Do You Know What Balds Are? Hike These For Iconic Appalachian Beauty

Appalachia’s version of meadows—colloquially called balds because they’re characteristically treeless—are as mysterious as they are magical. Their views are unhindered, their origins debatable and their beauty unfathomable. High elevations, seas of grass, vibrant heath flora and frequent cloud inversions in the valleys below often combine to make these places feel like island oases in the southeastern sky. 

For centuries, scientists and locals have hypothesized that these mountaintop clearings were created by everything from extreme climate events, to grazing by large prehistoric animals, to the agricultural and hunting practices of the area’s Native inhabitants. Some balds are well-known to have been cleared by European settlers—particularly those who settled from Scotland and brought along their agricultural practices of grazing sheep and cattle in the highlands of their homeland. In modern times, many are now maintained by either the National Park Service, the United States Forest Service, private landowners or local organizations such as the Carolina Mountain Club. Here is our local enthusiast’s list of must-visit balds, all in North Carolina. 

Hemphill

Unlike most of the other Appalachian balds, the origin of Hemphill’s clearing is well-documented. In Mountain Fever, Tom Alexander’s biography that includes deep, archival history of Cataloochee Ranch and its surrounding area, he claims that a man named Arch Early cleared the mountain for sheep and cattle over a two year period. Arch and his family stayed in a small cabin they constructed on the side of the mountain near the headwaters of Hemphill Creek and worked diligently at dropping the trees by hand with nothing more than an ax and unmatched patience. His handiwork created an open-air landscape that now looks like heaven on earth.

There are several different ways for hikers to access Hemphill Bald. Polls Gap and Cove Creek Gap are the two closest official trailheads in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, which leads hikers to the summit and back with a 10- and 14- mile trek respectively on the Cataloochee Divide Trail. If you’re looking for a shorter hike to the bald, or the opportunity to pair this hike with The Purchase (another list-worthy bald in the immediate area) you can purchase a trail pass from The Swag which not only covers your daily parking pass for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but also includes a gourmet lunch and classic hiking stick. They kindly share access to a fenced-in corral on the summit with hikers from the national park, but if you’re one of their guests you get to park 1 mile from the summit and can free-range hike around the entire pasture.

Sandy Mush

If you are searching for guaranteed solitude and unique views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park then Sandy Mush Bald is the spot for you. The summit of Sandy Mush was cleared by European settlers to allow for grazing  livestock around the turn of the 20th century and gets its name from a group of hunters who were camped in the valley below that mistakenly used silted creek water for their morning oatmeal. The sandy water turned their breakfast into a “sandy mush” and the name stuck. From the 5,152-foot summit, you get a seldom-seen angle into the national park and the chance to see over 155 miles of the Appalachian Trail from the Great Smokies to the Roan Highlands. The 270-degree westward view makes this a spectacular sunset spot and its remote nature gives it a wildly dark night sky. To access this bald, book a stay at the Cabins at Sandy Mush Bald, which is an off-grid and hike-in facility located 500 vertical feet below the summit. It’s a 2-mile hike to the cabins and campsites, and from there you can access the summit via a 1.5-mile loop trail that gains 500 feet in elevation.

Grassy Ridge

No list of Appalachian balds would be complete without featuring one from the Roan Highlands. Grassy Ridge Bald’s name is self-explanatory, but there is some dispute about how the Roans got their name: Some say it’s because of the reddish hue that appears on the mountain in spring, and some say it was from Daniel Boone’s roan horse, as he was once known to frequent the area. Regardless, the Roan Highlands contain the longest contiguous stretch of grassy balds in the southeast and one of the most spectacular displays of azaleas, rhododendrons, and mountain laurels in the world. Grassy Ridge Bald stands out amongst the others in this region because of its picturesque campsites that are lined by rhododendrons and an evergreen fringe. The 5-mile round-trip hike on the Appalachian Trail to Grassy Ridge Bald crosses two other list-worthy balds (Round Bald and Jane Bald) and is as good as it gets for a day hike or overnight trip.

