Wilson Creek Trip

[Firebird]

In my introduction earlier, I commented on my recent trip to Wilson Creek area. I've seen it said here, without pics it didn't happen so here are a few taken with my cell so they aren't the greatest. The first is my first night campsite on a ridge in the ferns. It had just stopped raining and was getting dark and foggy so the quality isn't great. The next 2 are South Harper Creek falls taken from the overlook on the south side. It was worth the climb up but the trail from the confluence of north and south Harper up to the top of the falls is very ify. It hasn't been worked on in quite a while and was very overgrown. I got a might bewildered a couple of times and right before the crest the trail (goat path)there was a large hemlock that had blown over and had taken a chunk of the mountain with it making a near vertical crossing. At this point I remembered I hadn't told anyone where I was going. Once you reach the top of the falls the trail is very good all the way back down Raider Camp Creek. The last 2 pics are from the same overlook viewing Grandfather Mtn to the north. When I brought my scouts here in the 80's, I took each one's picture sitting on this outcrop with the falls in the background and gave them each one for Christmas. I still have one of me here from 1983. The rest of the trails on North Harper, Lost Cove, and Wilson are pretty good. Overall, I think I crossed creeks 24 times and only a couple by rocks (and one shouldn't have been....glad there was no film crew) as the rest were all wet crossings. Beautiful place and a great trip

[TallPaul]

Thanks for sharing Firebird - looks like a great trip... with a few sketchy piece thrown in make sure you were awake.
I've been noodling a hammocking trip to the area myself - haven't been to WC and it looks like a great place.

[Firebird]

Hi Tall Paul. Yea, it's a great area to hike and hang. The only "downside" is it's hard to make a loop without hiking some of the forest service roads. If you leave a vehicle at Mortimer campground it's a 4 mi road hike to the trailhead of Wilson Creek and then from Harper Creek trailhead to Mortimer is about 1.5 mile of road. And to make that loop there is a few more sections of road in the middle. There are parking areas at both of those trailheads though. The only loop(without roads) is the Harper Creek, South Harper Creek, Raider Camp Creek trail I came out on but you have to negotiate that dicey bit of about 1 1/2 mile of south Harper. There are out and back hikes all over and roads aren't my favorite but they aren't a deal breaker. Try it you'll like it. I'm sure you know, but there are a lot of wet crossings.

[Gqgeek81]

I believe I seen the map in REI, I'll have to pick it up.
I don't know why, but I thought this area was much further west towards the tip of the state. This is basically right beside Linville Gorge.

[Grits]

Hi Tall Paul. Yea, it's a great area to hike and hang. The only "downside" is it's hard to make a loop without hiking some of the forest service roads. If you leave a vehicle at Mortimer campground it's a 4 mi road hike to the trailhead of Wilson Creek and then from Harper Creek trailhead to Mortimer is about 1.5 mile of road. And to make that loop there is a few more sections of road in the middle. There are parking areas at both of those trailheads though. The only loop(without roads) is the Harper Creek, South Harper Creek, Raider Camp Creek trail I came out on but you have to negotiate that dicey bit of about 1 1/2 mile of south Harper. There are out and back hikes all over and roads aren't my favorite but they aren't a deal breaker. Try it you'll like it. I'm sure you know, but there are a lot of wet crossings.

Firebird, Good trail report. I started at FS rd. 58 and hiked in to South Harper Falls a few weeks ago and you are right that 1.6 mile section down to where it meets the MST just above Harper Creek Falls is tough, took me 2 hrs and met a few copperheads along the way. Your picture of South Harper Falls is a good one. At the dogleg in the falls the large rock is a geat place to take a break and enjoy the creek running by you.
The best map is the US Forest Service Wison Creek National Wild and Scenic River Trail Guide Pisgah National Forest. You can get the map from any outfitter in Boone or from http://www.friendsofwilsoncreek.org/main.asp
A link to most of the Waterfalls in the area is http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/wilson_creek1.htm If you start out at Beacon Heights on the Blue Ridge Parkway and hike the 24 miles to Hwy 181 on the MST you will hit 95% of the waterfalls and have lots of good hammock camping by the streams and river. There is a great camping place at the junction of Upper Creek and Burnthouse creek at a waterfall not on any maps.
The 8 mile section of the MST between Hwy 181 and Table Rock along Steeles Creek is good also. http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/steels1.htm
It is safe to leave a car parked at Hunt Fish Falls, Beacon Heights, Hwy 181, Chestnut Mtn, Wison Creek Visitor Center,intersection of FS Roads 58 and 464 and at Roseborough Rd FS Rd.981 where the MST crosses. Hope this helps some.

[Firebird]

Firebird, Good trail report. I started at FS rd. 58 and hiked in to South Harper Falls a few weeks ago and you are right that 1.6 mile section down to where it meets the MST just above Harper Creek Falls is tough, took me 2 hrs and met a few copperheads along the way. Your picture of South Harper Falls is a good one. At the dogleg in the falls the large rock is a geat place to take a break and enjoy the creek running by you.
The best map is the US Forest Service Wison Creek National Wild and Scenic River Trail Guide Pisgah National Forest. You can get the map from any outfitter in Boone or from http://www.friendsofwilsoncreek.org/main.asp
A link to most of the Waterfalls in the area is http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/wilson_creek1.htm If you start out at Beacon Heights on the Blue Ridge Parkway and hike the 24 miles to Hwy 181 on the MST you will hit 95% of the waterfalls and have lots of good hammock camping by the streams and river. There is a great camping place at the junction of Upper Creek and Burnthouse creek at a waterfall not on any maps.
The 8 mile section of the MST between Hwy 181 and Table Rock along Steeles Creek is good also. http://www.ncwaterfalls.com/steels1.htm
It is safe to leave a car parked at Hunt Fish Falls, Beacon Heights, Hwy 181, Chestnut Mtn, Wison Creek Visitor Center,intersection of FS Roads 58 and 464 and at Roseborough Rd FS Rd.981 where the MST crosses. Hope this helps some.

Grits, some of what you're describing is just what I did. Went up Wilson to Old House Gap where the trail from Beacon Heights ties in and then down Gragg Prong to Lost Cove. Went up Lost Cove to the old Forest service road and followed it up thru the gate and then down to North Harper, past those falls and then up South Harper. When I use to do the 50 mile loop after South Harper falls get on the trail (used to be called the old Greentown Rd) and now MST down to Upper Creek, cross over and then up and over hwy 181 to Steels Crk, follow it down a few miles and then cross back over 181 to Upper Crk again and actually camped where you talked about at Burnthouse Crk. It's surely a unique place and I've always thoroughly enjoyed it. That 1.5 mile stretch below South Harper falls where the little island is, is where I really had to search hard. I make full topo maps for GPS's and that's one place I had no gpx data for so one reason I wanted to do it. Got it now! I might try to go back up there in the near future for the day and take a machete and try to clean it up a little and flag it for the next man. You could sure tell where the high water had been, huh? Maybe see you up there sometime.

[Grits]

You could sure tell where the high water had been, huh? Maybe see you up there sometime.

you got that right what is usually just over the ankle was mid thigh. Let me know when you are going to go back it would be fun to meet another hammock camper and spot a car so we don't have to backtrack. If you are going in from 181 on the old greentown trail and a little ways past upper creek I put some orange flaging tape where you can bushwhack the easiest 1/2 mile to Burnthouse creek falls instead of following the fishermans trails down upper creek to connect with the old spur trail.