7/19/19
Daina, Mike Sophie (dog) and I
SC and NC temps are soaring into the upper 90’s! I wanted to hike but wanted to find a cooler spot.
The choice was between MT Mitchell and Grayson Highlands. I have been to Grayson Highlands twice and it’s just magical. I decided since Daina was going we would go there. It’s 3 hours up I-77 and it’s Friday morning. 😬 turns out traffic wasn’t to bad. We got there around 11am and it was 72•💃💃 happy dance!
We started at the Massey Gap trailhead (where ponies hang) didn’t see any. Followed the AT south toward where MT Rogers begins and ponies hang. Didn’t see any! Then went the AT south to Wilburn Ridge and took the spur trail to the back packers lot. Still no ponies! 🤔 We have seen their droppings all day and figure they must be in front of us. We saw 2 men on horse back. He said how ya doing? I said haven’t seen a horse all day except yours. He said they were up at Massey Gap. So we followed the trail up there and …………….. no ponies!
We turned around to head back down to the car and a pony family was coming up the trail! One particular pony was so friendly he bumped right into me. There was a mom and her baby and a pregnant mare.
Well day complete. I wasn’t leaving without showing them some ponies! We hopped in the car and headed back out. I decided if we came this far we would head to Backbone Rock on the other side of Damascus. We drove the 30 miles through Damascus in a slow windy road with nothing on it.
In Damascus I didn’t see any through hikers. We did see lots of people riding the Creeper Trail. I think I would like to come back one day and do it. We had time today but we had the dog. 😢
Backbone rock was in Tennessee just past Damascus. It was really cool. There is a set of stairs on either side and you can walk up one side, across the top and down the other.
Then back through Damascus and take 81 to 421 and right through Boone NC and Blowing Rock.
Just after Bowing Rock we turned on Waterfall Road to see Silvervale Falls. It was right on the road and had Graffiti on it. 🤬🤬
Then back home. 350 miles round trip.
My Outdoor life 
I printed off a map of Grayson Highlands. Shows at least one waterfall… off Cabin Creek Trail. Have you been to any falls in there? Would you recommend anything more than the ponies?
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Yes. It’s like a whole different park! It is off to the left and the trail goes down through the forest. At the very end of the trail is the waterfall. Then it loops back up and around the way you came. It’s a very shaded trail mostly along the river. No ponies down there.
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My blog from 3/21/18 has it at the very end.
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Oh I have done the hike up to mt. Rogers also. I would do the trails in Grayson and the waterfall first.
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I would love to see some of those spots, especially the ponies. I tried to see the wild horses at the Outer Banks but a Toyota Celica wasn’t ideal for driving out there. It’d be hard for me to refrain from petting them. Bet I could fill up an SD card or two in no time though.
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What a beautiful place. We are hoping to move to NC at some point in the future. I miss this type of place. It is very flat where we live. Mostly farm fields.
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I drive 3 hours every time I’m so glad it isn’t further!
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