A Visit to TrailRidge in May 2024 - What's Left and What's New
It has been fifteen years since my last visit to the TrailRidge property. This recent visit was only the third time I've been onsite since we gave up the property in 1995.
On my last visit in 2009, the camp was being used as a retreat center. About a decade ago, almost all of the TrailRidge property was transferred to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conversancy and has been saved and will forever be protected as the Big Rock Creek Preserve. Click this link to read about the initial announcement. Counselor Michael Andry (1982 & 1983) is quoted about his time at TMC. SAHC has since added additional adjoining acreage bringing the preserve up to 127 acres. And you might have forgotten that a lot of our property was bordered by Pisgah National Forest with the Appalachian Trail running a few hundred feet behind the back boundary of our property.
Needless to say, the place doesn't look like the old TrailRidge we remember. But the fact that this property is protected means everything to me. One thing the folks did who took over the property from us was to selectively remove some trees. This did two things: let in light as well as opened up year-round views of Roan Mountain. Roan was "our mountain," and at an elevation of 6,285 feet above sea level is still an amazing place of beauty and awe. I've scattered some of Bobbie's ashes on Roan Mountain as well as at TrailRidge and other places that meant something to her and to us. Bobbie died in 2023.
I was actually amazed that anything of the old TrailRidge remained. Some of the structures are still there, but most have been removed. After all, Big Rock Creek Preserve is meant to be a protected piece of nature and not necessarily a reminder of the old TrailRidge. SAHC was actually renovating the dining hall, but sadly it was lost in a fire during the renovation. SAHC has built a large covered shelter in that location. An amazing change is that the bathhouse has been converted to a "tiny home." During the summer, SAHC hires a Roan Mountain "steward" who spends his/her day on Roan helping hikers and visitors make the most of their visit on the mountain.
Other buildings are still there. The barn is there, but I'm thinking it's just there and will eventually be demolished. The old swimming hole (our pond) is still there. The fence around the road side of the pond was put up by the folks who had the retreat center. The little office cabin is still there, but has been moved. The little "hut" that was next to the dining hall is also still there - but has been moved. We called it "The Bus Stop" and it's where we stored supplies for the kitchen. "The Tin Can" was the original camp building. It's still there, but has been moved.
The "fancy" cabin at the end of our main trail/road - "Trail's End" (built and owned by Gus Jerdee and his parents, Tom & Marian) is still there. However, that piece of property is not part of the Preserve. I'm hoping that one day it, too, will be part of Big Rock Creek Preserve.
Of great importance to me is that the Brandon Yates Campfire Circle remains. Brandon Yates, from nearby Green Mountain, was a TrailRidge camper during the summers of 1985 and 1986. Sadly, he died shortly before his third summer was to start in 1987. His parents wanted us to keep Brandon's fee and use it to do something in his honor. The campfire, built by Gus Jerdee and the counselors and staff was dedicated in Brandon's honor in 1987. It was always a special place at camp. The original plaques that includes Brandon's name and acknowledgement that it was built by counselors and staff are still there. But after 37 years, they're hard to read. I plan to replace the plaque sometime over the next few months. Barclay Yates (Brandon's older brother and a staff member for a few years) and I will go up and install the new plaque.
Click on each photo to see an enlarged version along with a caption.
Note: The property isn't open to the public. It is gated. At some point there might be some public access. In the meantime, do know that SAHC is protecting this property and tens of thousands of additional acres in the area and other parts of the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Check them out at this link.
On my last visit in 2009, the camp was being used as a retreat center. About a decade ago, almost all of the TrailRidge property was transferred to the Southern Appalachian Highlands Conversancy and has been saved and will forever be protected as the Big Rock Creek Preserve. Click this link to read about the initial announcement. Counselor Michael Andry (1982 & 1983) is quoted about his time at TMC. SAHC has since added additional adjoining acreage bringing the preserve up to 127 acres. And you might have forgotten that a lot of our property was bordered by Pisgah National Forest with the Appalachian Trail running a few hundred feet behind the back boundary of our property.
Needless to say, the place doesn't look like the old TrailRidge we remember. But the fact that this property is protected means everything to me. One thing the folks did who took over the property from us was to selectively remove some trees. This did two things: let in light as well as opened up year-round views of Roan Mountain. Roan was "our mountain," and at an elevation of 6,285 feet above sea level is still an amazing place of beauty and awe. I've scattered some of Bobbie's ashes on Roan Mountain as well as at TrailRidge and other places that meant something to her and to us. Bobbie died in 2023.
I was actually amazed that anything of the old TrailRidge remained. Some of the structures are still there, but most have been removed. After all, Big Rock Creek Preserve is meant to be a protected piece of nature and not necessarily a reminder of the old TrailRidge. SAHC was actually renovating the dining hall, but sadly it was lost in a fire during the renovation. SAHC has built a large covered shelter in that location. An amazing change is that the bathhouse has been converted to a "tiny home." During the summer, SAHC hires a Roan Mountain "steward" who spends his/her day on Roan helping hikers and visitors make the most of their visit on the mountain.
Other buildings are still there. The barn is there, but I'm thinking it's just there and will eventually be demolished. The old swimming hole (our pond) is still there. The fence around the road side of the pond was put up by the folks who had the retreat center. The little office cabin is still there, but has been moved. The little "hut" that was next to the dining hall is also still there - but has been moved. We called it "The Bus Stop" and it's where we stored supplies for the kitchen. "The Tin Can" was the original camp building. It's still there, but has been moved.
The "fancy" cabin at the end of our main trail/road - "Trail's End" (built and owned by Gus Jerdee and his parents, Tom & Marian) is still there. However, that piece of property is not part of the Preserve. I'm hoping that one day it, too, will be part of Big Rock Creek Preserve.
Of great importance to me is that the Brandon Yates Campfire Circle remains. Brandon Yates, from nearby Green Mountain, was a TrailRidge camper during the summers of 1985 and 1986. Sadly, he died shortly before his third summer was to start in 1987. His parents wanted us to keep Brandon's fee and use it to do something in his honor. The campfire, built by Gus Jerdee and the counselors and staff was dedicated in Brandon's honor in 1987. It was always a special place at camp. The original plaques that includes Brandon's name and acknowledgement that it was built by counselors and staff are still there. But after 37 years, they're hard to read. I plan to replace the plaque sometime over the next few months. Barclay Yates (Brandon's older brother and a staff member for a few years) and I will go up and install the new plaque.
Click on each photo to see an enlarged version along with a caption.
Note: The property isn't open to the public. It is gated. At some point there might be some public access. In the meantime, do know that SAHC is protecting this property and tens of thousands of additional acres in the area and other parts of the mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee.
Check them out at this link.
Click the file to the right to see a map of Big Rock Creek Preserve as it is now. The TrailRidge property is noted as Big Rock Creek I. |
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