Bearwallow Mountain

I was having a typical Sunday morning. I woke up slowly, ate a late breakfast and when I felt ready to face the day, stuck my head out the door to do a weather check. To my surprise the rain clouds were moving out and I couldn’t believe how warm it was. Then that, “it’s gonna be a freaking great day” feeling hit me, followed by “I really want to go for a walk”. I opted to try somewhere new, had only a few hours so a couple miles would do. I got online and began to research a few mountain tops I’ve been curious about when I stumbled upon a link for Bearwallow Mountain.

The link read there was a gravel road which allowed access to the top of the mountain and there was a fire tower, an old house and some old trees on top. It sounded easy, was close to home and the history interested me more than anything. So with the husband, dog and camera in tow we set out for a short, mid morning walk at Bearwallow Mountain.


Arriving at our destination we were shocked to see a newly constructed trail head and information sign situated just beyond the gate for the road. The sign informs hikers that in 2009, the Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy purchased an 81 acre tract of land protecting the summit of the mountain. Included are 300 year old stands of white oak, rare plant life, a fully intact fire tower and homestead which was constructed in the 1930’s by the Cilvil Core of Engineers. Reading on, we learned the summit was now active pasture land and on a clear day, one could have a birds eye view of the Great Smokies, the Black Mountain Range and Great Balsams Range. I became very excited about our new find. It tuned out there was more here than we had originally anticipated!

In total length the trail is 2 miles and I would grade it as moderate due to winding switch backs and the 537 ft. elevation gain. You have an option to hike it as an out and back or as a loop, hike up the trail and down the gated road. Ryan and I choose to hike up the trail and let me tell you it was a pleasant surprise! Immediately we had winter vistas through the tree line and the winds through the gap made feel alive. The trail gently meandered through healthy stands of hardwoods and I felt like a child bounding from boulder to boulder, admiring the mini eco systems that littered the mountain side.

If I hadn’t know any better I would have thought we were hiking a higher peak, above 5,000 ft. due to the landscape but Bearwallow Mountain tops out at 4,232 ft. The one thing I became sure of was every single foot lead to one of the most unique vistas I’ve seen in this area. A large portion of the mountain top is exposed and the winds were steady that day. I was happy I had warmer clothing on and the hood on my head. My one bit of advice though: Beware of the never ending cow patties and although it’s tempting, rolling down hills up here would be a BAD idea : )

We followed the trail up the pasture towards the fire tower, when I noticed a whimsical cover of trees to the right of the once habited house. Instantly I wanted to investigate and again I found more views, big trees to hug and the rock here was smoothly sculpted, creating a lovely flow with the landscape. It made me smile thinking this would be a perfect place for a picnic with the family or to sit back and admire a sunset.


I will admit there are some towers and buildings on the summit, but the mountain top is so expansive I could head in almost any direction and experience a clear perspective. And as for the buildings, I got a sense of history and what was. I imagined being the person who lived on the mountain full time, living off the land, battling the same hardships as the wise old oaks. I’m not sure what type of foot traffic the mountain see’s, but I feel even on a busy day there are plenty of nooks and cranny’s to hide away in, although parking may be difficult because it is a bit limited.

To be honest I was blown away by Bearwallow Mountain. It well exceeded any expectations I thought I had. The trail is well designed, utilizing the natural landscape in ways that stimulated the curiosity of my inner child. It tells the story of where this old mountain met a man and together they lived along side one another in harmony, watching over the lands surrounding them. I’m grateful this act of protection lives on through the efforts of conservation. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been inspired to volunteer with the CMLC, because the word is they hope to connect Bearwallow Mountain Trail with existing trails of other conserved lands. My question is, where do I sign up to help?

For directions to Bearwallow Mountain and for more information on Carolina Mountain Land Conservancy head to the CMLC website:
http://www.carolinamountain.org/hikingchallenge/bearwallow