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Mt. Sterling Loop by Joe Fleming with Ronnie Holbert 3-20-05

I pick Ronnie up out our usual time, 5 a.m.  We stop at McD’s in Newport TN. for breakfast. This is our usual stop if the Cracker Barrel isn’t open. We’re heading to the Cataloochee section of the park for an 18-mile loop. We had planned to camp one night when we made this hike. But time did not allow. Soon we’re on I-40 heading into NC.   We take exit 20 to Cove Mountain Road. This is a narrow winding lane up the mountain to the park boundary.  Changing to a narrow winding gravel road into Cataloochee. Were on the trail at 7:35 a.m. The first section is the Little Cataloochee Trail. It is 5.1 miles, most of which is along an old roadbed with lots of historical sites along the way. The first site is the Hannah Cabin, about 1 mi. into the hike. It’s 18 ft. by 22 ft. with a sleeping loft and built before 1864. Moving on down the trail about .8 mi. we come to the Little Cataloochee Baptist Church.  I t was built around 1889. It has a fenced cemetery with around 60 graves. Since it was Sunday morning. Ronnie had to ring the bell then preach a rousing sermon. hehehe. After that we were back on the straight and narrow, trail that is. After .7 mi. we come to the Cook Cabin and Apple House.   This cabin was built around 1856. Vandals damaged it in 1975. The Park Service reconstructed it on its original site in the late 1990’s. They did a super job. Leaving the cabin area we start climbing out of the valley. We top out at Davidson Gap. This is the highest point on this trail. It was cold and windy sitting in the gap. From here it’s 1.8 mi. to the end of the trail. With the trail and stream joining as one several times along the way. Little Cataloochee Trail joins Pretty Hollow Gap Trail .8 mi. from the trailhead in Cataloochee. From here it’s 4.5 mi. to the Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail. Pretty Hollow is very level at the lower end, becoming progressively steeper near the top. Gaining about 2200 ft. in elevation. You pass through a Pine forest, Hemlock then Spruce, Fur at the top. With 3 foot log bridge crossings. One of which was almost washed out.  It’s easy to see why it was named Pretty Hollow. Near the top we meet 5 fishermen from Kentucky. They had been fishing for 3 days with no luck. So they decided to do a little hiking. A guide had told them sometimes snowmelt changing the water temperature would affect the fishing. Later we met 3 hikers from Newport heading down. After talking to them we realized they were friends of Alma Williamson,  a hiker with whom Ronnie shares hiking adventures. We top out around 1:00 and have some lunch. At 1:45 were on the Mt. Sterling Ridge Trail for a 1.4 mi. climb to the jct. with Mt. Sterling Trail. Turning down Mt. Sterling Trail it’s 1.8 mi. down hill to the Long Bunk Trail. Where we arrive about 3:45. The Long Bunk Trail is a short steady drop of about 1120 ft. in elevation over 3.7 mi. Herders used this area to graze livestock in the pre-park days. At 5:30 were at the jct. with Little Cataloochee Trail and the last 1 mi. section back to the trailhead. Where we finish at 5:50. The weather was perfect with sunshine and mild temps.

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