A Naturalist's Guide to the Southern Blue Ridge Front: Linville Gorge, North Carolina, to Tallulah Gorge, Georgia

By L. L. Gaddy

A comprehensive handbook to top southeastern nature sites

For hikers, climbers, naturalists, botanists, zoologists, wildflower enthusiasts, waterfall watchers, and all who enjoy exploring the outdoors, this field guide offers detailed descriptions of more than fifty natural areas in the "gorge" region of the Blue Ridge province. Veteran naturalist L. L. Gaddy, Jr., shares his extensive knowledge of this scenic, biologically diverse region, which runs from North Carolina's Linville Gorge to Tallulah Gorge in Georgia, and offers practical advice on how to best experience its many rock pinnacles, deep ravines, wildflower coves, and spectacular waterfalls.

Describing areas that range in size from less than fifty to more than ten thousand acres, Gaddy provides comprehensive information on well-known sites—Table Rock State Park, Caesar's Head State Park, Whiteside Mountain, Chimney Rock Park, and Raven Cliff Falls—along with many lesser-known areas—Wolf's Lair, Thompson River Gorge, Chattooga River Narrows, and Chauga River Gorge. For each location he outlines points of interest, flora and fauna (including rare plants and endangered wildlife), and other natural features. Gaddy supplements his entries with topographic maps and an introduction to the area in which he distinguishes the specific ecosystems of the gorge region from those found in the rest of the Blue Ridge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: University of South Carolina Press
• Release date: May 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781643362618

Book preview

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Southern Blue Ridge Front

A Naturalist’s Guide to the Southern Blue Ridge Front

Linville Gorge, North Carolina, to Tallulah Gorge, Georgia

L. L. GADDY

© 2000 University of South Carolina

Paperback edition published by the University of South Carolina Press, 2000

Ebook edition published in Columbia, South Carolina, by the University of South Carolina Press, 2022

www.uscpress.com

Manufactured in the United States of America

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The Library of Congress has cataloged the paperback editions as follows:

Gaddy, L. L.

A naturalist’s guide to the southern Blue Ridge Front : Linville Gorge, North Carolina, to Tallulah Gorge, Georgia / L.L. Gaddy

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-57003-372-2 (pbk. : alk. paper)

1. Hiking—Blue Ridge Mountains—Guidebooks. 2. Natural history—Blue Ridge Mountains—Guidebooks. 3. Blue Ridge Mountains—Guidebooks. I. Title.

GV199.42.B64 G23 2000

508.7568—dc21

00-009502

ISBN 978-1-64336-261-8 (ebook)

To Hu Ye and Ye Lin,

my young companions

Of those so close beside me, which are you?

God bless the ground, I shall walk softly there

And learn by going where I have to go.

Theodore Roethke

In all Ages wherin Learning hath Flourished, complaint hath been made of Itch of Writing, and the multitude of worthless Books, wherein importunate Scriblers have pestered the World…. I am sensible that this Tractate may likely incur the Censure of a superfluous Piece…. First, therefore, in excuse of it, I plead, That there are in it some Considerations new and untoucht by others: wherein if I be mistaken, I allege Secondly, that [my] manner of Delivery and Expression may be more suitable to some Mens Apprehension, and facile to their Understandings. If that will not hold, I pretend Thirdly, That all the Particulars contained in this Book, cannot be found in any one Piece known to me, but lay scattered and dispersed in many, and so may serve to relieve the Fastidious Readers, that are not willing to take the Pains to search them out: and possibly, there may be some whose Ability (whatever their Industry might be) will not serve them to purchase, nor their opportunity to borrow, those Books, who yet may spare Money enough to buy so inconsiderable a Trifle.

