Consider supporting our work by becoming a member for as little as $5 a month. Tragic story. A moderately difficult two-mile round trip hike from the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center and trailhead in Sylva, North Carolina lead to the wreckage. Drew had said it was a short hike from Waterrock to Browning Knob, and that the plane crash was just off to the left. The Browning Knob lookout is beautiful and you will be able to see the parking lot where you started. Aside from Harrison Ford jumping off a dam waterfall, the most iconic scene from the 1993 film, The Fugitive, . The visitor center is located at 5,820 feet and the summit itself . Have you hiked to this plane crash before? Later we learn there is a hike to a plane crash that can be reach from Waterrock Knob Trail. The shattered hull has proven a popular spot for graffiti. as well as check out the abandoned plane crash of a Cessna 414A that happened back in 1983. To get here first drive to the visitor center at Waterrock Knob, (one of our favorite places to bring visitors too. Make sure when you visit, however, that you take care to follow all safety precautions listed by the park in question. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Waterrock Knob is best known for the hiking trail to its summit. The aircraft then descended and crossed the snowbird VOR at about 6,700 feet. Have you ever been to this crash site before? However, by eight-years-old he wasnt getting free ride. Read more . Two people died in this crash. Once you are off the main paved trail, it turns into more of an intermediate hike. Before hitting the trail-head, we ran into a family coming back from the hike. This shed some light on the mystery. The adventure started at Waterrock Knob. Not only is Waterrock Knob the trail you need to take to get to the airplane crash, it also offers amazing views of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by: After departure at 1417 cst, radar track showed the aircraft climbing to and maintaining 7,600 feet until about 1733 est and 28-30 miles north of the Knoxville VOR. Once you start at the visitor center, you will climb .5 miles up to the top of Waterrock Knob. The nearly 360-degree view from Waterrock Knob stretches the eyes over the heart of the Southern Highlands - including . Drew had said it was a short hike from Waterrock to Browning Knob, and that the plane crash was just off to the left. She looked more like her dad than her Caucasian mother. Where To Swim At Jordan Lake, NC Complete Beach Hopping Guide, Glamping In North Carolina Heres How To Plan Your Off The Grid Adventure, Heres Why You Gotta Visit The Worlds Largest Strawberry Building In NC. Elk Knob State Park is popular for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing, and Hanging Rock State Park has five waterfalls, incredible rock outcroppings, a lake, AND a mountain. Press J to jump to the feed. Overall, this is one of the interesting and rewarding hikes that I have been on in North Carolina.My thoughts are with the families of the two lives that were lost in the crash. There are also restrooms available and picnic tables with gorgeous panoramic views of the surrounding mountains. Thankfully, though, there are only a few places where you'll stumble upon airplane crash ruins in North Carolina. The grandmother laughed and grabbed my arm. Perfect for escaping the crowds you sometimes find at other park locations! Which state parks should I visit in North Carolina? Waterrock Knob: Waterrock Knob is one of my favorite hikes and it's always one that I recommend to visitors. Of course, many people come to Waterrock Knob to also hike to a tragic plane crash site. One of Marcus catch phrases is theres always time for a hike! So being Labor Day weekend, we could not put off this adventure. Book your tickets online for Waterrock Knob, Maggie Valley: See 321 reviews, articles, and 262 photos of Waterrock Knob, ranked No.2 on Tripadvisor among 12 attractions in Maggie Valley. It was a dark night and the final radar contact was at 6100 feet and 1 mild from the crash site. . Pedestrian killed by car on Kingston Pike in Knoxville. I noticed it as a gap in the tall grass at first. Remembering the 72 passengers who lost their lives in 1967 airplane wreck. I was the first person to arrive at this Crash Site in 1983. After reaching the Waterrock Knob lookout, you will see a trail to the left. Did you see the plane crash site? He went on to explain its an unofficial trail, and the navigation can be treacherous. Layer by Layer: A Mexico City Culinary Adventure, Sacred Granaries, Kasbahs and Feasts in Morocco, Monster of the Month: The Hopkinsville Goblins, Paper Botanicals With Kate Croghan Alarcn, Writing the Food Memoir: A Workshop With Gina Rae La Cerva, Reading the Urban Landscape With Annie Novak, How to Grow a Dye Garden With Aaron Sanders Head, Making Scents: Experimental Perfumery With Saskia Wilson-Brown, The Frozen Banana Stands of Balboa Island, The Paratethys Sea Was the Largest Lake in Earths History, How Communities Are Uncovering Untold Black Histories, The Medieval Thieves Who Used Cats, Apes, and Turtles as Accomplices, https://aviation-safety.net/wikibase/38801, https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/north-carolina/waterrock-knob-trail. Length 1.7 miElevation gain 692 ftRoute type Out & back. Head down that trail about 100 feet and you should see the plane in the distance down the hill. "I