Pond Mountain

The one hike with the view

The lake hikes around here mostly happen at lake level. You walk next to the water, you look at the water, you swim in the water, you go home. Beautiful, but you never quite see what Watauga Lake actually looks like from above.

Pond Mountain is the answer to that.

It’s the highest point in the federally designated Pond Mountain Wilderness, 4,329 feet, and the summit ridge opens up just enough to show you the whole lake stretched out below. The first time we did it, we sat at the top for an hour and a half and didn’t talk much. That kind of hike.

The setup

Pond Mountain Wilderness is 6,665 acres of protected land directly south of Watauga Lake. No motors, no bikes, no chainsaws. The forest service maintains the trails but minimally, the way wilderness is supposed to work. The Appalachian Trail crosses the wilderness for about 6.6 miles, and the Pond Mountain Trail runs about 4.5 miles along the ridge from the AT junction down to the south.

We hike it from the south end. It’s the shorter, steeper way, and it puts the view at the top instead of the middle.

Getting there

About 25 minutes from the door. Out the driveway, left on Highway 67, follow the lake to Hampton (about 15 minutes), then turn onto Dennis Cove Road and climb. The pavement turns to good gravel and the road gets narrow and steep with switchbacks. Drive slowly. Two cars can pass but you’ll want to find the wide spots.

The trailhead is a small gravel pullout on the left. There’s no big sign, look for a wooden trail marker with a yellow blaze and the trail number. If you reach Dennis Cove Campground you’ve gone too far.

There’s room for maybe six cars. On a fall weekend you may have to wait or come back early.

What the climb is like

The first half-mile lulls you. Wide grade, soft footing, hardwoods overhead. You’ll think this is going to be easier than people said.

It is not.

Around half a mile in, the trail tilts up and turns rocky. The next mile climbs about a thousand feet on a footpath that is mostly broken stone and exposed roots. There are two or three sections where you’ll want to use your hands for balance. Trekking poles help here, and we wouldn’t do this without them.

Footing is the hardest part. The rocks shift. After a wet stretch they’re slick with moss. You will be slow on the way up and slower on the way down. This is normal.

About a mile and a half in, the grade eases briefly and you get a tease, a partial view through a gap in the trees. Don’t stop here. The real one is fifteen more minutes up.

The summit

The actual high point is wooded, you wouldn’t know you were there if not for the GPS. But just past the high point the ridge opens to the west and gives you the view we keep talking about.

The full length of Watauga Lake is below you. North shore on your right, all undeveloped Cherokee National Forest. South shore on your left, dotted with the few places that were built before TVA bought the rest. The dam is a thin gray line at the far end. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Roan Highlands.

We’ve never seen another person up there. We have seen vultures circle right past our feet. They use the updraft off the south face and they don’t seem to mind people.

Hazards to watch for

No water. We said it already, we’ll say it again. Two liters minimum, three if it’s hot.

No cell service. None. Tell someone where you’re going before you go.

The descent is harder than the climb. This is true of most steep trails but it’s especially true here because of the loose rock. Plan for it to take almost as long going down as going up. Knees will hurt the next day.

Bears live in this wilderness. We have not had a guest report a sighting on this trail but it would not be a surprise. Make noise on blind corners, don’t leave food open at the top.

Lightning is the real summer danger. The summit is exposed enough that you do not want to be there in a thunderstorm. If you see clouds building in the early afternoon, turn around. Storms come up fast over these ridges and there’s nowhere to shelter on the upper trail.

When to go

Late April through October. May and June are green and wildflowery, October is the show. Peak fall color usually hits the higher elevations around October 5 to 15, a week or so before the lake itself peaks.

We don’t recommend this hike in winter. The loose rock plus ice plus the steep grade is a recipe for a broken ankle far from help.

Morning. Always morning. Get to the trailhead by 8 a.m. in summer, 9 a.m. in fall. You’ll be up and back before the afternoon weather builds and before the trailhead lot fills up.

After the hike

You’re going to be tired and probably sweaty. The good news is you’re already in the right neighborhood for a swim, Shook Branch is fifteen minutes back toward home. Cold lake water on legs that just climbed Pond Mountain is one of the better feelings we know.

If you want something hot instead, Hampton has a couple of small spots for sandwiches and coffee on the drive back.

For a different kind of day in the same area, Laurel Fork Falls uses the same Dennis Cove trailhead road and is dramatically easier. A lot of guests do both in one trip, falls in the morning, Pond Mountain another day.

Related

• Laurel Fork Falls — same Dennis Cove area, much easier
• The Watauga Lake Trail — the flat lakeside alternative
• Cherokee National Forest — the forest this wilderness sits inside
• Watauga Lake — the lake you’ll see from the top
• The property — where to come back to with sore legs

Related on the lake

• Laurel Fork Falls — same trailhead, easier
• If you fish — the summit shows where the smallmouth live