Max Patch

Max Patch is the most infamous bald on the Appalachian Trail. Named after the Macmahon family, Max Patch (Mac’s Patch was eventually corrupted into Max Patch) was historically a camper’s paradise before the Forest service temporarily closed it to overnight use three years ago after the human impact added up and a movement to ban camping received much fanfare. Camping aside, as a destination, Max Patch punches way above its weight. It is the lowest-elevation bald on this list and it sits on the western edge of the Appalachian Mountain range, which creates an amphitheater-like view of the surrounding 6,000-foot peaks to the north, south, and east and an uninterrupted view over the undulating expanse of eastern Tennessee. That vast westward view is responsible for the wild sunsets that have made Max Patch one of the most iconic places in all of Appalachia. Max Patch is the most accessible bald on this list. A scenic drive on country roads leads to the Max Patch trailhead, and from there it is a relatively easy 0.5-mile climb to the summit. 

Black Balsam

Black Balsam is the highlight of the Art Loeb Trail, the crest of the Great Balsam Range and is arguably the most aesthetic bald on this list. Its summit is dotted with rock formations that have been sculpted by the twists and turns of geologic time in the world’s oldest mountain range. There are expansive 360-degree views for sunsets and sunrises, while the dark evergreen forest below the bald is a sylvan wonder and the mountain’s namesake.

At 6,214 feet in elevation, Black Balsam stands out as the highest-elevation bald in all of Appalachia but is still relatively easy to access. A spur road off the Blue Ridge Parkway leads to a trailhead at the intersection of the Art Loeb and Mountains to Sea Trails. From there it’s a short walk through the evergreen forest to the first viewpoint. Once you reach this spot the rest of the 0.5-mile hike to the summit is filled with expansive views and gram-worthy photo spots. After enjoying the summit you can either backtrack to the trailhead or you can extend your day by hiking 10 miles through the Shining Rock Wilderness to a prearranged shuttle at the northern terminus of the Art Loeb Trail.

The Purchase

The midpoint of the meadow trail at The Purchase gets my vote for the single most beautiful spot in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This place gets its name from one of its early owners who was quoted as saying “the Knob (speaking of nearby Purchase Knob) is beautiful but the real purchase is the meadows.” In 2001, landowners Kathryn McNeil and Voit Gilmore donated this bald, the surrounding 600 acres, and a majestic private residence to the national park, marking the largest donation in the park’s history. Their old house is now the renowned Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center, and their former front yard is arguably the most picturesque spot in the national park. Accessing this spot is a little tougher than it used to be because an online frenzy and overflow crowds caused the neighboring community to restrict their historically lenient access policy. Nowadays, The Purchase can best be accessed via a 10-mile round-trip voyage on the Cataloochee Divide Trail from Cove Creek Gap or on a 4-mile hike on the same trail from the aforementioned trailhead at The Swag. (See above for suggested double-feature hike of The Purchase and neighboring Hemphill Bald).

Be a Good Visitor

The beauty of these places, along with online exposure and their continual inclusion in lists like this one, are putting them in danger of being loved to death. So what’s the point of writing this list and adding to the masses, you ask? For starters, the secret is already out. I’m also done with my gatekeeping era: If we collectively care for these unique places by leaving no trace and being respectful visitors, I believe we can give everyone the chance to be inspired by them for generations to come

When you visit the spots on this list it’s particularly important to tread lightly and minimize your impact to let future hikers experience the same wonder that you did. Camp in designated or established campsites only where it is allowed, plan your trip outside of peak hours or during the week to help disperse the crowds, pack out everything you pack in, and clean up after others. Finally, if you choose to post on social media after the hike, tag locations responsibly or not at all and educate your friends and followers about taking care of these regional gems. You’ll see all kinds of strange vernacular when you look at an Appalachian map, but when you see the word bald, you’ll always know where to go: in Appalachia, bald means beautiful.