AT Day 34: Cherokee NF to Cross Mountain

Daily Miles: 22.3, Total Miles: 450.8

Early start from the Boots Off Hostel on a near freezing morning. I didn’t want to leave the warm and toasty little cabin but wanted to get some miles in today.

The morning was spent getting around the end of very large Watauga Lake finally walking across the large earthen dam. Now the climbing started, eventually reaching the top of the ridge high above the lake. I ran into Stretch who I had met last week and we had lunch near a small spring.

Got to the TN91 crossing and enjoyed a trail angel stop – nice chat, soda, cookies and chips. Passed through a large green pasture near Cross Mountain and then back into the forest where I found a nice tent site.

Mostly clear and cool today.