This portion of the trail is also fairly difficult and is not recommended for novice hikers or lone hikers. The Blue Ridge Parkway reaches some of its highest points in the Waterrock Knob area, including Richland Balsam (highest point on the Parkway) and Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (highest visitor center on the Parkway). A visitors' center is located near its summit and a . Once you are done enjoying the view from Browning Knob, be on the lookout for a small, unmarked trail to the left. The adventure started at Waterrock Knob. Its not too far from where you live. He continued by describing how this plane had crashed sometime in the 70s off the Blue Ridge Parkway. The young girl was about eight-years-old. Click here are a few of my favorite places near Bryson City. The aircraft had impacted mountainous terrain at about 6,000 feet msl and 11 miles from the destination. The distance from the parking lot to the Waterrock Knob lookout is a 0.5 mile steep trek, and begins with a nice paved trail but does have some steep stairs along the way. Your email address will not be published. Make sure when you visit, however, that you take care to follow all safety precautions listed by the park in question. To start the trail, you simply follow the hike to Waterrock Knob. Enjoy the rest of your weekend! I smiled and turned in the other direction. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Waterrock Knob is a must-stop along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Keep reading to learn how to hike to an airplane crash in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park via the Waterrock Knob trail. Waterrock Knob has the highest elevation on the Parkway. It was time to head back. This information is added by users of ASN. Jun 25, 2018. Additionally, the FAA found a blood alcohol level of .04%. Our human curiosity about the story, and the image of a plane lasting 36 years out in the elements is what drew us to this place one late summer day in September. Would you hike to this abandoned airplane crash in North Carolina? Before hitting the trail-head, we ran into a family coming back from the hike. Let us know in the comments. I created this little PDF with some very basic info thats easy to print off if you are thinkingabout hiking to the crashclick here or click the image below to download: Do you have any favorite hikes in the Smoky Mountains? Waterrock Knob is one of my favorite hikes and its always one that I recommend to visitors. While we were gathered at the crash site more people started to come. To learn more, clickhere. He had friends in the area and had flown into the Jackson County Airport before. Or have you already been out to see it before? Youll eventually come to Browning Knob.. When you do meet new and interesting people, youll find its like waking up from a sound sleep. No purchase necessary. This short trail will lead you down to the site of the airplane crash. Retumbo 8lbsIn addition, it is an Extreme Powder, making it perfect for big game hunting under all types of. One of Marcus catch phrases is theres always time for a hike! So being Labor Day weekend, we could not put off this adventure. We all know that North Carolina has much to offer; however, it's home to only one known plane crash site. They were drawn to our yellow lab, Odin. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. This one is a fairly easy trail in terms of skill. All Rights Reserved, Marcus and Jill Thompson. The remains of the iconic train crash from the movie The Fugitive can still be found rusting along the Great Smoky Railroad. Read more about my story here. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. Have you hiked to this plane crash before? A museum celebrating rare American motorcycles where everything runsand none of it quietly. As sad as it is it would be interesting to see this in person especially a plane from the 80s! Its a sudden break from solitude to a social experience. The last recorded elevation of the airplane was about 6,000 ft. Much of the Cessna 414 is still up there on the mountain. The two of them squatted down beside Odin. He went on to explain its an unofficial trail, and the navigation can be treacherous. Both passengers aboard died as a result. His pack animal instinct was causing him to be on alert. . If you are walking uphill as opposed to returning from the summit, it will be on the left. It begins as a paved trail, then moves to a dirt and rocky trail, and there are a few small sections with stairs. Other than graffiti and parts that have probably been moved around from spectators over the years, the wreckage remains nestled on the Southern Appalachian mountain range between Asheville and Cherokee, North Carolina. Experience this 1.7-mile out-and-back trail near Sylva, North Carolina. John Gullion, Managing Editor at the Citizen Tribune, is a freelance contributor for TheSmokies.com LLC the parent company of TheSmokies.com and HeyOrlando.com. This Guide Will Help You Decide, BREAKING: Gatlinburg SkyTrail at SkyLift Park is now open, Cades Cove Lake: The effort to turn the Cove into a body of water, Land of Oz in NC: What its like to visit the once-closed theme park, Is the Laurel Falls Hike Easy? Hey, I said. Down that trail about 100 feet, youll be able to see the plane in the distance down the hill. About 2 hours return depending on your pace. 20 reviews of Waterrock Knob "Waterrock Knob is part of the Plott Balsalms range. Its about two-hours round trip from here!. I couldnt find any engines at the site and after a little research it turns out that they were salvaged soon after the crash. The remains of a German plane still sit in the Norwegian wood where it crashed in 1942. Its not right off the side after the knob and its NOT.. And its very very difficult and could take hours. Show 9 More Check-Ins May 29, 2018 Rob H. Amazing view I was able to share with my best friend . I help women with chronic illnesses develop the confidence to travel the world solo! I was confused. It is the highest peak in the Plott Balsams and is the 16th-highest mountain in the Eastern United States. Hike the relatively easy Waterrock Knob Trail for 0.9 miles: mostly uphill and paved, with impressive views. Two of the boys, probably her son and his friend, started howlinglike wild prey from further up the trail . The conversation started with a thirty something tan-skinned guy with dark brown hair and brown eyes, and an older man with grey hair and the same color skin. Sylva, North Carolina. Sadly, it is true. If they had only been flying a little bit higher, they probably would have reached their destination. 74 Likes, TikTok video from smoky.mountain.soul (@smoky.mountain.soul): " Have you found the elusive "plane crash" hike in Western North Carolina? Because this hike is difficult, you will more than likely get hungry! Upon reaching the parking lot, you will see the visitor center, which is open from 10 AM - 5 PM from mid-April through October. When you visit the crash site, you can tell that the airplane almost cleared the mountain. Here, you will see the third trail on your left. Ill admit this Sunday, we were trying to talk ourselves out of hiking. Thankfully, though, there are only a few places where you'll stumble upon airplane crash ruins in North Carolina. