Bearwallow Sunset Hike

October 29, 2023

Living in the foothills of Appalachia affords some pretty incredible opportunities for outdoor recreation.

It’s a mountain-lovers paradise.

On a whim last weekend, I joined a group of semi-new friends on trip up in latitude and in elevation to watch the sunset. I was literally along for the ride – no idea where exactly we were going, but I was promised some spectacular views of the North Carolina mountains.

The weather was playing tricks on us – warm enough, yet windy; sunny, yet long stretches of shade. We started out at a grueling pace that was way quicker than I typically choose whilst going uphill. I began to sweat, which I knew would become instant regret once the weather cooled down as the sun began its descent. Luckily I had packed layers and felt relatively prepared for the changing temperatures.

The summit was slightly unexpected, a grassy meadow with cows littered across the landscape. The 360 view afforded some pretty spectacular sights of the surrounding mountains, etched in a blue-purple hue.

The wind did pick up, causing me to huddle up against my friends as we sat, talked, snacked on brie cheese, and watched the golden orb dip lower on the horizon.

If you’ve been following this blog for the past seven years or so, you’ll note that most of my outdoor adventures, particularly hikes, are solo in nature or with one other person. I realized that this was the first group hike I had done in years… literally years.

And I really liked it. There is something so special about sharing time and space with other like-minded individuals, appreciating the beauty collectively rather than individually. We talked about everything and anything, including, of course, the gorgeous sunset that highlighted the surrounding mountains. There was a true sense of comradery as we walked back down in the dark, headlamps bobbing along the trail.