Rock Gap - Member Hike

Hike Name: Rock Gap
Country: United States
State: North Carolina
Nearby Town: Franklin, NC
Rating: 3 stars
Directions: From Intersection of US 441 and US 64
Merge onto Murphy Rd/US-64 W, Go 11.9 mi
Turn left at Allison Creek Rd/W Old Murphy Rd, Go 1.9 mi
Turn right at National Forest Rd (Sign for Standing Indian Campground at Wallace Gap) and drive less than a mile to the trailhead on the left.
Total Hike Distance: 0.60 miles
Hike Difficulty: Easy
Permit Required: No
Hike Type: In & Out, Backtrack Hike
Hike Starts/Ends: Rock Gap
Trails Used: Appalachian Trail
Backcountry Campsites: Yes
Backcountry Water Sources: Springs
Management: U.S. Forest Service
Contact Information: Nantahala National Forest
Wayah Ranger District
90 Sloan Road
Franklin, N.C. 28734
(828) 524-6441
Best Season: Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall
Users: Hikers, Dogs
Road Conditions: Primary Paved Roads, Secondary Paved Roads
Hike Summary: This is a short hike on the Appalachian Trail near Wallace Gap and old US 64. The trailhead is only a short distance from Rock Gap which is located just down the road from Wallace Gap and on the way to the Standing Indian Campground. After a brief hike, double blue blazes mark Rock Gap Shelter which is a small structure that sleeps 8 hikers with a recently remodeled patio complete with picnic table and fire pit. A privy and a spring are located within a short distance of the shelter.
<b>Snow & Heat</b><br> The low in nearby Franklin, NC was 23 degrees tonight. It felt colder in the mountains, so a fire was a must. We spent over an hour collecting wood and it served us well during the night. Here we are enjoying the back end of the storm and some snow that hit us just before dark.
<b>Trailhead Sign</b><br> 4-6" of snow covered the ground in the Standing Indian area after a winter storm rolled through here over the weekend.
<b>Rock Gap Shelter</b><br> We rolled in to the shelter around 2:30pm and didn't expect to see anyone tonight given the grim road conditions. Suprisingly two women and three dogs rolled in just before dark having hiked 12 miles on the Appalachian Trail in snow and ice.
<b>Close Call</b><br> Scott holds a limb that fell from a tree above the shelter and dropped over five stories to slam on the roof of the picnic area. Snow followed by heavy ice had limbs large and small falling from trees through-out the night.
<b>Clearing Skies</b><br> By midnight on Sunday the storm had moved to the east and left sunny skies for the hike out.

Map:

Hiker:

The Ox


5,750 points

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