Summary
Distance: 5 miles
Elevation gain: 1,200 feet
Type: Out and back
Start: Paved lot (map)
AllTrails map
This section of the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee is famous for open, grassy balds and is very popular because it’s easy to access from a paved road that runs through Carvers Gap..
I really wanted to catch sunset from Grassy Ridge Bald and then return to my car under the light of an almost full moon. I was camping at Roan Mountain State Park, so I left the campground around 4PM to drive the 8 miles or so up to Carvers Gap. I had dinner with me, so I could enjoy a leasurly hike.
When I started hiking from Carvers Gap at around 4:30, there was a pretty heavy fog. Undeterred, I started towards Round Bald which is a steady climb of about 600 feet in six tenths of a mile. The fog was still thick at the summit. Even so, I decided to make my way to Jane Bald, the next peak on the trail, hoping that the fog would break. Jane Bald was fogged in too. At this point, I almost decided to sit down, eat my dinner, and return to my car. I am so glad that I kept going to Grassy Ridge Bald because the clouds broke as I gained altitude. The views were amazing.
As sunset approached, there was a thick bank of clouds in the west that obscured the horizon and made seeing a sunset impossible. So, seeing a sunset will take another trip.
Steve's Outdoor Life 