The Green Knob Fire Tower Trail is #182 and ascends about 3 miles to the south from the Black Mountain Campground
Green Knob Fire Tower Trail elevation (outbound direction only shown, reverse for inbound) This walk is a whole lot more difficult than this chart makes it look
Blue Ridge Parkway - The Green Knob fire tower from the Blue Ridge Parkway
Forest Service Road #2074 - connecting the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Black Mountain Campground
F.S. 2074 - Remnants of an old stone building, maybe a former CCC camp?
F.S. Road #2074 - An old chimney ruin
Black Mountain Campground, 3.3 miles from the Blue Ridge Parkway
Black Mountain Campground - The trailhead kiosk
Black Mountain Campground - A large map of the trails in the area
Trailhead for the Green Knob Trail and the River Loop, directly behind the kiosk
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - Bluets near the trailhead
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - The trail starts with a gradual climb through a decimated hemlock forest
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - The ferns waking up for another year
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - Looks like fire damage but could it be treatment for HWA?
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - The first of many Crested Dwarf Iris
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - Crested Dwarf Iris
Green Knob Trail/River Loop - Yellow and white blazes help me stay on the trail today
Green Knob Trail/River Loop intersection - Here the River Loop splits off and returns to the campground after a 3 mile walk along the river. I'll have to see that some other day.
Green Knob Trail - The first ridge views, probably Whiteside Ridge and Higgins Bald
Green Knob Trail - Wild guess this is Higgins Bald
Green Knob Trail - Trudging up the hill..feeling the effects of the cold I'm shaking
Green Knob Trail - A cool dead tree
Green Knob Trail - Chestnut oak sprouts appear poised to take over the dead hemlock forest
Green Knob Trail - Another gorgeous Iris
Green Knob Trail - Wood Betony
Green Knob Trail - This was the only part of the trail that was rutted as it ascended through a rhodo tunnel
Green Knob Trail - A large blowdown
Green Knob Trail - More ridge views, this time maybe Black Ridge
Green Knob Trail - Catawba Rhododendron a few days away from bursting into bloom
Green Knob Trail - CR blossoms
Green Knob Trail - Do not adjust your set, the forest really was this color with the new season's early leaves
Green Knob Trail - The trail flattened for a short while here to pass through a forest of huge hemlocks, most of which were dead
Green Knob Trail - Painted trillium put on quite a show
Green Knob Trail - Beginning to crest the Lost Cove Ridge again
Green Knob Trail - It was nice but a bit more humid than I expected
Green Knob Trail - Beautiful early specimens of Squawroot
Green Knob Trail - Views today were great
Green Knob Trail - Ok..I really struggle with this one. It is an area that should have lots of blueberry but it looks more like Dog Hobble to me?
Green Knob Trail - Topping the ridge, Black Mountain Ridge, home of the east's highest peak, Mount Mitchell, comes into view
Green Knob Trail - The ridge narrows up, I'm out of gas and I feel like the tower has got to be close! (unfortunately it is not)
Green Knob Trail - Black Mountain Ridge, with Clingmans Peak and Mount Mitchell
Green Knob Trail - Big spruce or frasers begin appearing
Green Knob Trail - More nice Painted trillium
Green Knob Trail - Dog hobble, blueberry, or something else?
Green Knob Trail - More of the mystery shrub. I would almost say lily-of-valley shrub but that is evergreen.
Green Knob Trail - Not sure on this one
Green Knob Trail - Sand Myrtle in bloom
Green Knob Trail - Topping Lost Cove Ridge
Green Knob Trail - Some oh yeah views down South Toe River basin opening up
Green Knob Trail - Views making it worth the grueling climb
Green Knob Trail - More mystery bush
Green Knob Trail - Now this one I know is Hobblebush
Green Knob Trail - Whew...finally the tower!
Green Knob Trail - The Green Knob Fire Tower (closed for refurbishment) - at elevation 5080'
Green Knob Trail - Workers burn the old deck planking
Green Knob Trail - The tower was closed for refurb
Green Knob Trail - From the steps of the tower
Green Knob Trail - The Blue Ridge Parkway snakes below
Green Knob Trail - Views from the tower steps
Green Knob Trail - The fridge and bed from the old live-in tower
Green Knob Trail - Clingmans Peak and Mount Mitchell
Green Knob Trail - More views of the Parkway
Green Knob Trail - Views were only available on the south side of the tower. All other views were clouded in.
Green Knob Trail - One more of the tower. Looks like the new deckwork is nearly complete.
Green Knob Trail - Now heading back downhill
Green Knob Trail - It was a cloudy days with views a 7 on a scale of 10.
Green Knob Trail - Spring awakening the high country
Green Knob Trail - Love this long valley view
Green Knob Trail - High country views
Green Knob Trail - Another of the Sand Myrtle
Green Knob Trail - Spruce and fraser
Green Knob Trail - Heading back down
Green Knob Trail -
Green Knob Trail - A Fraser Magnolia blossom. There were many today
Green Knob Trail - Star Chickweed
Green Knob Trail - Views and the magnolia blossoms
Green Knob Trail - This little tree marked about the beginning of the spruce-fir zone. Could it be the elusive Carolina Hemlock?
Green Knob Trail - Two giant trees stand as sentinels with the trail passing between them
Green Knob Trail - I didn't have anything for scale, but this was probably the biggest tree today
Green Knob Trail - More ridge views on the way down
Green Knob Trail - An interesting tree near the trailhead
Green Knob Trail - Back at the car..this grueling trail felt a LOT longer than it was.
Green Knob Trail - Another map at the trailhead kiosk
Green Knob Trail - Big Lost Cove Creek tributary Neals Creek
Green Knob Trail - One last look at the tower on the way home
