pictures of a week earlier and was surprised
he did not run onto any lilies yet!   I figured it had to do with his route selection and possibly
that he did not venture around on the bald much.   

    My favorite way is via the Stratton Bald alternate .. at Wolf Laurel. It is hard to beat for scenery and solitude.   It is one of those places of finding treasure.  Just when I think I've worn it out and seen all there is to see........ more things turn up.  My imagination is captured again.
I take off into new flights of fancy.  I am captured by the intrigue and want to learn more. Go further. Spend more time there wallowing in the tranquility and natural beauty.  It is one of the places I hold dear enough to be conflicted writing about it or sharing it.    

       We had planned on going Saturday.  Kenny had a VERY rough week. I had a weird, rough week as well.   The weather called for overcast and drizzly on Saturday.   Sunday promised to be a prettier day.  We decided instead to prepare and rest on Saturday and go Sunday.   
It was a good decision.   We got an early start and it seemed like no time we were turning off the Sky Way onto the side road that takes us toward the trail head.     It is worth mentioning that on the way down route 411 I saw quite a few pretty wildflowers in bloom.   Native sunflowers, loads of rose pinks mixed in with them at the light near the new Food City between Vonore and Madisonville.    I also saw a fair amount of bright orange butterfly weed.   

Sabatia angularis.. Rose Pinks in bloom now.  

          Once we turn off the Sky Way and onto FR 81 the wildflower photos ramp up!
I start pulling over every little whip stitch to take pictures.   The entire drive is pretty.  
We saw a few other vehicles on the road today, but not many. We saw no other hikers. 
We had the place to ourselves.    Great clumps of crimson bee balm line the roadside.
False asters, green headed coneflowers, and monarda in other shades begin to appear.
All told I saw five shades of bee balm today.  Red, white, lavender, deep purple, and fuschia.
I could hear Santeetlah Creek running down below the road today stronger than usual.   
One nice thing is to note is that a falls I had long sought ... which I believed need be approached from this direction has been found and visited since last time. I now know you do not reach it form here and when I survey the terrain it is a great relief!   

    

 Above --closeup of Crimson Bee Balm 
Below --photo of a great cluster of it.  

A type of monarda... think this is Horse mint.  Monarda punctata

   We enjoyed the sounds of streams flowing and birds singing. The sun was out and then clouds would roll past.   The air smelled sweet. Now and then we'd get a whiff of some new floral fragrance mingled with the green smell of Summer.   It was cooler here. Temperatures in this area tend to be a good twenty degrees cooler than down in the low lands.    It is a welcome thing on a July hike.      We continued following the dirt roads winding further into the remote mountains.    We saw purple phlox along the drive and began seeing turks cap lilies. 

We stopped and pulled off at one side road we did not recall.  It was a pretty spot and we thought since it had picnic tables it was new. It is the old hunters camp.  The picnic tables are a recent addition.   

picnic spot in the middle of nowhere!  

      We continued until we finally arrived at the dead end and parked.  One other vehicle was there and we never did see another hiker today.  Truck was still there when we returned.  

We gathered up our gear and set off up the trail.  We faced a climb here, but the good news is that once you arrive at the intersection with the Naked Ground Trail your climb is all done.

The remaining hike is more or less level out the ridge with a few gentle ups and downs.  The scenery the entire way is pretty. We saw lots of different colored mushrooms including the pure white Indian pipes that are parasitic. They lack chlorophyll and take all their nutrients from other plants.    Rosebay rhododendron was still in bloom in the forest.  We passed one spot that always smells sweet and spicy like curry!   The air was humid and we stayed clammy on our climb up the mountain.    I was very happy to see that Naked Ground sign.  Whew!  

About the time we leveled off .. we heard a rustle to our left. It grew louder like a gathering wind.   It was raining six feet to the left of us!  How odd to hike along side the rain but not get rained on!  We were already wet from sweating.   

      The trail has great fins of rock thrust up along it.  In places you are on a narrow knife edge.

Other spots are like hiking on a split level trail!  There are ledges below you of flat ground.

Grassy spots appear along Stratton Bald.  We passed several appealing camp sites.  

Chinquapins, American chestnut, stunted oak trees, paper birch trees, and fir trees line this forest trail.     Ferns of many sorts grow along it.  We began seeing turks cap lilies along the trail. Some are sickly and the tops are gone.  Some are the picture of vibrant health and life.

Not sure what is making some of them sick, but it is not new. 

 Deep forest gloom 

 Bright lights of orange Turks cap lilies 

 These lilies were the tallest of the day. They are nearly eight feet tall.  

One of many upthrust rock fins along the trail.

