Squirrel Gap Trail (#147)
Read More
Route map of the Squirrel Gap Trail as tracked (over multiple trips) by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Squirrel Gap Trail as tracked (over multiple trips) by the Gaia GPS app...
Squirrel Gap/Bradley Creek Trail Junction -- 2,560'
The eastern terminus of the Squirrel Gap Trail, at its junction with the Bradley Creek Trail. The Bradley Creek Trail makes a hard turn here to cross Pea Branch and head over the ridge towards the South Fork Mills River. The Squirrel Gap Trail heads up the valley ahead...
The Squirrel Gap Trail begins its route west with a moderate ascent up the valley of Pea Branch...
Many giant dead hemlocks can be seen towering overhead in this area...
Breaking out above the rhododendron you get this nice view across the valley, in the direction of Pea Gap......
A pair of old logs allows for a dry crossing of this tiny unnamed runoff tributary...
Looking ahead, the treetops above mark the ridge to which the trail is currently climbing...
Rhododendron like to taker advantage of what are known as 'nursery stumps' to help them grow when they are young. The advantage is that they utilize the nutrients provided by the decaying stump...if you've ever seen a rhodo in the woods which seems to be up on stilts this was probably a bush whose original nursery stump has decayed away...
The climb up the tunnel continues...
Mostly unseen up until this point, the trail now pulls right up alongside tiny Pea Branch...
Squirrel Gap Trail @ Pea Branch -- 2,820'
Not content to just follow it, the trail quickly turns to hop across Pea Branch...
Squirrel Gap/Mullinax Trail Junction -- 2,850'
3/4-mile above its eastern terminus, the Squirrel Gap Trail passes its junction with the Mullinax Trail, arriving from the south (left) just ahead in this shot...
Squirrel Gap/Mullinax Trail Junction -- 2,850'
The Squirrel Gap Trail as seen continuing westbound from the Mullinax Trail junction...
Passing through a beautiful laurel grove carpeted by club moss...
The trail now begins a briefly moderate climb, as it seeks out the crest of the ridge at Mullinax Gap...
Squirrel Gap Trail @ Mullinax Gap -- 2,980'
The trail as it reaches the unremarkable Mullinax Gap. The next portion of the route will now follow along the north side of the ridge...
Looking into the drainage below as the trail departs westbound from Mullinax Gap...
The trail continues to climb, but more gradually at this point...
A view up the adjacent hillside...
...and now a look down said hillside...
Squirrel Gap/Laurel Creek Trail Junction -- 3,040'
A bit over a half-mile past the Mullinax Trail and 1.3-miles after leaving the Bradley Creek Trail, the Laurel Creek Trail junction is reached...stay on the high ground to remain on the Squirrel Gap Trail...
Squirrel Gap/Laurel Creek Trail Junction -- 3,040'
The Squirrel Gap Trail as it continues westbound from the Laurel Creek Trail junction...
Still climbing...