John Ray, The Wisdom of God Manifested in the Works of Creation, 1691

Contents

List of Illustrations

List of Maps

List of Tables

Preface

A Reminder

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Linville Gorge

Hickorynut Gorge

Chimney Rock Park

Sugarloaf Mountain Cluster

Green River Gorge and Drainage

Bradley Falls and Cove Creek Cove (Holbart’s Cove)

Hungry River Gorge

Laurel Branch Creek Gorge

The Narrows/Pulliam Creek

Wolf’s Lair

Pacolet River Drainage

Pearson’s Falls/Upper North Pacolet River

Tryon Peak/White Oak Mountain

Saluda River Drainage

North Saluda River Headwaters

Middle Saluda River Headwaters

Caesar’s Head

Raven Cliff Falls

Matthews Creek Bog (Watson Heritage Preserve)

Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain

South Saluda River Headwaters (Table Rock Reservoir Basin)

Jocassee Area (Keowee-Toxaway Drainage)

Eastatoe Gorge

Jocassee Tract

Toxaway River Gorge

Horsepasture River Gorge and Bearcamp Creek

Thompson River Gorge

Whitewater River Gorge and Falls

Cashiers Area

Terrapin Mountain

Highlands Area

Blackrock Mountain

The Fodderstacks

Satulah Mountain

Devil’s Courthouse

Whiteside Mountain

Scaly Mountain

The Chattooga

Crouch Tract Cove

Chattooga River Narrows/Chattooga Cliffs to Scotsmans Branch

The East Fork of the Chattooga

King Creek and King Creek Falls

Rock Gorge/Big Bend Falls

The West Fork Gorge/Three Forks

Lower Chattooga Complex (Bull Sluice to Opossum Creek)

Brevard (Chauga) Belt

Tamassee Knob and Coves

Tamassee Creek and Falls (Lee Falls)

Station Cove and Falls

Isaqueena Falls

Rich Mountain/Poor Mountain/Buzzard Roost Area

Chauga River Gorge

Brasstown Creek and Falls

Panther Creek

Northeastern Georgia

Rabun Bald

Standing Indian Coves

Currahee Mountain

Tallulah Gorge

Appendix

Further Reading, Relevant Literature, and Literature Cited

Index

Illustrations

Cliffs of Shortoff

Sweet white trillium

Bradley Falls in Green River Gorge

The Narrows in Green River Gorge

The rare green salamander

Ginseng

Oconee bells

Rainbow Falls on the Horsepasture River

Yellow lady’s-slipper

Tamassee Falls in winter, temperature 8° F

Station Falls in a March snow

Persistent trillium from Tallulah Gorge

following page

Thompson High Falls in the Jocassee Gorges, North Carolina

Rainbow Falls in autumn, on the Horsepasture River, North Carolina

The rare persistent trillium in the Tallulah-Tugaloo drainage, Georgia and South Carolina

Gleason’s sweet trillium, rare throughout much of the southern Blue Ridge escarpment area

Yellow lady’s-slipper, rare in much of the southern Appalachians

Seepage near Cascade Falls in Tallulah Gorge in autumn

Oconee bells, found naturally only in North and South Carolina

Table Rock in Linville Gorge, North Carolina

Faded trillium, known only from the Savannah River drainage

High altitude infrared photograph of the heart of the Jocassee Tract, Pickens County, South Carolina

Maps

Southern Blue Ridge Front

Chimney Rock Park

Sugarloaf Mountain Cluster

Green River Gorge

Wolf’s Lair

Pearson’s Falls/Upper North Pacolet River

Tryon Peak/White Oak Mountain

North Saluda River Headwaters

Middle Saluda River Headwaters/Caesar’s Head

Raven Cliff Falls

Matthews Creek Bog

Table Rock and Pinnacle Mountain, South Saluda River Headwaters

Eastatoe Gorge (Upper)

Eastatoe Gorge (Lower)

Jocassee Tract

Toxaway River Gorge

Horsepasture River Gorge and Bearcamp Creek

Whitewater River Gorge and Falls/Thompson River Gorge

Terrapin Mountain

Blackrock Mountain

The Fodderstacks/Satulah Mountain

Devil’s Courthouse/Whiteside Mountain/Crouch Tract

Scaly Mountain

Chattooga Narrows/Chattooga Cliffs

The East Fork of the Chattooga/King Creek Falls/Rock Gorge and Big Bend Falls

The West Fork/Three Forks

Lower Chattooga Complex

Tamassee Knob and Coves

Tamassee Creek and Falls

Station Cove and Falls

Isaqueena Falls

Rich Mountain/Poor Mountain/Buzzard Roost Area Chauga River Gorge

Brasstown Creek and Falls

Panther Creek

Rabun Bald

Standing Indian Coves

Currahee Mountain

Tallulah Gorge

Tables

Table 1Comparison of size, vascular plant species richness, and geology of the major gorges of the southern Blue Ridge Front