        I was more careful today and did not fall any! Last time here I fell and hit my back on a rock.    Slippery!  I learned my lesson.     We passed through the forest zone where it is like a deep brown and green tunnel. Tall fir trees here.  Next is another grassy knoll surrounded by chinquapin shrubs and mayhaw bushes for cover.     The trail is not as bad as it once was, but the briars are starting to overtake the trail again.  Someone had hiked ahead of us swinging a brush cutter, but only knicking some of it.    I am not complaining!   Kenny will never know the initial shock of hiking this trail when you cannot see past your chest if looking down. 

Wear long pants and gaiters and pray you don't encounter any snakes here.  It is far more open now than in the past.  

View to one side of our lunch spot.  Tall grass. 

    

Lots of the usual purple phlox. It smells wonderful.  Where are my lilies? 

   We broke out onto the bald and looked about.  It was pretty, but I couldn't see any turks cap lilies at first.  I don't mean just not in bloom either. In spots where they once were thick.... I did not see any period.   None.   I am either very early this year, or something is wrong.  Perhaps I'm just too early. I hope that is all.  Perhaps it is not a good year for lilies on Bob's Bald? 

Perhaps something is killing them?  I did not find any coming up in spots where they once were.  The purple phlox and tassel rue was up thick though.   The other flower I did not see today was the great patch of club spur orchids I had seen there in a wet part of the meadow.   This makes me hopeful I was just early.     We sat down under a tree to eat lunch. We were very hungry.

We had packed some good sandwiches and snacks.   The rain came down briefly, but then quit as suddenly as it started.  Under our oak tree we remained dry while we ate.  

    Kenny went one way to hunt lilies and I went another way.   We'd split up and maximize our chances of spotting any.    We'd meet back at the lunch tree.    We just left our packs there and wandered around the bald.   I finally did see a few lilies, but I'd say the number is roughly 1/4 what was once there.   I debated a return trip in about ten days. Perhaps come up via Fodderstack trail for variety?   I'm not saying I absolutely won't do that, but after today and talking to Kenny... probably not.     I saw the usual beautiful fern clusters, whorled loosestrife, and clumps of crimson bee balm.   We saw a peregrine falcon and two hummingbirds dueling!

 Approaching the bald from the bottom. I crossed all the way over and back. 

 The most perfect specimen of turks cap lily.. all by its lonesome. 

Biggest cluster of lilies out on the bald today.   

     We met back at the oak tree.  We reported our findings to one another. Kenny says the Fodderstack Trail approach to this bald is seeing far greater use than the Stratton Bald Trail.

He went all the way up and out across the top.   No wonder the fellow who beat me here by a week did not see any lilies. Cause there weren't any to see.      Kenny said if it were him he'd quit worrying about it and take his chances with lilies at Alarka in a week or so.   

He is probably right. That is what I should do.   I am spending all this time trying to recapture an experience that was magical from the past.  It is time to have some new experiences that are magical.    

     I lay down beneath the oak tree and stretched out.   I lay looking up at the leaves and sky.

Today was a good day. We had seen lots of lilies, but not where I expected them to be.    It was not a total bust.  Just an experiment with unintended consequences.   It proves that no matter how much I try to anticipate and predict peak bloom.. these mountains have their own ideas. 

Just as they make their own weather...... they will pick their own bloom time. 

   

 Closeup of Whorled loosestrife.  

 Prettiest phlox I saw today. Deepest pink. 

 Looking across Bob's Bald

   We finally took a last look around and began our return hike.  

It was certainly faster than our hike up.   Mostly level or downhill.   We were glad to see the jeep again.   We got something fresh and cold to drink and headed back down the mountain.

We stopped to see lots of lilies in the forest on the way.  Great patches of them on both sides of the road.   

 Tall perfect turks cap lilies

   We stopped to see the Swan Cabin. Someone was staying there, but in the process we discovered there is Swan Cabin II.  Not sure what the deal is with this one.  

This one is barely visible from the road.

      We kept going down the mountain and stopped to check out some falls on the stream.

Kenny was very tired and more or less over it for the day.  He went along to humor me.   We got up the creek and began to realize neither of us was up for anymore hiking. We were tired and ready to go home.   I did get some pretty photos and a short video of some lovely cascades we had never visited before along the stream.   The creek was running with a nice volume and rosebay rhododendron in pink and white blossoms framed the cascades.    The water was clear, cold and deep.  You could see each twig and rock in the bottom of the creek.   

         I  soaked up the sight of velvety green moss and pink blooms. White silky water. 

Satiny green leaves.   Golden river stones.  It was marvelous to hear the creek murmuring and the birds singing.   The leaves rustled in the trees.   We left tired, but happy.  I had images swirling round my mind of future trips here. Places to explore and treasures to find.  Questions to seek the answers to.   I think truthfully that is part of what drives me.   Much more to come back for.    I got in the jeep and used my rain coat as a pillow for the ride home.  The ride home was made shorter by sweet dreams of forest scenery.     

  That crystal ball may not always be accurate, but it works pretty darn well for me.

I think I'll keep it.   

Below is a short pretty video of the cascades we visited.  So much more to come.