think I'm going to throw another key on the fire!". Certainly, it is a stark reminder of how powerless we really are in the face of nature. Great eye! Odins ears perked up. Our drive to Waterrock Knob along the parkway began with sunny skies, but quickly transitioned into an eerie, but mystical, hazy day with fog and clouds sweeping between the mountains as we increased in elevation. Another blond haired woman with a baseball cap and a group of grade school aged kids were heading towards us. The probable cause of the airplane crash was slight intoxication of the pilot, lack of experience flying in the mountains, and inclement weather that caused low visibility. People have absolutely no respect. Read Also: Elkmont ghost town: Ghost stories that will give you goosebumps. From Waterrock Knob, which is named for the spring near the summit where hunters would refill their canteens, the trail is small, mostly unmarked and easily missed. 601. Note: When hiking to this area please be respectful of the site. You will be walking through the quiet woods then all of a sudden the crash appears through the trees. Have you hiked at Waterrock? The terrain is fairly difficult with a change in elevation of about 600 feet. Packing the right day hike essentials is super important for your trip. If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can. There were several up and down altitude excursions. Subscribe to our newsletter and receive a FREE PRINTABLE TRAVEL PLANNER! An annual celebration of the region's successful elk reintroduction program. go back to the arrow and follow the narrow path it points to about 1/2 mile to the site of a plane crash from the early 1970's. Fascinating. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 1 h 13 min to complete. The last recorded elevation of the airplane was about 6,000 ft. I heard it might even be getting removed soon because of it. The trail itself is a very difficult seven-mile hike to the top of Grandfather Mountain. In my opinion the trail is intermediate because its unmaintained so you are hiking over a lot of tree roots and it requires more awareness to keep on track. There are no engines at the site as they were salvaged soon after the crash. Because this hike is difficult, you will more than likely get hungry! Address: Waterrock Knob, North Carolina 28779, USA You said in your writing of finding plane. Fewer hikers decide to venture this far out. Waterrock Knob: Hike to plane crash site - See 321 traveler reviews, 262 candid photos, and great deals for Maggie Valley, NC, at Tripadvisor. This is very interesting and eerie at the same time. After responding to our questions, and reviewing his GPS stats, he confirmed the trek down to the plane wreckage took him about 30 minutes. It is a shame so many people can hike here but no one cares to restore the grounds and remove what isn't natural. I was ahead of Marcus with Odin on his leash in the lead. Click here are a few of my favorite places near Bryson City. Hiked 10/30 2nd time doing this trail and 2nd time doing the entire thing in the clouds!! All rights reserved. Due to these panoramic views, Waterrock Knob has become one of the most popular locations to witness sunset or sunrise along the Blue Ridge Parkway. . I hollered up the stairs to Marcus, come on, lets go on the hike!. Maggie Valley, about 5 hours from Fayetteville. It is the highest peak in the Plott Balsams and is the 16th-highest mountain in the Eastern United States. The Ranger was giving directions to two guys in shorts and tee-shirts. The windows were smashed; dark holes appearing to mysteriously lead into another dimension. Patrick was imagining how the plane first crashed into the mountain; analyzing the trees above, and how the position of the plane on the ground seemed to reveal clues about the crash. Will you be taking the hike? But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. The hike back to the parking lot was just as arduous as the hike to the crash site, and ended up being about a 2.5 mile hike round trip. The Ranger continued on up Waterrock and out of site. 20 reviews of Waterrock Knob "Waterrock Knob is part of the Plott Balsalms range. We talked about the dented metal and torn off debris; and tried to visualize what had happened. She brushed her hand across the soft whitish golden fur on Odins head without hesitation. 2023 Atlas Obscura. In fact, he didnt file a flight plan as required in that situation. After making eye-contact with her, I recognized it was Allison from work. The pilot's blood alcohol level was 0.04. There are affiliate links included in this post. A mountain dog in his element! That was my co-worker who cleaned it up! You are at Browning Knob as soon as you start to see the views again: Once over to Browning Knob, youll notice another small unmarked trail to the left. The rest of the debris is slowly being reclaimed by the forest or has been carried off by visitors over the years. We were unfortunately unable to see much from the lookout due to the low lying clouds, but continued on towards our next destination, which was Browning Knob. Yes. Love North Carolina? How to Get There. Here are some of the prettiest trails in North Carolina: The state of North Carolina is known for its expansive beauty, but there are a few hikes across the Tar Heel State that really take the cake. Once at Browning Knob (big obvious clearing on the top of a mountain), there's another trail off to the left, which