You’ll start an ascent, but it’s not too steep

Rattlesnake Lodge Trail

Hiking the Mountains canada goose coats on sale Near AshevilleI will focus on a hike I did near Asheville, at milepost 374.4, right by Tanbark Tunnel. You can get there easily from canada goose uk black friday Weaverville, Canada Goose Parka NC via Ox Creek Road. Turn canada goose clearance left onto the Parkway and stop just before Tanbark Tunnel. You can park on either side, with the trail on the north side of the road.

It’s an out and canada goose back trail, and is 2.2 cheap canada goose uk miles long. Round trip it is 4.4 miles a good hike! It goes from the ruins of Canada Goose Outlet the Rattlesnake Lodge site to Ox Creek Road. If you start out from the Parkway (you can also start from Ox Creek Road going in the opposite direction), you’ll head mostly north.

The Trail: Rattlesnake Lodge to Ox Creek RoadAs you start out, a cascading stream greets you. Almost immediately, you’ll come to a fork. Take the left trail. You’ll start an ascent, but it’s not too steep.

Once you’ve traveled about mile, you’ll come to the old, historic Rattlesnake Lodge site. The old rock walls and remnants of the old buildings are striking.

As you finish ascending, you’ll come to a cheap Canada Goose “T”. Go left and you’ll canadian goose jacket head toward the main building remnants of the Rattlesnake Lodge. You’ll also be on the Mountains to Sea Trail.

The flora and fauna are quite diverse. In the spring and summer, hundreds of varieties of wildflowers bloom. Rhododendron, Canada Goose Jackets mountain laurel, buy canada goose jacket cheap oak, maple and other sorts of shrubs and trees abound on the trail.

Because the area is moist and humid, a number of varieties of mushrooms like canada goose black friday sale to grow.

As you uk canada goose continue on the Mountains to Sea Trail (MST), you’ll notice that it smoothes out after Rattlesnake Lodge. It’s a well traveled trail. Along the way on your left, you’ll be able to take in the beautiful vistas and canada goose coats valleys canada goose uk outlet overlooking the Haw Creek community.

As you start nearing Ox Creek Road, you’ll start a gradual descent. You know you’re getting close when the descent turns into switchbacks. At the end of the switchbacks, you’ll see another fork. Canada Goose Online Head right toward the Ox Creek cheap Canada Goose Parkas parking lot.

The parking lot will be your midpoint.

You’ll feel the ascent canada goose uk shop in your legs as you climb back up the mountain, but if you’re in reasonable shape, it won’t be bad at all. You’ll get to backtrack through the lush forest, rocky outcroppings; you’ll see once again all the beautiful plants, flowers and even Canada Goose sale https://www.topcanadagoose.ca animals that greeted you the first time through.

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After the buy canada goose jacket first fork, keep ascending until you come to a “T”. Turn left at the T canada goose store and you’ll see the remnants of Rattlesnake Lodge. Source

These were the employee cabins. Paintbrush flower grows in front of them. Source

Turn left at the fork. Source

What used to be the yard at Rattlesnake Lodge. Now, it sometimes serves as a campsite. Source

Out by the old tennis courts. They’re no longer there, but uk canada goose outlet the rock wall still stands. Source

This area is where the swimming pool was. The pool was actually about five feet below where I was standing and the rock wall extends into the background. Source

More About Rattlesnake LodgeDr. Chase Ambler owned the lodge in the early 1900s. He had it built between 1903 and 1904 as a vacation home and would bring his family there during the breezy, mild North Carolina summers. As soon Canada Goose Coats On Sale as school would let out, the Ambler family would stay at the lodge until it was time for the children to go back to school.

Workers used rocks and canada goose factory sale trees from the area to construct the buildings, furniture and other items. The larger logs on the property were made from chestnut.

This homestead reflected the needs and likes of the family. It had a swimming pool, tennis courts, a number of guest bedrooms, a large dining room, cabins for caretakers, a barn and stables. It also had a large yard with lush gardens for everyone to enjoy.

Dr. Ambler sold the property in 1920. Only a short time later, in 1926, it Canada Goose online burned down, most likely due to a lightning strike.

Dr. Ambler loved the outdoors. He eventually helped create the southern chapter of the Appalachian Mountain Club, that later became the Carolina Mountain Club. The CMC canada goose clearance sale maintains the Mountains to Sea Trail near Asheville.