Wesser Bald (4,627') offers some of the biggest bang for your hiking buck of any peak in the Nantahala National Forest. Rising to the northwest of Franklin, between the Little Tennessee and Nantahala River valley's, it sits astride the always inviting Appalachian Trail. Don't let the name fool you, though. This has long since ceased to be a 'bald'. Instead the views come from an observation platform which was constructed about 20 years ago atop the remains of an old fire tower. The jaw-dropping view from the top almost literally takes in the entirety of southwestern North Carolina, from the Great Smokies to the northwest to the Great Balsams to the east.

The hike to the top is a relatively easy one. You technically have two route choices but when one is the Appalachian Trail, do you really care what the other option is? For the sake of clarity and to avoid confusion if you visit I'll clarify. Starting from Tellico Gap, both routes have the same distance to climb...the question is distance required to climb it. Standing at the trailhead the A.T. splits left and winds leisurely for 1.4 miles to the top of the ridge and the summit. Splitting right is what used to be the old access road, now gated, that makes the run to the top in a direct, steep, 0.9 miles. I'd highly recommend the A.T., especially on the ascent...there's just something about seeing those white blazes on the trees that adds a couple cool-points to any hike.

Alright, enough writing, let's go...

Trailhead GPS Coordinates:35.268162, -83.572288

Route Type: Loop Difficulty: HARD (Petzoldt Rating: 3.86 )

Hike Length: 2.3 miles Hike Duration: 1:30

Trailhead Temp: 40'F Trail Traffic: NONE!!

Min. Elevation: 3,860' Max. Elevation: 4,627'

Total Vertical Gain: 780' Avg. Elevation Gain / Mile: 511' (ascent)

Trails Used (blaze color): Appalachian Trail (white)

Wesser Bald, Macon County (10-25-12)

Wesser Bald Loop Hike Route Map
My route as tracked by the Gaia GPS app (on a later hike) and depicted a la Google Earth...
Wesser Bald Loop Hike Route Map
The approximate route...
Tellico Gap
The hike begins at Tellico Gap which separates the Little Tennesse and Nantahala River valley's. The drive up is quite scenic, regardless of what direction you come from, as the road cross-crosses an open power line man-way as it ascends...
Appalachian Trail - Tellico Gap
The trailhead. The route to Wesser Bald follows the A.T. north from the gap 1.4 miles to the summit...
Appalachian Trail
Not to contradict myself but there are actually two routes to the top. From the trailhead you can either go straight up the old access road (right) for 0.9 miles or along the A.T. (left) for 1.4 miles. The old access road is shorter and therefore steeper, much steeper. If you really want to see what both are like do what I did, ascend via the A.T. and return down the old road...your lungs will thank me for it...
Appalachian Trail
It just wouldn't be a hike in the southern mountains without a rhododendron tunnel...
Appalachian Trail
Still a bit of color in the trees but it's not gonna last long...
Appalachian Trail
The oaks seemed to be the most reluctant to give up their leaves...
Appalachian Trail
It always feels good to be on the A.T...
Appalachian Trail
A bit rusty, but nice...
Appalachian Trail
No real views to speak of on the climb...
Appalachian Trail
The higher I got, here at about the half-way point, the more gnarled the oak trees became...typical for a ridge-top forest in these parts...
Appalachian Trail
Just before reaching the ridge the tower appeared through the trees...
Appalachian Trail
Nearing the top of the ridge are a couple quick switchbacks...
Appalachian Trail
At the top of the ridge I passed this old stone foundation. I imagine it to be the remnants of a USFS building dating back to when the tower was operational...
Appalachian Trail
At the ridge the A.T. continues left (north) while the short spur to the summit heads the opposite direction. You can see the tower from this spot so there really isn't any confusion which way to go...
Appalachian Trail
The view from the clearing you see in the previous shot...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
Wesser Bald summit (4,627')
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The steel frame is all that remains of the original fire tower which, originally, was capped by an enclosed cab. The cab burned sometime after the tower was abandoned in the 1960's. In the 1990's the current wooden observation deck was placed atop the remaining steel frame for the benefit of hikers...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
Let's go up for a look, shall we?...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
It was a bit breezy, and the tower she was rocking a bit...exciting...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The grand northern panorama...

The view north is breathtaking. the broken landscape drops away 3,000 feet to the waters of Fontana Lake, just visible in the center of the shot. Rising like a misty wall in the distance is the main ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains. A keen eye would be able to count no less than eight 6,000' peaks in this frame!
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
A bit closer look at the Great Smokies. You can clearly see Fontana Lake below while the highest peak to the upper right is Clingmans Dome (6,646') which is some 20 miles away...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
...and an even closer look at the Smokies. In this shot you can clearly see four peaks along the ridge line. To the far left is Silers Bald (5,574), highest just right of center is Clingmans Dome (6,646'), immediately to the right of Clingmans, barely visible, is Mt. LeConte (6,574'), and to the far right is Mt. Kephart (6,217')...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The eastern panorama...

Overlooking the valley of the Little Tennessee River, the peaks and ridges are almost too numerous to count. It doesn't seem like it in this shot but the clarity in this direction was incredible. The high peak in the distance just to the left of center is Richland Balsam (6,400'), nearly 40 miles away!!
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The panorama south and west...

To the far left is the summit of Rocky Bald (5,324'). The distant ridge to the left of center includes Wayah Bald (5,334') which is the home to another old fire lookout. Somewhere out there in the dead center, 31 hazy miles away, is Brasstown Bald (4,750'), Georgia's highest. Finally, to the right of center is Tusquitee Bald (5,170')...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The western panorama...

Here I'm looking over the Nantahala Gorge. The high peak to the upper left is Tusquitee Bald (5,170') which is about 12 miles distant, Teyahalee Bald (4,694') is directly ahead, and another regionally famous bald, Cheoah (5,049') rises to the upper right...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
Panoramas are nice, but here's a 'real-life', 360-degree look from the summit of Wesser Bald...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
The early morning sun casts the towers shadow on the ridge to the north...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
Looking down at the tower clearing. It's hard to imagine that half a century ago this was an open, grassy bald! The old access road, which I'd be using for the descent is the 'path' heading into the woods...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
Down we go...
Wesser Bald - 4,627'
One more look back at the summit of Wesser Bald from the top of the old access road...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
Farewell...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
This isn't the preferred way to/from the summit, as the overgrowth testifies to...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
Early morning, late afternoon...equally nice...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
It has the looks of a nice, easy path but those leaves hide ankle-killing rocks...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
Down, down, down...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road
A good example why one would rather head down this route rather than up...
Old Wesser Bald Access Road - Tellico Gap
Before I knew it I was back at Tellico Gap, smiling to myself, enjoying another great 'work' day...

dwhike

Wesser Bald (10-25-12)

Wesser Bald, Macon County (10-25-12)