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. About halfway up though, the trail transitions to a dirt trail with rock steps. I crave the forest, the smells, the beauty and especially the healthy feeling of being outdoors. Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 451.2: Waterrock Knob Visitor Center and Park Store. Here's the general gist of how to get to the crash site: Hike the 0.5 mile path to Waterrock Knob, almost to the top. When the weather turned low lying clouds and rain he began ducking the plane under the clouds. Thank god someone cleaned up the graffiti. True! You will be walking through the quiet woods then all of a sudden the crash appears through the trees. Haha good call. Leave the crash site (and the trail) exactly as they were before your hike. While these plane crashes are tragic, they can make for an enjoyable hike. All rights reserved. Shortly after taking the detour to the left (approximately 0.3 miles from Browning Knob) we saw the plane crash in the distance, admidst the trees and haze. The older man smiled wide and pulled a treat from his pocket. Just keep an eye out for the small path. I dont think a flight plan was filedwhich means the pilot may have just been flying by sight and ducking under clouds. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. You will hike to the beautiful Waterrock knob and Browning knob on your way to the plane crash site. For us, this happens on most weekends. I think the challenges with this hike are because you need to be more alert for markings to stick to the trail and because the terrain can be a little slippery, requiring a little more skill than walking a paved trail. We were nervous we were not going to get a good view of sunset due to the haze and overcast skies, but by the time we arrived back to the parking lot the haze had cleared and we were able to view one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. The entire trek to the plane and back is a little more than two miles round trip. The planes tail completely detached; laying against a tree trunk about 15 feet away. The young girl was about eight-years-old. The path is clear and paved for the first bit before turning to dirt and leading up several stone staircases. North Carolina Hiking: Cessna 414 Plane Crash & Sunset at Waterrock Knob. What are the most beautiful hikes in North Carolina? Hiked to this wreck back in the 90s when I went to school at Western Carolina University. Quiet reflection will force you to be in the moment with your thoughts. The hike back to the parking lot was just as arduous as the hike to the crash site, and ended up being about a 2.5 mile hike round trip. One wing torn off, the cockpit exposed, no windshield. Meteorological conditions at the crash site included low clouds and precipitation. Love North Carolina? Patrick and Tammy, two hikers from South Carolina, arrived at the wreckage just after us. We said goodbye to our new friends, and began our adventure. Stay at our historic Sixty-One Park Farmhouse located right in downtown! There were some trail markers tied to trees, but they werent as reliable because some had been blown away in storms. The unpredictable weather off a mountain range estimated to sit about 6000 feet above sea level, can change drastically in a short time. The rest of the aircraft was left on the mountainside. And some of the trees along the trail have been marked with yellow spray paint to make it easier. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Completely agree! Follow us on social media to add even more wonder to your day. Maybe the Labor Day weekend was causing us to think about work instead of focusing on a true adventure. In my opinion the trail is intermediate because its unmaintained so you are hiking over a lot of tree roots and it requires more awareness to keep on track. Today, we met people from California, South Carolina, and others from our own town. Debris is scattered everywhere in about a 20 to 30 foot radius. Plane Crash at Waterrock Knob Andrew Plyler (Atlas Obscura User) This nearly 40-year-old plane wreckage is located near the Great Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina. Headed over to the browning knob/plane crash site, this part of the trail wasn't to hard to follow with AllTrails map downloaded. Jerry Mattox, [footer_backtotop href="#top" text="Return to Top"] Its a good idea to have someone with you. Be sure to also check out these other top destinations in the Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina: This post may contain affiliate links. A black smoke monster chased him away before he had the chance to look. To get here first drive to the visitor center at Waterrock Knob, (one of our favorite places to bring visitors too. Hiking to the Waterrock Knob plane crash is one of the most interesting hikes I have ever been on. When we arrived to the crash site, the scene was completely somber and serene. The pilot's blood alcohol level was 0.4. OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. I was confused. Dont be disrespectful, dont leave trash behind, dont graffiti the airplane, and dont take anything with you. Waterrock Knob About 35 minutes away, you can get to the highest point on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Waterrock Knob. Martin likely would have made it the rest of the way without much incident, had he been a couple of hundred feet higher. And one of those trails holds the wreckage of a plane crash from more than 40 years ago. Copyright Lil Blue Boo 2023 | Privacy Policy, The Great Smoky Mountains and Western NC Hiking. She was a quick talker. Upon reaching the parking lot, you will see the visitor center, which is open from 10 AM - 5 PM from mid-April through October. She brushed her hand across the soft whitish golden fur on Odins head without hesitation. Graffiti covered the white paint. Here are some of the best state parks in North Carolina: The real question iswhat state park shouldnt you visit in North Carolina? How are you!, She responded, I never run into you outside of work., We asked about the crash. Thank you! After responding to our questions, and reviewing his GPS stats, he confirmed the trek down to the plane wreckage took him about 30 minutes. It rises a total of 2,000 feet in just about three . I found an article in the Mountaineer called. https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2020-03/N6623C.pdf, http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=6623C, http://videotarts.com/video/6GrSrJC0NAk/abandoned-airplane-in-the-middle-of-the-woods.html, https://www.lilblueboo.com/2018/08/hiking-to-a-plane-crash-in-the-smoky-mountains-via-waterrock-and-browning-knobs.html, Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency], Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative], Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative].