Bartram Hike in Nantahala

On Sunday we checked out of the cabin early and returned to the Bartram Trailhead on US-19/US-74, this time heading the opposite direction into Nantahala Gorge. After crossing the Nantahala River on two bridges, we joined the Nantahala Bikeway and followed it upstream along the river for about a mile.

The stretch was especially scenic in the morning clouds and fog drifting over the water. At the Beechertown Commercial Launch Site the paved path ended.

We crossed the road, passed the Duke Energy parking area, and continued on an old service road that climbed toward Rattlesnake Knob for roughly a mile and a half.

At the top of the road a clearing offered a fine view of the foggy gorge far below.

From there the route turned to singletrack and rose through a series of switchbacks before leveling off, only to become so overgrown that we decided not to push farther.

Rain set in as we retraced our steps along the old road, and we finished the hike wet before making the long drive home to Raleigh.