Young's Ridge Trail

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Friday afternoon, sunny, mid-70's. It's harder to work now than on equally nice days in Florida when the temptations are beach and cocktails. Old Fort is a great base camp for hiking because it has many trails within a couple miles of town, providing quick access when don't have all day.

Can't really see it, but there's a stream down there

Young's Ridge is rated as easy-moderate and accessed from the Old Fort Picnic Area in the Pisgah National Forest.  It's 3.5 mile out-and-back (seven miles total), and I thought it would make a good Friday afternoon hike since I wasn't overloaded with energy, and was preserving some for tomorrow's hike up Mt. Mitchell.

The trail ascends quickly though and never stops. Easy to moderate? I'm probably still a little tired from a morning 10-mile run, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't consider this easy any time of day. Switchbacks moderate the sloping so it's not too difficult but I'm still breathing pretty hard for a Friday afternoon.
 

Most of the trail is thickly wooded and provides little chance for mountain views, but as you near the top and the trees clear, you can see stunning views of the Black Mountains (I think).

Finally some almost-May flowers!

After an hour, I thought I had to be nearing the end. I was meeting Angela (my ex-landlord/housemate from Black Mountain) at six to help her move so I had to turn around soon. I was at or near the top of the mountain, but the trail kept going and going. Then a runner startled me from behind, and then another, both looking like they might drop dead soon (as I would have a long time ago).

I finally decided to turn around and after about 10 minutes a couple of mountain bikers came racing down the hill at us. I barely got Katie out of the trail before they flew by shouting apologies as they went.  I thought the runners would be close behind, but I never saw them again until the parking lot. Apparently the trail ends near Route 70 and they had looped around.