Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (Old Growth), Nantahala National Forest
Written: Sep 22 '99 (Updated Feb 03 '04)
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Pros: Ancient Forest, Less crowds than the nearby Smokey Mts, versatile & family-oriented destination.
Cons: More crowded in summers
The Bottom Line: This is a great trip, for a day or a week! Plenty to keep old and young alike, families too, active and engaged.
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| dewey's Full Review: North Carolina |
Looking for the largest tract of virgin forest east of the Mississippi? Look no further than the Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest in Nantahala National Forest in SW North Carolina. Joyce Kilmer was a poet and soldier from New Brunswick, NJ who was killed in action in WWI. He wrote a poem called "Trees," and a wise veterans group had the foresight to organize the preservation of this grove in the 1920's. This was and is the last of the once mighty Eastern Forest!
As such, it was with a sense of awe and sadness that my fiancee and I first entered the forest last July. Situated in the heart of one of the world's few temperate rain forests, Joyce Kilmer abounds in life, both plant and animal. In the spring and summer the woods explode in color as numerous wildflowers bloom. Regular rains allow carpets of moss and air plants to cloak the dense tree pack and underbrush. Smells of all types flood your olfactory sense. Birds dart to and fro eating insects out of the air, knocking nuts to the floor or just playing. Sounds float to us in all directions through the smoky mists. (The Smokey Mountains and Blue Ridge get their name from the pervasive bluish fog and mist that waft out of the forests of Eastern TN and western NC. Seen from a ridgeline or clear summit, especially in clearing conditions after rains or in the AM, the forests really do look blue! A sight I whole-heartedly recommend.) Then you see them. Giant trees! If you've seen a Redwood, a Sequoia, a Douglas Fir, or a Sitka Spruce you'll know what I'm about to describe. Trees so big you and your hiking partner can't even begin to put your arms around them. Trees so tall your neck cracks as you look up to see the tops. Trees like few you'll see east of the continental divide. You have to travel to Jeromesville, OH to see a more impressive Sycamore. Only here, though, can you see a community this large of these mighty ancients. Together and alive, these trees were born before Europeans landed in America. Our hearts sang to be under their wise boughs.
But this is a sad forest too. One gets a sense of its isolation and lastness. Only the hard luck of a local logging company spared the forest from the teeth of the saw. Just downstream of the preserve on the Lil' Santeet (as locals call it) are fallen sisters of the ancients. Cut one day by a company that the next day went bankrupt and couldn't pull them out. Standing in the forest and using a bit of imagination I think back to a time when trees like this ran clear up to Maine and down to Texas. We stand here in 1999 in an island. No place on the entire Eastern seaboard can claim such a swath of the original paint stroke of America. Deep down we see the trees weep. But don't let me get you down! This is an inspiring place!
The preserve, along the banks of the Little Santeetlah, is deep inside the Santeetlah National Forest. Call the Forest Service office for more info and maps (828)-257-4200. No camping is allowed in Joyce Kilmer Wilderness Preserve itself, but PLENTY of FREE camping abounds nearby. Throw on the backpack and trek up the mountain through the forest and camp at its head. You can turn this into a multi-day backpack by continuing up into the highlands and onto the web of trails that exist up there. We took our kayaks and spent two nights at the developed NF site on Santeetlah Lake called Cheoah Point - beautiful tent and RV sites ($6) and every site has lake access! We went midweek and had no problem finding a site; in fact we had many to choose from. Expect bigger crowds on the weekend at Cheoah and the forest. But at special places we tend to not notice the crowds as much. We tied our boats to the shore and paddled them at leisure in the lake. North Santeetlah Lake is relatively pristine except for a small development on the east shore near the campground. On the first day we hiked through the Joyce Kilmer Forest we woke up early and paddled across the lake (about 2 hours,) hid the kayaks in some trees at the first rapid on Little' Santeetlah Creek. We climbed up to the road (this road, accessed off of Rt. 129 just north of Cheoah Pt., has some great free first come, first served NF campsites. On our third night we moved camp from our Cheoah site to the second to last NF site on the Joyce Kilmer access road. At the top of a hill on a bend in the road, this site was incredible! DO NOT GO to this site if you have physical disabilities that require easy access. This is a short hike in site. A short steep trail, complete with a bridge, takes you to a clearing along the bubbling creek beneath two ancient Hemlocks. A fallen ancient from the logging era lies covered in moss. The cool forest comforts you in the hot summer months and the cold waters of the creek refresh you after a hard days hike or paddle. In July, pink petals from Mountain Laurel carpet the forest floor. We felt like we were in Hawaii. I highly recommend this site for couples. Very romantic. We spent three nights of our trip here,) road walked for about 1/2 mile to a trailhead. This trail lead us up a ridge to a point where we took a side trail and descended down into the ancient forest. We wanted to enter it through the backdoor so to speak. The majority of visitors drive in on the two access roads -both roads have their own developed sites ($6)- to a very pleasant visitors lot with bathrooms and a few picnic sites. Easy trails lead from the lot to the forest. The main trail can be navigated leisurely in an hour or two. You don't have to go full tilt adventure to get here like we did. This is a good trip for SENIORS and SMALL KIDS. To get to the Preserve follow the helpful signs on NC Rte. 129. From Asheville take Hwy. 74 W, from Knoxville take Rt. 129 S. With an early start this can be done as a DAY TRIP from these cities, but we recommend making at least a WEEKEND TRIP.
There is plenty to do and see in the area. Other types of lodging abound! You could rent a house further south on the lake, bring or rent a powerboat, jet skis, etc. Much happy fishing exists! If you're into auto touring, the nearby Tellico Scenic Highway goes up the mighty peaks, well over 5000-ft. to the TN border and beyond. The highway has several scenic stopping points and on a clear day commands views north to the Great Smokies. If you want to beat those crazy summer crowds in Great Smokey Mountains NP then come here instead. Nearby Fontana Lake is a mecca for boaters and gives access to the less used Southern End of the GSMNP. Camped on Santeetlah, you're also only 30 minutes to the famous Appalachian Trail. You really could spend a month or more here! I'd highly recommend this as an ANNUAL TRIP if you live in the area. If you live out west, don't come out here for the trees alone (there are more impressive trees out west) but ALSO COME OUT for the other things, like world class white water, mackin' backpacks, and lots of history, not to mention great Blue Grass Music.
All in all this place gets 4 stars out of 5. Remember the rain. It poured for a day. But we were happy in our tent, playing backgammon and sipping a few beers. This is a DRY COUNTY so BYO. In the FALL the forests are in Full Color and the trails are less crowded!
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
dewey
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Member: Dewey Wilmot
Location: San Francisco, CA
Reviews written: 31
Trusted by: 62 members
About Me:
College Admissions Counselor & Academic Advisor. Lover of traveling & the great outdoors!
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