Wayah Bald & Rufus Morgan Falls, Macon County (10-27-12)
Read MoreWilson Lick Ranger Station
About a mile or so from the trailhead the road passes the the site of an old ranger cabin. This one, the Wilson Lick Ranger Station, was built in 1916 and was the first in Nantahala National Forest. The rangers housed here were responsible for patrolling the surrounding forest as well as manning and maintaining the fire lookout at Wayah Bald. It was shut down in 1967...
Wayah Bald - 5,342'
The Wayah Bald Summit Tower...the original tower, built in 1929, was made of wood. The current tower was constructed by the CCC in 1935-37 and has been open to the public from the very beginning. The original stone tower was three stories tall but by the time of its decommissioning, in 1945, it had become unstable and the upper levels were removed for safety reasons. In 1983, the USFS restored the tower and built the current roof allowing visitors to once again enjoy the views from the old lookout...