Perry Cove Trail (#151)
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Route map of the Perry Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Perry Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Perry Cove/Bennett Gap Trail Junction (Saddle Gap) -- 3,350'
The upper terminus of the Perry Cove Trail is here, at Saddle Gap, where it breaks down the east side of the ridge from the Bennett Gap Trail (seen climbing the ridge ahead in this shot)...
Perry Cove/Bennett Gap Trail Junction (Saddle Gap) -- 3,350'
The Perry Cove Trail as it departs its upper terminus, at its junction with the Bennett Gap Trail, at Saddle Gap...
The gradient of the slope alongside the trail will give you a good indication that there's a steep descent coming in your near future...
When the trees are bare the views of the high ridge across the valley are pretty impressive...
Looking up the adjacent ridge...
Before long the trail gets serious about the descent...
There are no switchbacks to be had here, the trail simply heads straight down the steep ridge. Descending is definitely the preferable direction to travel here...ascending the Perry Cove Trail is quite brutal...
Suddenly, though still high on the ridge, the trail levels off a bit through a rather unsightly area tall shrubs...
About a third of a mile down from Saddle Gap the trail crosses this old forest road...
The forest here is absolutely beautiful...
Trying to peer through this large grove of young trees is almost enough to make ones eyes cross...
A tall solitary white pine adds bit of green to the winter hardwood canopy...
This is the only potentially confusing spot along the Perry Cove Trail...a Y-junction where an old road bears left and the trail goes right. Keep an eye out for orange blazes and you'll be alright...
Descending a bit more quickly again, through a grove of young pines...
About halfway along its length the Perry Cove Trail makes its uppermost crossing of Perry Cove Creek....
Beyond the creek, the trail turns alongside the valley containing it and continues its gradual downhill journey...
More young pines populate the landscape as the descent picks up once again...
As this trail likes to do...heading straight downhill...
...and then flattens out again...
At right around one mile from Saddle Gap the trail makes its lower crossing of Perry Cove Creek...
The creek is now running below the trail, under a thick canopy of rhododendron...
There are a few huge snags lining the trail along this stretch. The sad, hulking remains of deceased hemlocks...
