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Can we talk about the state of the trail up to Mount Sterling in the Smokies?
I did that loop last weekend and the overgrowth on the Baxter Creek section was just brutal. I'm talking rhododendron tunnels you have to crawl through, and the trail itself is basically a creek bed in places now. My rain jacket got shredded from all the branches. Has anyone else hiked it recently and found a better way to manage that stretch?
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kai4631mo ago
Yeah, the "trail itself is basically a creek bed" part is the real long-term issue. That erosion means the problem is getting worse every season, not just some summer overgrowth. All those exposed roots are a trip hazard now, and the water channel will just keep cutting deeper. I wonder if the park service even knows how bad it's gotten, since it's a less popular route. Someone should probably file a trail condition report with them, because this seems like it needs real work, not just a volunteer trimming day.
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sarah_brown1mo ago
Ugh, you're totally right. I tried to "help" by kicking some loose rocks into a washed out spot last year. Pretty sure I just made a worse ankle trap. My trail repair skills are a public menace. Filing a report is smart, they might not check that one often. It's gonna need a digger and some real rock work at this point.
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People are acting like this is some new crisis. Trails get rough, it happens. That section has always been a bit of a mess after heavy rain. A few downed branches and some mud are just part of hiking in the mountains. Maybe some folks just aren't used to real backcountry conditions anymore. It's not a sidewalk.
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