AT Hike- Brown Gap to Lemon Gap - 9.2 miles

3 of us enjoyed this hike - Markus, Ethan and Ed - This is an absolutely delightful hike on the AT - the walk from Brown Gap to Max Patch Road is a rolling up and down section with nothing way too steep or long, but a gradual ascent to Max Patch Road, which you cross and go back in the woods for a good, fairly steep climb up to Max Patch, but once you reach Max Patch the trail to the summit goes around the mountain up to the top so it is a nice, moderate climb to some awesome views.  I wish I could post some pics but this was a Saturday hike and there were people everywhere on the mountain and I'm hesitant to post pics with folks I don't know in them and don't have their permission to post.  Then the hike from Max Patch to Lemon Gap is 5.5 miles of gentle downhill, just what the back and knees needed after getting up to Max Patch - FYI, this is the 1st large bald through hikers get to after leaving Springer Mountain in GA on their way to Maine - except for actually hking up to the top of Max Patch, because of all the other folks enjoying picnics or camping on the mountain, 2 of us were able to do the hike naked - a delightful way to explore the AT.

This will be a one-way south to north hike on the Appalachian Trail along the NC/Tenn border. So, it will require an auto shuttle. 

We shall begin our hike at Brown Gap (3500 ft) and have about 3.7 miles of gradual up to Max Patch (4629 ft). Max Patch is a large grassy bald. From there we will have great views of the Smokey Mountains National Park to the south and Mt. Mitchell to the east.

From Max Patch we will begin a long moderate descent to Lemon Gap.(3550 ft).

On the descent we will see buckeye trees near Max Patch. Further into out descent we shall see both fraser and cucumber magnolias, as well as sourwoods, oaks, and hemlocks.

Plan to spend 6 hours on the trail for this hike.