Max Patch Road to Max Patch Summit - Appalachian Trail

What a difference a couple of weeks can make! When we hiked the Appalachian Trail from Brown Gap to Max Patch Road in early January 2019, the weather was warm and dry. When we returned in late January the road was icy and the trail we had already hiked was covered in snow. Since the hike from the road to the summit of Max Patch is only 0.8 miles, the forecast was sunny, and we had proper clothing and footwear, including MICROspikes®, we decided to hike. Except in the deep shadows, the snow quickly melted turning parts of the trail into a muddy mess.

Max Patch is a large grassy bald near the Tennessee border. A gravel road leads from the Harmon Deen exit of Interstate 40 north eight miles to a parking area located in Tennessee near the bald. If you don't want to hike on the AT, a 0.6-mile trail leads around the northern side of the bald from the parking area to the summit in North Carolina at 4629 feet.

To reach the trailhead on Max Patch Road, we walked back down the road one-third mile from the parking area. From the summit of Max Patch, we walked down the western face to the parking area. This direct, short, and steep access trail is no longer in use.

Topographic map with GPS route

Trail profile

Looking back at the trail we hiked two weeks before

The trail continues across Max Patch Road

The stile gives hikers access without a gate

Typical early trail conditions

Max Patch is our goal for the day

More snow...

...and ice

Switchback down toward a creek

Creek crossing

Snow has mostly melted on the south facing slopes

By spring, the AT will live up to its "Green Tunnel" nickname

A patch of snow in open forest

The trail crosses an old single-lane dirt road with an offset requiring a road walk

The old road is still covered in snow

Timber and gravel stairs lead up from the road

Into the thicket again

A muddy mess

Awe-inspiring view

Forest and farmland of North Carolina

The old trail is out of service awaiting restoration

A fence blocks access to a restoration area

Rank upon rank of Tennessee mountains to the west

The new trail - still climbing

Another muddy mess

The new trail is so bad hikers have made a newer one to the right

US Coast and Geodetic Survey triangulation marker installed in 1933

Looking west

Looking north

Looking north northeast

Looking northeast

Looking east

Looking southwest at the bulk of the Great Smoky Mountains including Mt Guyot (6621' 18 miles)

There is no fee to enter the Pisgah National Forest.

The Pisgah National Forest website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/nfsnc/home.

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy website is https://appalachiantrail.org/.

Brown Gap to Max Patch Road - Appalachian Trail

We continued hiking on the Appalachian Trail along the Tennessee and North Carolina border north of Interstate 40 in early January 2019. We skipped the 10.1-mile segment from Green Corner Road to Brown Gap as it was beyond our abilities for a winter day-hike with four hours of commuting added. So we started hiking north again from Brown Gap. To reach Brown Gap from Interstate 40, take exit 7 in North Carolina, the Harmon Den exit. Head north (compass east) on gravel Cool Springs Creek Road for 3.2 miles to a parking area and pit toilet on the left. Drive through the parking area to the northwest corner and continue on Cool Springs Creek Road another 1.2 miles to Brown Gap. A gate marks the state line and the border between the Cherokee and Pisgah National Forests. Parking is very limited, but we had the place to ourselves. Be aware that all roads beyond the interstate are gravel. You may encounter deep ruts, small washouts, and logging trucks. That said, we managed to traverse all these roads in a mini-van.

The first mile north from Brown Gap climbs 700 feet for a gradient of over 13% then it flattens out for the remainder of the hike to Max Patch Road. There are no streams or other water sources along this short hike. Parking off of Max Patch Road is also very limited, so we parked our second vehicle one-third mile further up Max Patch Road at the parking area for Max Patch.

Topographic map with GPS route overlay

Elevation profile

Cool Springs Creek Road from the Tennessee side of Brown Gap

The ultimate No Parking signs

The trail starts on an old logging road...

...but quickly veers off to a well-worn footpath

Sidehill climbing

There's a blaze, so the trail must be here somewhere

Long shadows and sawed fallen trees

More sidehill climbing

Crossing the saddle between two ridges

A rootball divot on the trail

Entering a thicket

Even more sidehill climbing

Approaching a summit

Ridgeline walking

The trail maintainers still have some work to do

Crossing another saddle on a very straight path

An important sign post as the AT turns sharply left

Double blaze reinforces the turn put us on the correct path

The path widens to a single lane

Approaching Max Patch Road

The end is in sight

The trail continues across the road and so will we on another day

In general, there is no fee to enter or hike in the Cherokee or Pisgah National Forests.

The Cherokee National Forest website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/cherokee.

The Pisgah National Forest website is https://www.fs.usda.gov/main/nfsnc/home.
 

The Appalachian National Scenic Trail website is https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm.

The Appalachian Trail Conservancy website is https://appalachiantrail.org/.