Thrift Cove Trail (#603)
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Route map of the Thrift Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app and depicted a la Google Earth...
Route map of the Thrift Cove Trail as tracked by the Gaia GPS app...
Thrift Cove/Black Mountain Trail Upper Junction -- 2,830'
Just over a mile above the lower junction of the Black Mountain and Thrift Cove Trails is their upper junction. In this album we'll follow the Thrift Cove Trail downhill from here...
Thrift Cove/Black Mountain Trail Upper Junction -- 2,830'
The Thrift Cove Trail as it departs from its upper junction/terminus with the Black Mountain Trail...
Heading towards the north end of the Thrift Cove Trail there is a bit of uphill walking to do but not much...
As the trail approaches the head of Thrift Cove it passes a large grassy clearing on the right...it's entirely possible this was an old farmstead at one time...
As you can see the grade quickly flattens out...
Looking across the upper end of Thrift Cove...
At this point the trail reaches its northern limit, and now swings around to begin heading back down the opposite side of the valley...
Tall pines tower above as the trail turns back south...
A solitary rhododendron sits surrounded by a carpet of club moss...
The understory here is populated by a healthy scattering of young pines...
The trail south down Thrift Cove follows a much more meandering route, as it weaves in and out of numerous small folds in the side of the ridge...
Climbing... ever so slightly...
In this tall grove of pines the trail reaches its high point (elevation-wise)...
It's all downhill from here...albeit very slowly at first...
Curving through a grove of very young pines...
Conifers everywhere...
The trail passing a large clearing on the crest of the ridge...
The wide smooth trail provides some easy walking...
This is one of those easy trails in Pisgah that allow you to appreciate the subtle beauty of your surroundings...
The trail as it nears Grassy Road Trail from the north...
Thrift Cove/Grassy Road Trail Junction -- 2,340'
Arriving at the junction with Forest Road 5061A, which doubles as the Grassy Road Trail...
Thrift Cove/Grassy Road Trail Junction -- 2,340'
Looking back north, the Grassy Road Trail is on the right while the Thrift Cove Trail is on the left...
