My husband and I have been walking the North Carolina Mountains to Sea Trail. Yesterday we did a one day, two car hike along the Blue Ridge Parkway. The drive to the MST is now 3+ hours in either direction so we have to be a lot more strategic on the number of miles to cover. Out and backs are really hard to justify.
- October 17, 2021: Segment 5, Ashe County
- From Cascades Recreation Area Trailhead (mile 48 EB)
- To Jumpinoff Rock Overlook Parking (mile 60.1 EB)
- Total: 12 miles
We left a car at Jumpinoff Rock, drove to Mt Jefferson Overlook. Grateful to the MST guides for specifics on how to find the trail across the BRP. Lots of happy cows enjoying the amazing views. These were chill cows, unlike the set of cows we saw a little later.
When we got to Jumpinoff Rock we had lunch on a picnic table. A rare event for our hikes. Then we drove to Cascades Recreation Area. Parked, found the trail, and then proceeded to get lost ... TWICE! The first time a crowd of people were playing on a log that happened to mark the trail. This was fine because we got to see the Cascades. After circling back, we walked past the hard right turn back up to the BRP. After wandering a bit, we found our faithful white dots and continued on the adventure.
We had another moment where following the directions in the guide took us down the wrong road. We have gotten use to knowing our mistakes and correcting them quicker. However, with 12 miles, every extra yard is a hassle. A sweet kid asked if we were lost and reassured us that we were on the right path. Also that it happens to everyone.
