Shining Rock Wilderness Area---above 6,000 feet
Mount Rogers National Recreation Area--above 5,000 feet
The word “Bald” conjures up images of mountains without any bushes or brush on top, as hirsute as a cue ball. Biologists have provided various explanations as to why these balds exist, as the elevation is too low for there to be a real “tree-line” as there is in the Rockies and Sierras (generally around 10,000 feet).
One reason for the balds existence may be due to a history of fires, which ravaged the tops of mountains and making the soil a challenging medium for the growth of trees. Some scientists suggest that Native Americans intentionally burned some of these regions to encourage the growth of blueberry and blackberry bushes, both which flourish in burned-out areas.
A known history of grazing is a second reason for the balds. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s. many farmers brought their cattle, sheep and goats to the mountaintops for grazing, which would have reduced shrub and tree growth, and expanded the grassy areas. In less obvious ways, this practice continues among the smaller fenced-in farms throughout the Blue Ridge.
A third reason that balds exist is that the Southern Appalachians were extensively logged during the great boom-times of our nation’s expansion in the 1800’s to early 1900’s. (Few old-growth trees still exist, but can still be found in rugged, out of the-way locales like the deep coves of the Smokies, Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest, and Linville Gorge.) It may be to believe as you look across the hundreds of thousands of acres of heavily wooded slopes of the Blue Ridge, but the forest you see is often less than a hundred years old! Some areas that may have had a difficult time recovering from these fires would have trended toward “baldhood,” and could have been further promoted by poor soil, grazing habits, and a desire by locals to keep the summits cleared.
Andrews Bald in the Smokies and Max Patch in Pisgah National Forest are both examples of balds that are now maintained to keep their bald-like nature. Crews cut back encroaching shrubs and trees, and even mow the grass at Max Patch, in order for these balds to provide the scenic beauty that humans covet.
There are two types of Southern Appalachian Balds, grassy balds and a heath-type of bald, in which the summit of a mountain is covered with low-lying heath, blueberry, and rhododendron bushes, and occasional highly stunted trees. Summiting these balds is disappointing, in that you expect great views, yet the low-growing shrubbery can often be higher than eye-level, thus making dreams of unrestricted vistas unfulfilled.
Grassy balds may present a mixture of grass and bushes and even the occasional wind-shaped tree. The grassy bald fully satisfies the explorer with an appetite for views, provided the weather cooperates. The grassy summits often allow stunning 360 degree vistas of the waves of mountains near and far. Spring offers the chances for wildflowers, and in the instance of the Roan Highlands, the chance to hike across a mixed-bald of grassy summits, and beautiful, lush rhododendron gardens. Summer brings warm weather, sunny mornings, and often stormy afternoons. (Being on a Southern Bald is a bad idea during a thunderstorm!) Autumn provides crisp air and spectacular vistas across the multi-colored landscape provided by the changing leaves. Winter offers the chance for the hardy-hiker to experience unparalleled clear air, snowy peaks, and phenomenal star-gazing.
Because all balds are unprotected from wind, be prepared and bring some sort of windbreaker, even on warm, sunny days. In the winter, you’d better dress for temps 20 degrees or more below the air temp, as windchills can easily get below zero! Exposed skin will freeze quickly, so hats, gloves and face protection can be essential.
