• Sign #1

    This sign is posted on the High Shoals Falls Loop trail. This picture is taken facing west on that trail and you can see it to the left of the sign. The Chestnut Knob Trail is to the right of the sign and is not a vehicle width trail and not visible in the picture. The trail name at the top of the sign has an arrow pointing to the right. Most trail intersections have two signs. One with the trail name of the trail you are on at the top with no arrow and another with the name of the trail that intersects the trail you are on indicated by the trail name at the top with an arrow and no mileage information. This modus is important to remember in order to read the signs properly. The sign tells us that the Sawtooth Trail intersects the Chestnut Knob Trail 1.8 miles from this sign.

  • Sign #2

    Approximately an hour into the hike we reach these signs. The sign to the left (facing south) tells us that we are on the Chestnut Knob trail and have another 1.1 miles west to reach the intersection to the Sawtooth Trail. The sign below is not saying that the parking lot is .7 miles back down the trail. It is saying that trail sign #1 is .7 of a mile down the trail which then takes you to the parking lot.

  • Sign #3

    Another mile up the trail and we come across two signs that had us wondering if we were reading the signs correctly. Both signs show Chestnut Knob Trail as being to the right of the sign. The sign to the left is at the top of the trail facing east and the one below is parallel to the trail before you get to the intersection facing south. According to the map Chestnut Knob Trail should continue on to the left of the sign and the sign in the picture below should not have an arrow as we are on Chestnut Knob Trail. The trail between sign #4 and sign #5 runs along the top of Chestnut Knob at approximately an elevation of 2291 feet. That is a climb of 850 feet from the High Shoals Falls Loop trail at sign #1.

  • Another interesting point is that there is a trail between sign #3 and sign #5 that appears to be unnamed. The sign to the left tells us that the intersection to Sawtooth Trail is .2 miles left (north) and this is collaborated by sign #5. While it is only .2 of a mile long I suppose it qualifies as a connector trail and therefore need not be named(?)

  • Sign #4

    From this sign on top of Chestnut Knob you descend a rocky path to the rock outcrop which serves as the overlook platform. The trail is approximately 200 feet from the sign on the left to the outcrop shown below. The falls can be seen south of this overlook.

  • The Quiz

    Using clues on this page, the topographic map on the left and the state park map below left can you pinpoint the Chestnut Knob Overlook on the topographic map? The rise and fall between the contour lines is 80 feet and the distance between signs 6 and 7 is .3 miles. Best to open the two maps side by side. The answer will be on the map below right. Choose from the options: A, B, C, D, E, or F on the topographical map.

  • Sign #5

    After hiking along the top of Chestnut Knob for .2 of a mile you reach Sawtooth Trail. Notice that the sign says it is .5 of a mile to the campsite. All the other signs showed the distance between the intersection signs. This sign does not follow the usual convention and instead it is a half mile to the campsite and not to Sign #6. It is .2 of a mile to Sign #6.

  • Sign #6

    The sign to the left points westward toward the direction we just came from. The sign below points eastward down the Sawtooth Trail. Despite being on the Sawtooth Trail both sins have arrows on the top trail name deviating from the modus we established as the norm.

  • Sign #7

    After approximately three and a half hours of hiking with full backpacks the two old men reach their destination.

  • Sign #8

    After a short rest we made our way back down to the parking lot via the Upper CCC Trail. After an hour of hiking we crossed the Little River and reached the intersection of Sawtooth and Upper CCC trails.

  • Sign #9

    The Upper CCC Trail takes us to the Little River Trail. This intersection also leads to the Baptist Camp Road which is not part of the park. The picture to the left shows the trail that connects to the Baptist Camp Road.

  • Sign #10

    Approximately a mile down from signs above we reach the intersection of Turkey Ridge Trail and Little River Trail. We heard some turkeys but didn’t see them.

  • Sign #11

    At this point we are at elevation 1680 feet, 40 feet below the mountain peak, and about an hour from the parking lot.

  • Sign #12

    At the parking lot, some three hours from the campsite, we have lunch. The Hemlock Nature Trail starts here as well as the River Trail which leads to the Raven Rock Trail we passed an hour before on the Little River Trail at sign #11.