Andrews Bald.

Ain’t no mountain high enough — except for Clingman’s Dome.

Our mild, lackluster winter never truly produced any outstanding snows. Because of that, several seasonal roads in the Smokies opened early to embrace spring and entertain visitors.

Two weeks ago, park rangers busily prepared the seven mile road to Clingman’s Dome to open two weeks earlier than planned. I have honestly been looking forward to this day for months. My favorite short trail starts from the parking lot of Clingman’s Dome and meanders down the side of a ridge to a grassy bald.

Andrews Bald gives visitors the Sound of Music feel with a short, enjoyable hike. This 3.6 mile round-trip gives a breathtaking 360 degree view. Normally, people have to hike further and higher in order to get any view of this caliber, but Andrews Bald is the best bang-for-your-buck hike.

The trailhead starts from the Clingman’s Dome parking lot which rests at 6310 feet. Over the course of your 1.8 mile trek to this grassy bald, you’ll lose almost 900 feet. The walk to the bald loses elevation regularly meaning the hike back to your car is an uphill battle.

The only main downside to hiking to Andrews Bald is that the weather is unpredictable. Andrews Bald, Clingman’s Dome and neighboring high peaks tower above most of the Appalachian Mountains located in this area.

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was named after the low-lying clouds and fogs that set in, giving the picturesque postcard feel. As beautiful as that is immortalized on a screensaver, these clouds can hinder visitors’ abilities to see for long distances.

If you’re standing in the middle of a cloud, you’re lucky to see your footing, not the panoramic view.

Your descent down to the bald walks along the Forney Ridge Trail. The first section of this trail parades through remnants of a spruce-fir forest. Spruce-fir forests typically occur in the higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians. This unusual conglomerate of species proves to be the remnants of evidence from the Pleistocene Epoch and the last ice age.

Although the glaciers never dropped down below what’s now Kentucky, the cold climate pushed northern species into higher elevations of the Southern Appalachians.

The skeletons of fraser fir trees tower all along this trail. This species was basically obliterated during the 1990s due to the introduction of the balsam woolly adelgid which attacks adult spruce fir trees.

After only a tenth of a mile, the trail splits. The right bypasses to the Appalachian Trail. In order to continue to the bald, veer to the left.

After a mile of hiking, the Forney Creek Trail branches off to the right which eventually finally ends 11.4 miles away by a backcountry campsite near Fontana Lake. Continue straight at this junction to reach Andrew’s Bald.

This grassy meadow, on a clear day, will provide fantastic views and the perfect location for a picnic. Andrews Bald is the highest elevation grassy bald within Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Please keep in mind that since the road opened early because of this unseasonably warm weather, that also means our megafauna friends are also stirring sooner than usual. Be prepared to know exactly what to do when you see a black bear, if you do.

Black bears are more afraid of you than you are of them, and you want to always keep a safe distance. If approached by a black bear, be sure to make yourself look large and shout at the bear. The two worst actions a visitor can take when they see a black bear is run or play dead.

In terms of other concerns, be sure to wear layers. Clingman’s Dome is 20 degrees cooler on average than any lower elevation area. Most importantly, embrace ankle support for shoes. Andrews Bald through the Forney Ridge Trail is extremely rocky in some areas.

Enjoy the spring season and pack a picnic. Always remember that if you pack it in, pack it out. No one wants to get to Andrews Bald and have to clean up after your picnic. Leave all your worries in Knoxville and enjoy some mountain air.

Happy trails!

— Emily DeLanzo is a junior in environmental studies. She can be reached at [email protected].