FR 67 – Standing Indian CG to Picken’s Nose

General Information

Only the first 2.0 miles of FS 67 are paved. The pavement ends at the Back Country Information Board, which is a trailhead for several longer hikes. The next 5.7 miles will be over a (usually) good gravel road. There is some washboarding on it but a speed of 20 to 25 MPH is usually easy to maintain. About 1.5 miles down this road will bring you to a ford over Hurricane Creek. It is an easy ford with a cement floor, and shallow, clear water flowing over it. Mooney Falls is 3.4 miles past the Hurricane Creek ford, and is clearly marked.

The road often deteriorates about 3 or 4 miles past the Mooney Falls area, but from the Back Country Information Board to Mooney Falls the road is almost always in good condition.

NOTE: FS67 beyond the Back Country Information Board is often closed in January and February.

To reach FR67 from Franklin, go to intersection of US441S and US64W:

X441/64

Reset odometer to zero- (not critical) heading west on US 64 on the Merle Dryman Pky

Burning bush, mixed dogwoods, wildflowers

aprox. 6 miles out, pass West Old Murphy Road, where 4-lane ends, continue on US 64W up Winding Stair Gap. 8. miles, enter National Forest 9.5 miles

MAY - maples red, birches New Green

11.7 Left Turn (LT) on West Old Murphy Road (again)

Reset Odometer

1.8 RT on FR 67 at X with AT

.4 Rock Gap parking area

2.0 The Back Country Information Board (BCIB) parking area

Reset odometer to zero.

Proceed down unpaved road make large slow U-turn to left, then enter several tight turns along a ridge line

.9 cove on left becomes stream on right -

MAY- Golden Alexander, Robin plantain, vetch, anemone, foam flower, trilliums, wild strawberries, bluettes, violets (purple & yellow)

JUN - Firepink, sundrop, spiderwort

JUL - above + mtn mint, basil balm, BESusan,

1.0 View of Nantahala R. on right. -

MAY - wild geraniums

1.3 {Park area at foot bridge}

APR - bluettes

MAY - cinqfoil, Mayapple, golden Alex, w. geranium, vetch

JUN - leather flower, phlox,

JUL - woodland sunflowers, spiderwort

OCT - lots of colored leaves over river and falling into it.

1.5 - MAY white violets, trilliums, foam flower,

1.55 {pullover} UTM 0270503/3882779 Chestnut ghosts, large rocks -

MAY- trilliumn, cinqfoil, bluettes, violets, buttercups

1.8 Blackwell Gap Trail

2.1 Hurricane Creek ford

2.3 beaver marsh on right

2.35 Creek on left with trail, leads to hemlock stand. MAY - Indian paint brush

2.8 FR34/closed

3.3 Bearpen Trail

3.5 Bridge over Thomas Branch

3.55 {Park lot} - UTM 0271546/3880311 -

MAY - painted trilliums, about 200 to 400 in full bloom MAY - painted trilliiums gone, cohosh in bloom

3.95 Big Indian Trail -

MAY- trilliums, cinqfoil, golden Alex, foam flwr, Robin plantain

4.5 Beech Gap Trail MAY - Silverbell tree, also Umbrella magnolia blooming

4.55 Pullover - hike to Nanthala River, Autumn Glory Pool.

4.9 Timber Ridge Tr/ Laurel Falls Tr. 25 minute hike each way. Lots of rhododrendren. Note: trip continues on very curvy road

5.1 -MAY- trilliums, cincfoil, purple violets,

5.4 Bear Crossing

5.6 Mooney Falls Tr.

MAY - bluettes, j-i-p,

JUN - galax blooming

5.9 Bear Revenge Drinking Spout - DON'T DRINK FROM THIS!! 4200' NOTE: Bear hunters are often seen drinking from this pipe, but the water is not safe, and may be contaminated with harmful bacteria.

MAY - Maple leaves red, tupelo pop leaves small and NG 6.2 Elderberry Trees

6.7 Trailer site

7.0 Betty Creek Gap Trail -

MAY wood anemone and bluettes

7.35 Creek that is Bluette Heaven

7.5 closed road

7.8 X Albert Mtn/Cowetta 4700'

Reset odometer to zero.

Heading up Albert Mountain Road

May - Early spring, new green, maples red, service berry trees

.45 Campsite

.85 First sighting of Mt. Albert tower

.9 Flame azalea, mtn laurel, buckeye tree.

1.25 road aligns with AT, trail 36C,

1.35 flame azalea and mtn laurel on up to parking lot.

1.75 Bear Pen trail on right 5000 ft.

2.2 {Parking lot} for Albert Mountain trail - also X with Hurricane Creek trail

Hike to Albert Mt. Summit 5:00 (minutes) hike up supply road - This part is very easy

MAY - bluettes, serviceberry trees in bloom, p.violets NJ Tea.

6:00 (minutes) X with AT - Right Turn very steep and rocky rhododendron forest

11:00 see tower

12:00 base of tower

24:00 Then Return to parking lot.

Back to X of Albert Mt/Cowetta Rd (FR 83)/Standing Indian roads Reset odometer to zero.

.45 - X AT, route to Albert Mtn. - also Campsite -

MAY- cinqfoil, golden Alex, buttercup

.7 Rainfall station on left -

MAY - Robin plantains, golden Alex, anemone, purple/white violets

.8 Old road on left

1.0 Rocky hillside on left

{1.1 Picken's Nose Parking Lot.} Trail to Picken's Nose

MAY - NJ Tea, White oaks and black oaks just leafing, 1/4" leaves, red.

.2 Rocky side - Micheaux saxifrage just beginning to go white flowers

MAY Micheaux saxifrage, full bloom.

1.5 - MAY- Trilliums, white/purple violets, foam flower, bell wort.

3.2 pavement begins

6.4 X Coweeta Lab Rd/ US 441.

LT (north) will take you back to Franklin.

Significant Trips 971025 - 0900,=3310T55H2=3.3/1530,4.5lvT50H2=4.4 980511 - 1100,0llvT66H1^1.1(19-30/10°)/1600,.32710,T80H1^3.2~2.3. 980518 - 1100.3^24,lv,T75H2/1600.3^33,lvT80H1 980608 - 1100 .7-3.3, 3605,t6xh1,/1500.7-2.4,lv,t655h1/1700,1.-3.4,lv,t65h1.