Page Type:
|
Route |
|---|---|
Lat/Lon:
|
35.46366°N / 83.11062°W |
Route Type:
|
Roller |
|
Time Required:
|
Half a day |
|
Difficulty:
|
walk up |
|
Approach
From Waynesville, N.C. go about 8 miles to the Blue Ridge Parkway (BRP). Go toward the Smoky Mountains. Just after mile marker 451, look for exit to a giant tourist parking area near Waterrock Knob. Park here. There is a tourist kiosk that sells park trinkets/souvenirs.
Take the trail to the top of Waterrock Knob.
Route Description
From the parking lot for Waterrock Knob parking lot (5720 ft.) take the 0.5 mile trail to the summit of Waterrock Knob. The elevation gain in this section is about 580 ft. Once on the summit of Waterrock Knob, continue on the faint/overgrown use trail to Waterrock Knob’s subpeak, Browning Knob (6,267 ft.). From this point, the summit Lyn Lowry is about 1.75 miles away Continue over Browning Knob down the steep trail that is strangled with dense foliage and blow-down to a gap at 5,836 ft. This is perhaps the most daunting portion of the entire hike. Rotten orange and blue blazes barely clung to the foliage on which it was hung decades ago when we hiked the mountain in 2005. It is important to follow the trail that looks the well-trodden on this section. From this gap continue up the steep trail up a rocky fissure to Fork Ridge to the western spur of Lyn Lowry. At this point you are on private property so near the summit you will pass a fairly new dwelling on the right. Continue up to the left until you see a use trail heading into the woods. The ruins of a roof frame litter the trail. Continue past a small primitive radio tower. The trail crosses the summit. You can follow the trail (which forks at the summit but ends up in the same place) to the base of the giant white cross. There is a nice meadow on the right hand side of the trail. The return hike includes over 400 ft. gains back over both Browning Knob and Waterrock Knob.
Essential Gear
No rope or technical gear is need.
Raingear is essential
Miscellaneous Info
If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.
e-doc - Jan 1, 2006 7:49 pm - Hasn't voted
Route CommentThis peak was renamed by the father of Lyn Lowery, who died in 1964 of leukemia. Though Lyn's parents have died, the cross remains lit year round. It is beautiful to see while driving at night on US 19/23.