Smalls and I had 2 kid free days and we really wanted to get away and do some hiking and camping. It was Labor Day weekend and as usual, we had no plans set in stone. Fall is always crazy with school starting back and football along with all the other kids’ activities. Smalls packed for us to either camp or backpack. We jumped in the car and headed north. This is one of the things I love most about Smalls is that he flies by the seat of his pants and things always work out. I’m a planner so this was difficult for me to adjust to and now I don’t worry about it. Clayton, GA and Franklin, NC are some of our favorite places so we headed toward Clayton because the restaurants are great. Franklin seems to shut down at 8pm.
We stopped to eat on the way up to Clayton so we headed straight to find a place to stay. Smalls was starting to panic because it was Labor Day weekend. We decided to ride down to Warwoman Dell where we had hiked earlier in the summer. We kept driving and saw a turn for Warwoman WMA. It was a check-in area but decided to keep going and shortly after spotted a campsite. We continued on. There were several closed off roads but when it ended there was another campsite so we decided to do something we almost never do. Smalls and I were at camp and set-up by 6pm. It seems like we are almost always fighting sunset if not already in the dark setting up camp. The weather was perfect! Highs right around 80 and lows in the mid 50s. Smalls and I really enjoyed some quiet time just hanging out by the campfire. Smalls was finally able to do his first gear review and I learned to set-up the roof top tent. No other car ever came down the road. For full time working parents of 3 children, this is so important for us to be able to have time just the two of us with nothing on the agenda.
The next morning, we took our time getting up and heading out to hike. Smalls and I decided to go to Rabun Bald and take the shorter route from Beegum Gap making it 3.4 miles instead of 8 miles on the Bartram Trail. Both trails are moderate. The trail from Beegum Gap is just over 1000 feet in ascent while the Bartram Trail is over 1800 feet. Our trail was a steady incline the entire time. There were some nice coverage from the rhododendron. A lot of people were on trail that day but again it was Labor Day weekend. The views were incredible and we could not have asked for better weather. On the way down, we took the loop around the alternate on the way down. It looks like it used to be a forest service road that is impassable. The alternate appeared that we were walking through river bed most of the way. It was quite rocky and wet.
Once we returned to the truck, we decided to go into Clayton to get a nice meal at Universal Joint. Great burgers! We had the best of intentions to go onto Glassy Mountain Road to Fire Tower. However, we ended up going down further on Warwoman Road and exploring more of the WMA. We landed at another campsite, not as secluded as the other. We had a relaxing night and decided to hammock camp. The weather report that we found on the radio was pre-recorded and inaccurate. We made the decision to leave the tarps off and ended up having to put away the hammocks and open up the roof top tent around 3 am. Not the most restful night.
After doing both Rabun Bald and Pinnacle Knob, Smalls and I really want to do a backpacking trip of the entire Bartram Trail. Its 34.1 miles. There are multiple views and waterfalls with campsites all along the way. We’ll save that adventure for another kid-free long weekend.
Smalls and Talls Outdoors 