Backpacking Black Balsam, NC

Date: August 2014
Location: Black Balsam Knob, Pisgah National Forest, North Carolina
Nearest GPSabble Address: 35 19'32'' N and 82 52' 55''W or take Black Balsam Knob Rd. from the Blue Ridge Pkwy.
Project: Backpacking
Because: Waterfalls

View from the Highway

     First backpacking trip with bae. We decide to join a trip with some people in Gainesville and set out on a Friday. We get to the parking lot at around 9:00 and camp right next to it. We get a pretty good fire going despite the dampness. There is no moon and I see more stars than I ever have.

     On Saturday we set out on a trail that takes us past Lower Falls and up to Black Balsam Knob. There are good rocks to climb and jump into the falls, which are FREEZING. Its a long hike and we stop to pick blueberries. We are separated from the group for about 2 hours and had just gotten excited about the idea of camping alone on the mountain without them when we found them again at the summit. I could see my little red Jetta parked in the lot from the top of the Knob. I set up our tent right in front of the most gorgeous lookout point and had an excellent dinner of Ramen and Jiffypop.

     The next day we go back to the parking lot, then walk through a meadow to the right of the bathrooms to get to a wooded area with more falls and a river. We take baths in our swim suits and dry on the rocks. We stop at Meskerem Ethiopian on the way home, but I think Bethel was better last year.