Table 2Federally listed, state-listed, and uncommon plant species found in the natural areas of the southern Blue Ridge Front

Table 3Rare and uncommon animal species found in the natural areas of the southern Blue Ridge Front

Preface

A more precise title of this book could have been A Naturalist’s Guide to the Natural Areas of the Southern Blue Ridge Front, but, for purposes of euphony, it was shortened to the present version. In this work, I have attempted to fashion a field guide that could be used by hikers, climbers, naturalists, botanists, zoologists, wildflower lovers, waterfall watchers, and others who love exploring the outdoors for one reason or another. I have described the major natural areas of a region along the Blue Ridge Front from Linville Gorge south to Tallulah Gorge, a region that includes parts of North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia (see map on pages xviii–xix) and have included topographic maps of the natural areas to facilitate their location.

Some may comment that such a guide will increase the number of visitors to these natural areas and thereby ultimately destroy them. I would not publish such a book if I thought that were the case. As I see it, the few well-known easily accessible natural areas that are overused receive heavy traffic because of their location and because most people know of no other sites. The publication of information about 49 sites in the southern Blue Ridge Front that can be found and explored by the interested reader may, in fact, decrease the use of some too-popular areas. And if you happen to be adventurous enough to try to visit every area discussed in the book, no one area will be overused.

Most of the natural areas discussed in this book harbor sensitive landscapes (cliffs, waterfalls, etc.), plant communities, and rare plants and are not recreation areas. Many of these areas are protected by federal or state agencies and, therefore, belong to all of us. Other sites discussed here are owned by large corporations or small private landowners. Special permission must be obtained from the landowner before visiting these areas. I ask that the readers and users of this work take great care not to degrade any of these areas. A few guidelines are in order:

1. Do not pick or collect plants in these areas. Specimens of the rare plants present at these sites already exist in regional herbaria. Many of these sites have been overcollected by botanists in the past; therefore, I suggest photography as an alternative for those who want to remember the wildflowers or rare plants they have seen.

2. Stay on the trails in the natural areas. Even one group of hikers walking over shallow soil and fragile vegetation in a natural area after a heavy rain can do an enormous amount of damage to the area.

3. Do not bring large groups (more than 10 individuals) into small natural areas with narrow trails or rugged landscapes. Large group use, in effect, increases trail size by trampling and causes severe erosion on steep trails.

4. Be careful in natural areas with waterfalls and cliffs. Do not attempt rock climbing unless you know what you are doing. Do not walk on wet rocks near any waterfall or cliff. More people are killed by waterfalls (or more precisely, by their own carelessness at waterfalls) than snakes in the southern Appalachians.

5. Finally, respect these areas and others using them. Radios, mountain bikes, horses, and pets are acceptable in some large natural recreational areas, but they are not appropriate in many of the natural areas discussed herein.

A Reminder

Some of the natural areas described herein are located on private property and have been included only for comparative purposes. Most of the landowners of these properties have chosen to protect them privately. The description of these sites and their locations in this guide does not in any way give the reader the right to visit these areas without first acquiring the landowners’ permission.

Some of the natural areas discussed in this book include waterfalls, cliffs, and steep or slippery rock outcrops. Please take every precaution when visiting such areas.

The format of the natural area descriptions includes the site name, state(s), county(ies), U.S. Geological 7.5’ quadrangle(s) name(s), drainage system, location/access information, natural community types (roughly following Schafale and Weakley 1990), listed and uncommon species (indexed by scientific and common names in two tables at the end of the book), description/significance, ownership, and protection status. The natural areas are marked on U.S.G.S. topographical maps, which are found on the following pages, unless otherwise noted under LOCATION. Trails