leads down to the crashed Cessna 414. She brushed her hand across the. I used to hike to this as a teenager once every few months and the vandalism and theft has only really started in the past 3 years. When the weather turned low lying clouds and rain he began ducking the plane under the clouds. Be sure to wear hiking boots because the trail is rocky, dont forget your reusable water bottle, and bring a map and compass in case you get lost. The pilot's blood alcohol level was at 0.04%. fornotifications regarding new blog posts, travel destinations, photography updates and newly available art. I never knew that there are close to 54 plane crash sites located in the Smoky Mountains. After crossing snowbird VOR the aircraft turned south and again there were altitude excursions. The hike is about 2 miles long. The two men onboard didn't survive the crash. Ive always wanted to visit North Carolina! The trail begins at the Waterrock Knob Visitor Center and continues for a quarter mile up a well-marked, paved path to an observation point . The Blue Ridge Parkway spans 469 miles, most of which are right here in North Carolina. Her voice had an upward inflection. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. Especially for people that think its a hour hike People ruin a lot of stuff but the tagging doesnt seem to take away the fact its a plane way way way out in the woods. The vision of the plane crash is now fixed as part of my memory. Your email address will not be published. I think he and his parents were Hawaiian. The remains of a doomed Antarctic plane, buried beneath layers of ice and snow, await those willing to do a bit of digging. When I reached the top of Waterrock Knob, under rather malicious-looking skies, a 60-year old man with . I listened intently to his point by point directions. The windows were smashed; dark holes appearing to mysteriously lead into another dimension. Hiking to the Waterrock Knob plane crash is one of the most interesting hikes I have ever been on. Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate and a partner of other affiliate programs including Booking.com, CJ and Tripster, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases via links found in this article. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Here are some of the best state parks in North Carolina: The real question iswhat state park shouldnt you visit in North Carolina? He looked at his daughter, she gets tired easily, so we dont go on long hikes anymore.. As interesting as the crash site can be, it was important for us to remember the two pilots who lost their lives in this very spot and treat the area with respect. The rest of the aircraft was left on the mountainside. The aircraft had impacted mountainous terrain at about 6,000 feet msl and 11 miles from the destination. The hike to the plane crash is about a 2.5 mile round-trip hike, first up to Waterrock Knob and then across the ridge to Browning Knob. After hiking up to Waterrock Knob, I overheard a Ranger standing in front of a narrow path to the left. This popular trail goes to the Waterrock Knob summit. The latest music videos, short movies, tv shows, funny and extreme videos. If youve never been to Bryson City you need to visit! Follow the yellow markers painted on the trees. Today, we met people from California, South Carolina, and others from our own town. My first thought was nah, its on the other side. Patrick was imagining how the plane first crashed into the mountain; analyzing the trees above, and how the, Feeling the Energy at The Airport Mesa Vortex, A Trail of Luminaries through Old Town Albuquerque. Spinosaurus might still be there close somewhere. The Blue Ridge Parkway reaches some of its highest points in the Waterrock Knob area, including Richland Balsam (highest point on the Parkway) and Waterrock Knob Visitor Center (highest visitor center on the Parkway). Knowing that two lives were lost at the site, the vibe was pretty heavy. The operating hours, policies and procedures of other businesses may change at any time without notice. We are not endorsed by, authorized by, or affiliated with any mentioned attractions. Hiked to this wreck back in the 90s when I went to school at Western Carolina University. Two of the boys, probably her son and his friend, started howlinglike wild prey from further up the trail . Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information. The young girl was about eight-years-old. Its not too far from where you live. He continued by describing how this plane had crashed sometime in the 70s off the Blue Ridge Parkway. Much of the eight-seat Cessna 414A is still up there on the mountain. https://www.baaa-acro.com/sites/default/files/2020-03/N6623C.pdf, http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=6623C, http://videotarts.com/video/6GrSrJC0NAk/abandoned-airplane-in-the-middle-of-the-woods.html, https://www.lilblueboo.com/2018/08/hiking-to-a-plane-crash-in-the-smoky-mountains-via-waterrock-and-browning-knobs.html, Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency], Updated [Time, Operator, Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative], Updated [Location, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative]. Her love for travel has taken her to many parts of the world. Our human curiosity about the story, and the image of a plane lasting 36 years out in the elements is what drew us to this place one late summer day in September.