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Ed Talbott | profile | all galleries >> Appalachian Hikes >> Beartown Wilderness - June 20, 2008 tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Beartown Wilderness - June 20, 2008

Michelle, Chazzy and I decided to scout a new route to the top of Beartown Tazewell (4,710 feet) - Virginia's 4th highest mountain. We started at Walker's Gap near Burke's Garden and followed the Appalachian Trail up to the Chestnut Knob Shelter. Then we were off-trail for the next 3 miles to the top of the mountain, skirting the National Forest property along the edge of Burke's Garden. There are no trails up Beartown so a good map, compass, and/or GPS is needed. We found some high altitude birds that included Veery, Common Raven, Black-throated Green Warblers, Black-throated Blue Warblers (great looks), Juncos and others but our best find was a Black Bear at the summit of the aptly named Beartown Mountain. The weather was perfect and the views of Burke's Garden amazing, but after nine miles of mostly off-trail exploring we were ready for a pizza and a good night's sleep at the end of the day.
Sign has Blown Over
Sign has Blown Over		 Squaw Root
Squaw Root		 Jefferson National Forest
Jefferson National Forest		 Michelle Talbott
Michelle Talbott
Unknown Polypore ?
Unknown Polypore ?		 Roundleaf Catchfly
Roundleaf Catchfly		 Flame Azalea
Flame Azalea		 Yellow Flame Azalea
Yellow Flame Azalea
Looking Towards Big Walker Mt.
Looking Towards Big Walker Mt.		 Chestnut Knob Shelter - 4,400 ft.
Chestnut Knob Shelter - 4,400 ft.		 Rattlesnake Plantain
Rattlesnake Plantain		 Ling Chih Polypore
Ling Chih Polypore
Mountain Laurel
Mountain Laurel		 Fractal Fern
Fractal Fern		 Burke's Garden
Burke's Garden		 Scanning for Raptors
Scanning for Raptors
Biltmore Estate 1st Choice
Biltmore Estate 1st Choice		 God's Thumbprint
God's Thumbprint		 Highest Valley in Virginia
Highest Valley in Virginia		 Green-legged Spur-throated Grasshopper
Green-legged Spur-throated Grasshopper
Ivory-billed ?
Ivory-billed ?		 Huge Maples
Huge Maples		 Chazzy drinks from Roaring Fork
Chazzy drinks from Roaring Fork		 Azalea View
Azalea View
Fern Garden
Fern Garden		 Beartown Maiden Marker - 4,710 feet
Beartown Maiden Marker - 4,710 feet		 Marker Location
Marker Location		 Common Wood Sorrel
Common Wood Sorrel
Bald at Summit
Bald at Summit		 Aircraft Wreckage
Aircraft Wreckage		 Twisted Aluminum
Twisted Aluminum		 Tree Impact
Tree Impact
Pointed Blue-eyed Grass
Pointed Blue-eyed Grass		 Snail Shell
Snail Shell		 White Moth
White Moth		 Green on Green
Green on Green
Natural Brick
Natural Brick		 Through the Woods
Through the Woods		 Ed Talbott
Ed Talbott		 Mountain Laurel
Mountain Laurel
Flame Azalea
Flame Azalea		 Great Spangled Fritillary
Great Spangled Fritillary		 Chazzy on Alert
Chazzy on Alert		 Rattlesnake Plantain
Rattlesnake Plantain
Unknown Flower
Unknown Flower		 Many Deer Were Seen
Many Deer Were Seen		 Climbing Down
Climbing Down		 Deer Jaw
Deer Jaw

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Edward Woolf 08-Jun-2010 03:08
I climbed up Beartown in 1983. I did it the hard way. I parked my car where highway 16 crosses Clinch Mountain. O thought I could along Clinch Mountain to Beartown. That was a mistake. Soon O had two choices: Try to go through an impenetrable of rhododendron, or or walk go along the ridge top. I couldn't walk on many places, because it was so narrow that it was a virtual tightrope. I had to crawl along in a straddle.
But I made it, and luckily, it was worth it. I see that the balsam firs are still there. But you did not have a picture of the lycopods. John Denver was wrong. These lycopods were great trees before the mountains were here..
I went down to roaring fork and back up the forest road to my car.
I went to Beartown one more time and go lost on the way down.
Guest 29-Nov-2008 12:43
This makes me want to go up to see a part of the Garden that I probably will never be physically able to do. thank you for the beautiful pictures. I hope to see some more of your excursions in pictures. JR
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