Cherokee County High Point Trip Report
Date: October 19, 2002
Author: Mike Beavers
I completed 1/2 of Cherokee County, NC on this day. The tree leaves were at their peak color at the higher
elevations. The weather wasn't very good; it was rainy and foggy. I saw a young bear about 100 yards into the hike.
To get this one you need to park at Big Junction Parking area on Cherola Skyway. From the parking area,
walk southeast and then into the woods. Follow a faint trail until you get to the top of
Big Junction Mountain (about 0.1 mile). Stay on the trail and bear to the right when you come to a three-way junction.
This trail follows the crest of the ridge for awhile then drops off of the ridge to the left. At this point,
you need to make a decision to stay on the trail (which is maintained) or to follow the ridge line to the
tri-county junction. I decided to follow the ridge line.
The ridge line is overgrown but there is a faint game trail in places along the ridge. This is a mild bushwhack
with not much difficulty. I had my GPS with me. I used it to get close to the tri-county point and cohp.
It worked quite well until I got within about 100 feet of the high point. After that, the distance reading varied
too much to be useful. I could not find any markers of any kind.
The maintained trail that I mentioned above meets the ridge crest in this area. The high point appears to be
on the ridge line above the maintained trail. I walked up and down the trails until I was satisfied that I got
the highest point. I then followed the maintained trail back to my truck. Round trip hike is about 2 miles.
When you do this high point, you should also do Haw Knob, which is the High Point of Monroe County, TN.
To Complete Monroe County from Big Junction Parking area go to the opposite side of the parking
area and climb to the top of Haw Knob. Huckleberry Knob, Graham County, NC high point is only a few
mile further east of Big Junction Parking area.