The view from Siler Bald is probably one of the most beautiful views on the planet Earth.   Of course, that’s open for discussion.  Everybody has their own candidate for that honor, and it also depends on the weather; there are some days you can’t tell the top of Siler Bald from the inside of a small gray bag.   But if the weather is clear, or if the clouds are high or even if the mountains are misty, so you can kind of see into the mist, Siler Bald is a magical place.   And even on days when the view is restricted, when you’re on Siler Bald, you can still feel that magic.

On a beautiful day in May, I saw a Golden Eagle sail low over the summit, and slowly descend as he followed Roaring Fork Ridge down toward the river.  Later that afternoon, a Great Horned Owl could be heard over in Big Oak Gap.  I saw tracks of deer and fox, but no sign of bear.

Also, on the AT, in the spring, you will meet and talk with “through-hikers”, on their way to Maine.  Mid-May is getting to be a little late for the “through-hikers”, these will probably not complete the journey before snow flies, but they are all very optimistic.  In mid-May, the trees in the Siler area are just turning; there are some leaves, but mostly the trees are bare and buds are swelling.  The summer is short up here, and when they get ready to bloom, they get with it.