Max Patch, Said by Some to Be the Crown Jewel of the Appalachians and for Good Reason
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On the Fourth of July, I wanted to go do something, but I also wanted to avoid the crowds since Coronavirus cases are on the upswing here. I ended up going to Max Patch with a friend. You have to drive on this really rough road for the last 8 miles, so that helps a bit with reducing crowds. Still, it is considered by many to be the crown jewel of the Appalachians, and for good reason, so there were other people hiking. This was one of the views from the summit. The visibility is 360 degrees, and you can see from the Smokies in Tennessee to Mount Mitchell in North Carolina. If you do the shorter .7 mile hike, you get to this summit right away. We, however, did the longer 2.4 mile hike that takes you through the woods.
When we started out on the hike, se came to clusters of mountain laurels. The blossoms are so beautiful and delicate, but every part of the plant is poisonous. Bees are attracted to mountain laurel, but if they spend too much time feeding on the nectar, they can produce honey that is toxic to humans. This bee was totally stationary. I made this image, but I sensed it was dead. Then we touched the bee, but it didn’t move. When I got home, I researched whether the bee could have died from ingesting the nectar of this flower and in fact that could have been the cause. Mountain Laurel contain an andromedotoxin that makes them sick and die if they ingest too much. If they don’t die and succeed in making honey from the nectar of these plants, their honey can make humans high or sick and what they contract is actually referred to as Mad Honey Disease. Bees are dying at an alarming rate in the Appalachians. Environmental conditions and climate change are causing some plants to die off, which forces the bees to feed off of toxic plants like the Mountain Laurel.
Next, we came across a very large mother elk. She rounded the corner on the trail we were walking with and I had my dog. She was coming right at us and wouldn’t stop. I pulled my dog backwards and said go away, but she kept coming until my friend clapped his hands and she finally went into the brush. Her ears were still in the potential charge mode, but once she had the cover of the trees, she stopped coming at us and just stood and watched. I took a few photos and then we left her alone. Later, we read a sign that there was a known elk in the area that had a child. Mother elk can get quite protective.
Once we were out of the woods, the grassy meadow began to open up and things seemed a bit safer! Max Patch is named for the farmer who cleared the area in the 1870’s. Cattle and sheep once grazed here. In the 1920’s, there was actually an airstrip for people to come for thrill rides. Today the forest service mows it occasionally and has prescribed burns. When we first emerged there were just hints of clouds.
It was so fun to see the clouds forming and rising over the hillside. It was almost like they were putting on a show.
Before we got to the last trek across the grassy bald leading to the summit, we had to go into another wooded area. The trees were so green. It seemed like this magical wonderland. The ground was carpeted with ferns too.
When I saw this beautiful cluster of ferns, they lifted my spirits instantly. The Maori believe ferns represent new life, while the Japanese believe ferns symbolize family and the hope for future generations. The state of the earth lately has been so dire, that we could sure use new beginnings and more than anything I hope the planet recovers for the sake of my children and future generations
This was the part of the trail across the grassy bald to the summit. The vegetation was varied and interesting, and we only passed a couple of people, so I had plenty of time to stop and appreciate them..
The grasses were a beautiful foreground or interesting in their own right. Though the area is mowed and artificially maintained to an extent, the grasses that sprout up are still native.
Tapestry of Grasses
On the return from the official summit, we saw this lovely view of wildflowers, clouds, and mountain vistas. There is something so gentle and intimate about Max Patch. You feel like you can see forever, but it’s not like in the White Mountains where you are towering above everything. It’s more like you can see for ever in a world that you are a part of.
Buttercups generally symbolize lightness and joy, and they always remind me of my childhood, because I loved looking for them whenever we traveled to areas where they grew. They definitely exude a sunny cheeriness and lightness of being. However, in some rural areas, they can also symbolize ingratitude, since they are considered noxious weeds. I preferred to dwell on their positive meaning, as with all that has been going allowing myself to be cheered up by flowers, clouds, trees, and even a dying bee and a wary elk seemed the wiser choice. I hope these images lifted your spirits as well. Nature can sometimes be frightening, but when the sun is shining between gentle clouds and a gentle breeze is blowing, a walk outside can be incredibly healing.