2018 - Hike 7 - February 21st - South Mountain State Park

South Mountains State Park - North Carolina

Headquarters trail, Upper Falls trail and others

Posted by Chris 2/21/18

Basics:

Length - 5 miles

Elevation gain - Minimal

Nearest city - Morganton, NC

Difficulty - Challenging with about 1000 feet of elevation gain.  The Headquarters trail went up non stop the entire 1.9 miles we were on it.  The last trail which led down from the top of the falls was mostly stairs and boulders.

The Day:
As has happened several times on this trip we had at least a backup plan in the form of an Alltrails map saved for Table Rock.  On the way to the coordinates for that hike we traversed many lovely miles on NC-16 which ran NW out of Charlotte and then when we were on I-40 (only for 25 miles) there were multiple billboards for a visitors center at the exit we were going to be taking anyway (Exit 107) at Morganton and we stopped in to get some more ideas.  The person at the Morganton visitors center had a few suggestions and we latched onto South Mountains State Park both because it was near and because it was a longer hike than we originally had selected.

The park is enormous.  The visitors center for the park was huge, then there were an amazing number of trailheads, camping areas, equestrian areas and picnic areas along the park road to the back lot where the falls trails start.  When we were in the visitors center (at the park) the ranger plotted out our trip based on the 5 miles loop trail we had read about at the Morganton vistors center. We learned there are over 40 miles of trails in the park.

The start of the hike (and about 1/2 of all of the trails we walked at this park) was on a wide dirt and gravel fire road which clearly is it least occasionally driven on.  I don't know what the first flat part was called but soon we were on the HQ trail which went unrelentingly uphill.  It was well graded and obstacle free but it wasn't fooling around and never ceased its uphill climb.  The Upper falls trail also had some steep uphill sections but they were short and then it began going downhill on a similar sandy fire road but soon became a much more interesting and elaborate set of stairs, bridges and stepping stones which led from above the falls all the way back to the creek bed where we started.

When we started the hike it was sprinkling pretty consistently but it didn't really last long.  The air was wet and a little sticky but the warm temps (60's) felt amazing and didn't slow us down.  This park gets an absolute A+ from both of us because the quality and quantity are both amazing.

After the hike we had a delicious but salty lunch at Zaby's in Morganton.  Then we headed NW on NC-118 with Brian driving.  NC-118 was extremely curvy and steep which I love.  Brian doesn't love those kinds of roads but he's  better off driving them than being a passenger turning green on them.  The goal, which was at least nominally successful, was to try the Blue Ridge Parkway again.  We were foiled on Sunday but we did get on it today.  We stopped at one 'Overlook' but really it was more of a trail access and after walking about 1/3 of a mile steeply up a trail we only arrived at another junction pointing further up into what was now mostly fog so we headed back to the car.  By then the fog was essentially coming down to the road level (about 4000 feet!) and the remainder of our 20 miles or whatever it was on the parkway were in thick fog.  And unfortunately, somewhat vectoring NE when we needed to be going NW.  You know how sometimes wanting something very much makes it either more elusive or an inevitable disappointment?  Yeah, that was kind of me and the BRP this trip.  After a harrowing couple of miles on a twisting mountain gravel road, the rest of our trip to Wise VA was mostly along lovely uncrowded 4 lane US 58 alternate.  We listened to a lot of music and were just very pleased after our amazing hike and overall successful day.

Wise VA seems like a place to really get good value for the dollar.  Our Best Western is very nice with an indoor heated pool etc and is costing us, astoundingly, only 58 dollars a night before tax.  We also had a great dinner at the unfortunately named Wood Booger Grill in very nearby Norton VA.  Total for 2 (with drinks and a shared desert including tax but not tip) was about 39 dollars.  Brian had Mac and Cheese with Pulled Pork and I had fried catfish, Broccoli with cheese sauce and baked beans.  Everything was very good.

Tomorrow will either be another hiking day or maybe a quiet homework and town exploration day.  We'll see how today's activity level impacts us tomorrow.