Gregory Bald
Gregory Bald | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 4,949 ft (1,508 m)[1] |
Prominence | 1,107 ft (337 m)[1] |
Coordinates | 35°31′14″N 83°51′58″W / 35.5206°N 83.8661°W |
Geography | |
Location | Blount County, Tennessee / Swain County, North Carolina, U.S. |
Parent range | Great Smoky Mountains |
Topo map | USGS Gregory Bald |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Gregory Ridge Trail + Gregory Bald Trail |
Gregory Bald is a mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains. It has an elevation of 4,949 feet (1,508 meters) above sea level. The mountain's majestic summit makes it a popular hiking destination. Another feature that attracts many visitors are the flame azaleas that bloom over the bald every summer. The azaleas reach peak bloom around mid-to-late June.
Gregory Bald is located along the Tennessee-North Carolina border, between
Gregory Bald is a type of mountain known as a grassy bald. Unlike most summits in the Appalachian Mountains, which are heavily forested or culminate in jagged peaks, grassy balds are covered by a thick layer of wild grass. Trees and other foliage are sparse. How and why a summit develops into a grassy bald is unknown. While there is evidence that Gregory Bald was a natural grassy bald, the National Park Service must currently work to prevent the summit from becoming forested.[2]
Geology
Gregory Bald is composed of
History
The Cherokee name for Gregory Bald was "Tsistu'yi," or "Rabbit Place." According to tribal lore, the chief of all rabbits—known simply as the Great Rabbit—lived at the summit.[5] The rabbit, considered by the Cherokee to be sly and mischievous, was a key figure in tribal legends, showing the importance the tribe placed upon the mountain.[6]
The mountain was listed by
Access
The summit of Gregory Bald can be reached via several well-maintained hiking trails. From Cades Cove, the summit can be reached via the Gregory Ridge Trail or the Gregory Bald Trail. Gregory Ridge Trail begins at the end of Forge Creek Road, which is a gravel road on the Cades Cove Loop just past the Cable Mill area. Gregory Bald Trail us accessed via the unimproved Parsons Branch Road. From Fontana, the summit is reached via the Appalachian Trail and a two-mile connector trail. From Twentymile, the summit is reached via the Wolf Ridge Trail.
From the summit, one can see Cades Cove and Rich Mountain to the north, and the
References
- ^ a b "Gregory Bald, North Carolina/Tennessee". Peakbagger.com.
- ^ Durwood Dunn, Cades Cove: The Life and Death of an Appalachian Community (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1988), 33.
- ^ Harry Moore, A Roadside Guide to the Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1988), 150.
- ^ Harry Moore, A Roadside Guide to the Geology of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1988), 26-27.
- ^ James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (Nashville: Charles Elder, 1972), 407.
- ^ James Mooney, Myths of the Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee (Nashville: Charles Elder, 1972), 231.
- ^ Robert Mason, The Lure of the Great Smokies (Boston and New York: Houghton-Mifflen, 1927), 55-56.
- ^ Durwood Dunn, Cades Cove: The Life and Death of an Appalachian Community (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1988), 44.
External links
- "Gregory Bald". SummitPost.org.
- "Gregory Bald, North Carolina/Tennessee". Peakbagger.com.
- Gregory Bald Hybrid Azaleas - A collection of photos and information on this flower that grows famously on Gregory Bald during the summer.