This hike took place on Thursday, August 8, 2019 in the Appalachian Ranger District of Pisgah National Forest, NC and the Unaka Ranger District of Cherokee National Forest, TN.

Hump Mountain was my choice for a celebratory hike after defending my dissertation. I decided I needed something incredibly scenic, not too difficult, and somewhere I could beat the August heat. Although I had hiked Hump Mountain from Carvers Gap and Yellow Mountain Gap, I had never followed the Appalachian Trail south from U.S. 19E. Thus, it was an easy choice with the beautiful weather forecast to revisit one of my favorite mountains in the Southeast.

The Appalachian Trail from U.S. 19E climbs 2,650 feet over 5.3 miles from the highway to the summit of Hump Mountain. This is a moderate climb, never steep and rarely difficult on footing. There are a few campsites within a mile from the highway, and then around the halfway point of the hike the AT crosses the state border at Doll Flats. Beside this meadow are excellent campsites amongst the trees with a water source nearby. The AT then swings around the north and east side of Hump Mountain, which was the rockiest section of the hike by a longshot.

After a southward turn, the AT leaves the forest and follows what can only be described as the finest expanse of grassy bald in the Southeast. For 0.75-mi the AT gradually climbs west up the east side of Hump Mountain with phenomenal views. The views only get better when you reach the summit of Hump Mountain (5,587 feet), the most scenic peak in the Roan Highlands. No view is better than looking due east at Grandfather Mountain, the most impressive craggy massif in North Carolina. Beech Mountain, Hanging Rock, and Sugar Mountain are the noticeable peaks in the foreground of Grandfather. Further north the highest peaks of the Amphibolite Range dot the sky to the left of Beech Mountain. Towards the southeast the peaks of Linville Gorge are noticeably lower in elevation compared to Hump Mountain. Immediately southwest are Little Hump Mountain and Big Yellow Mountain, then the much higher Grassy Ridge Bald, Round Bald, and Roan High Knob rise in the background. The peak which I mistakenly named as Little Yellow Mountain in the video was Big Bald. Behind that further south are the Black Mountains. And in the distant west beyond Roan High Knob was Unaka Mountain.

I spent quite a lot of time enjoying the scenery from Hump Mountain and the eastern bald below. In my opinion, this stretch of the Appalachian Trail is one of the most scenic hikes in North Carolina. Plus, at under 11 miles and under 3,000 feet, this is a very doable hike for many. I highly recommend this hike if you are looking to see the best of the Roan Highlands and avoid the crowds at Carvers Gap on the weekends.

Distance - 10.7 miles
Elevation gain - 2,910 feet
Time - 7 hours and 5 minutes

Hike location
https://goo.gl/maps/gRSFUR6PNMeKsb166

Maps for this hike:
U.S. Forest Service
https://store.usgs.gov/product/517064
National Geographic
https://www.natgeomaps.com/ti-783-sou...
https://www.natgeomaps.com/ti-1502-ap...

Other hikes mentioned:
Colbert Ridge Trail and Buncombe Horse Range Trail loop
   • Colbert Ridge Trail and Buncombe Hors...  
Little Hump Mountain, Hump Mountain, and Big Yellow Mountain    • Little Hump Mountain, Hump Mountain, ...  
Hanging Rock
   • Hanging Rock - Bear Paw State Natural...  
Grandfather Mountain via Profile Trail
   • Grandfather Mountain via Profile Trai...  
Grassy Gap
   • Grassy Gap - Yellow Mountain State Na...