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  1. #1

    Default Camping on Grassy Ridge Bald

    How is the camping on top of Grassy Ridge Bald? Is there water nearby? Any good places for hammock hanging around treeline?
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    At the end of the trail---theres an open field where people camp...

    water is down hill just a touch through the bushes...

    i don't think there's many places to hang in that area but since I was using tent, I didn't look around too much...

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    TNhiker is correct. Continue past the Grassy Bald memorial marker to the dip before the Grassy Ridge Trail disappears into the bushes. Depending on the weather you may not want to be on the balds due to high winds and thunderstorms.

    You are on the balds so no hammocking in the immediate area. You will have to go back to Roan High Knob Shelter or continue north toward Stan Murray.
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  4. #4

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    Thanks for the help. I'm leading a group on Memorial Day weekend. If I can convince everyone to bring a tent we might camp there if the weather is good. I was hoping to hear there were maybe some trees near the periphery, but I guess that's not the case.
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    I would expect it to be really crowded on Memorial Day weekend...

    its a very popular route and since grassy ridge is not really far from road, people will be there...

  6. #6

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    It was pouring rain when I was there in October, with water running down the trail like it was a creekbed as we climbed up to Roan High Knob shelter. Tenting did not occur to us that day. Must return some time.

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    Registered User Joey's Avatar
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    Great place to camp after a good snowstorm and a full moon! One of the best camping/hiking trips I've ever experienced! Nobody else was up there either and I had the whole area all to myself, but it was in the middle of the week mid December!

  8. #8

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    Along the lines of having trees for a hammock, are there any trees suitable for hanging a bear bag? I camped there about 15 years ago, in the slight low-grass depression, near the trail to the water source, and remember it was hard to find anyplace to hang a bear bag. Is that still the situation? Maybe one could go down further beyond the water and hang a bag?
    thanks
    homer_at

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    There was just small ash and rodos up there last I went. Nothing to hammock or hang from last I remember.
    ''Tennessee Viking'
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  10. #10

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    I'm not sure what the regulations are, but the official A.T. guidebook states for Grassy Ridge: "please do not camp on or near the ridge, to avoid damaging rare plants in the area." Grassy balds are one of the rarest and most beautiful places on earth, with not only incredible views but some exquisite flowers and plant species found no where else. Make sure you tread gently when you are here, and especially avoid building fires.

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    It's been a few years since I've been up there--- but I thought there were signs on grassy ridge about where one could camp and one could not...

    i believe the area i described is in the can camp part...

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    Hoping to camp on Grassy Ridge Bald this weekend. Does anyone know about nearby water sources? Someone above mentions a source down the hill, but I wasn't sure how reliable this was.

    Also, the springs that are further north on the AT from the Grassy Ridge spur trail... does anyone know if they're flowing this time of year? Thanks in advance!

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    Quote Originally Posted by AggieDO View Post
    Hoping to camp on Grassy Ridge Bald this weekend. Does anyone know about nearby water sources? Someone above mentions a source down the hill, but I wasn't sure how reliable this was.

    Also, the springs that are further north on the AT from the Grassy Ridge spur trail... does anyone know if they're flowing this time of year? Thanks in advance!
    The water source on the AT just north of the spur was flowing well last weekend. Great time to be up there. The bees, oh the bees
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    Thank you, Devoidapop !

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    It's been extremely dry and hotter than average in northeast TN the last 5-6 weeks. Has anyone recently seen the spring on the AT just north of the spur trail up to Grassy Ridge Bald? It was flowing nicely on Aug 11th, but not sure if this heat and dry weather might have slowed it.

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    Quote Originally Posted by AggieDO View Post
    It's been extremely dry and hotter than average in northeast TN the last 5-6 weeks. Has anyone recently seen the spring on the AT just north of the spur trail up to Grassy Ridge Bald? It was flowing nicely on Aug 11th, but not sure if this heat and dry weather might have slowed it.
    I was just up there on 8-31 and it was flowing well. I met over 200+ mostly day hikers but at least 30 backpackers were heading for the campsite out on Grassy Ridge trail. Many others headed for the now closed Overmountain barn shelter. It seems to be a popular spot lately.
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    Just FYI on this revived thread...

    There is a spot where folks camp in tents up on GRB - think its a relatively popular spot with college kids. Personally, I wouldn't do it in a tent as mentioned earlier, but looks like just a small, open grassy area, so I don't think its a big deal. However, right next to this area is a clump of trees with at least one marvelous space for a hammock. Other spaces to hang exist if you follow some worn paths around, for in a pinch only if you get up there and this one spot is already taken.

    Just wanted to answer one of the OP questions for future ref.
    "I wonder if anyone else has an ear so tuned and sharpened as I have, to detect the music, not of the spheres, but of earth, subtleties of major and minor chord that the wind strikes upon the tree branches. Have you ever heard the earth breathe... ?"
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    The spring just north of the spur cut-off up to Grassy Ridge Bald was flowing, but not very fast. Nevertheless, I was able to fill water bags up just one time before we hiked up to Grassy Ridge Bald and didn't have to worry about water the rest of the trip.

  19. #19

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    Quote Originally Posted by Lauriep View Post
    I'm not sure what the regulations are, but the official A.T. guidebook states for Grassy Ridge: "please do not camp on or near the ridge, to avoid damaging rare plants in the area." Grassy balds are one of the rarest and most beautiful places on earth, with not only incredible views but some exquisite flowers and plant species found no where else. Make sure you tread gently when you are here, and especially avoid building fires.
    Pretty much impossible to keep irresponsible people from camping where they shouldn't, as this thread shows.
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