First Explore...Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest (April 07)

Of course the start of my explore of the Joyce Kilmer area had to be at the Memorial Forest. Here are two trees which are actually a part of one root system. This is a massive twin-tree on the Memorial Loop Trail system. This is an amazing forest with beautiful seasonal wildflowers, many birds and yes the very large trees. I am amazed that not more people have visited this nor even know about it.

This is a photo of the memorial plaque in the loop trail.

Just up the road from the Memorial Forest is the Maple Springs parking area which begins the trail up to Haoe. If you park at the very end of the road, walk past the edge of the parking lot on a small unmarked trail and keep following it downhill. There you will find a spring and this very large rock house/overhang. I found this because I had a theory about where to find the infamous "Tsali Cave." Although many people told me it was below Clingmans Dome in the Smokies still I thought it could be here in the Nantahalas. The key for me was many sources said the cave was at the head of Deep Creek. Well, this is a large rock house capable of sleeping many people just as the story went. I also heard there was a spring at the rockhouse of Tsalis Cave. Guess what...here is a spring as well! However I have since learned that THE Tsali Cave is in fact on Deep Creek/Keg Drive Branch area in the Smokies.