Trip report
Jun 19, 2020 — Walnut Mountain and Bluff Mountain are two peaks along the Appalachian Trail. I wanted to get these two mostly just for their general remoteness and to check out a new area. Ultimately, the hike wasn't particularly unique, but I enjoyed the forest walk.
Starting from Lemon Gap, I headed along the Appalachian Trail, all forested except for one small meadow just before reaching the Walnut Mountain AT shelter. A short detour along a social trail led to just below the summit of Walnut Mountain, where a fern-covered short bushwhack led to its true summit.
Back on the AT, I headed down a relatively steep (by AT standards) bit to Kale Gap. Google Maps had this listed as a road, but there was only a very old and overgrown hiking trail at this junction. I started back up the other side of Kale Gap toward Bluff Mountain, where more pretty forest with a more open feeling made this section the highlight of the hike, in my opinion. Bluff Mountain's summit is just a few boulders and no view.