Wandering Rust: May 2015

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Boone Fork Trail - Julian Price Park 5/9/15

It is that time of year when the outdoors starts calling the family out of the house.

The High Point Adventure Society had their second outing this past week. Friends gathered at Julian Price Park in Blowing Rock just off the Blue Ridge Parkway to hike the Boone Fork Trail. The trail is a 4.9 mile loop that begins and ends in Julian Price Park. The weather was fantastic and the company even better!

Half of the group hiked clockwise and the other half set off in the opposite direction. My group hiked clockwise so that is how I describe this trail. The age difference of our participants ranged from 3 years old up to middle aged adults.

The hike begins with a meander through the Julian Price campground before beginning the ascent up to the balds of the mountain. Here in certain spots you can catch a glimpse of Grandfather Mountain and it is a great spot for a picnic or just a break from the hike.

You quickly meet up with the Mountains to Sea Trail and shortly afterward the Tanawha Trail.

The green is really exploding in the North Carolina Mountains and at times it feels like walking in the rainforest. The canopy can be quite low at points (which can be tricky for the taller hikers).

The moss and rhododendron really give you a barrier from the rest of the park and allow you to lose yourself in nature.

Although, the hike is listed as strenuous by many trail guides, I would classify this as a more moderate trail. Obstacles are probably the reason for the strenuous rating (there is a short ladder about 3.5 miles into the hike), but it is an easy 3 hour day hike for most people. The shallow creek crossings can pose some problems for hikers. But for dog owners (dogs are allowed on the trail), they offer a nice relaxing soak to cool down.

The ladder

A very cool man-made bridge on the trail

The trail is very well marked with well manicured markers every half mile as pictured below and orange blazes throughout the trail on the trees.

In the last third of the hike, you have an option to make a short trek down the hill to view Hebron Falls. Hebron Falls, after a massive rock scramble, is a spectacular reminder of the beauty of the North Carolina mountains. Many of the people that were taking in the site were swimming at the base of the falls. The falls are a short hike from the Park entrance if you move counter clockwise on the loop.

Hebron Falls

The final portion of the trail leads you through the flood plains where you can see signs of Beaver and take in the sunshine as you come out of the tree canopy.