The Adventure Collective 2019 Asheville Guide Sample | Page 44

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TROUT ON THE FLY
WRITTEN BY STEVEN REINHOLD
YOUR TITLE
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Appalachia, frequented this site well
before it was a National Park and
that history makes #57 particularly
special. I got the invite to join the crew
from my life-long friend Eryk and we
were joined by a group of youthful and
talented fishermen who have honed
their skills on the Tuckaseegee River
while attending Western Carolina
University.
hen rain falls on the
coniferous
confines
of Clingman’s Dome
it is destined for
greatness. When it
falls on Clingman’s
Northeastern side it filters through an
evergreen canopy and melds into the
moss-covered ground before preparing
for a mighty descent. From the highest
reaches of the Great Smoky Mountains
National Park the fallen waters gather
forces and ramble down into a creek
which is cherished by locals and coveted
by many. Welcome to Deep Creek.
W
Recreation opportunities run wild in
the Deep Creek watershed. During
the summer months, the watershed is
filled with raucous cheers as kids, and
the young at heart, ride inner-tubes
downstream toward Bryson City, North
Carolina. Hikers, bikers, trail runners and
horseback riders often share the first
stretch of trail which climbs along the
creek at an easy and enjoyable grade.
Like most trails, the clear majority of
activity occurs within the first two
miles of the trailhead and beyond
that tubing and biking are outlawed
and serenity seekers will find their
haven. Miles beyond the crowds and
knee-deep in the creek, is where our
journey begins.
On this trip, we were angling for
adventure! Throughout the Smokies
you will find a dedicated niche of
adventurers wading the waters, eying
their flies and always casting for their
next big fish story. Brook, Rainbow
and Brown Trout call these waters
home which gives you the chance to
catch the legendary “Grand Slam,” all
three species, in a single outing. On
this weekend, we made our home at
Backcountry Campsite #57. Horace
Kephart, the beloved author of
The Great Smoky Mountains National
Park’s Backcountry Campsite #57
lies 6 miles north of the Deep Creek
Trailhead which is easily accessed
from Bryson City. Eryk and the boys
walked in on Friday, setup camp and
reportedly caught a bounty of fish. A
previous commitment had required
me to skip Friday and walk in on
Saturday to meet up with the crew. I
showed up early and to my surprise the
trailhead was nearly empty. An early
start time and a late November day
had combined to give me a morning
of solitude on one of the area’s most
popular trails! A steady pace was
needed to stave off the morning cold
and I arrived at what appeared to be
an abandoned campsite in just over
two hours. The crew had apparently
gone fishing. I set up my camp, stuffed
a few essentials (food, map, headlamp,
camera and water filter) back into the
pack and went in search of my friends.
As I was leaving camp I noticed an
oversized Buck Knife, stabbed into a
dead tree, holding a carefully crafted
note on a small piece of yellow
paper. The scene made me burst
into laughter! Eryk is the only person
I know, other than myself, who would
carry such a knife into the woods. He
has carried that oversized knife on