[Bristol-Birds] Fwd: High Knob Trip

Hello all of you potential High Knob birders.  As you know, I cancelled the 
High Knob trip this weekend due to lack of leadership.  However,  I contacted 
Dick Peake and he sent me the VOS info for there trip at the end of June.  I 
have attached this note to the info from Dick or, vice-versa.  John Moyle  Glen 
Alpine Road    Kingsport


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John,
   I am attempting to enclose the write-up for the High Knob trip in this 
e-mail. I would have volunteered to lead your trip, but I'll just be getting 
back from Williamsburg late on the June 6. I believe I told somebody that when 
I was contacted earlier. If you think people could find their way to Norton and 
then to the shopping center where Ingles (a grocery store) is located (Walmart 
formerly before they moved down the road) by 8 a.m., I could meet them there 
(there's ample parking) and lead the trip, but we would be happy to have 
everyone join us for the VSO field trip. Let me know what you decide.
Dick

V. S. O. Field Trip to High Knob

On June 27-29 Bill and Peggy Opengari and Dick Peake will lead a V. S. O. 
mountain field trip to High Knob and vicinity. Almost all of the species 
available at Mt. Rogers can be found here as well as others and there are 
excellent opportunities for camping, although none of the campgrounds offer the 
luxuries of Grindstone campground at Mt. Rogers. However, non-campers will be 
happy to learn that our headquarters will be located at the Inn in Norton. We 
will make a special effort to offer field trips that should turn up Swainson’s 
Warblers. 

Headquarters:

The Inn in Norton: off of Highway 58, Norton: (276) 679-7000, elevation 1900 
ft. They have agreed to reserve 10 rooms for us until June 10, 2008 @ $50 
($54.50 including tax). They will provide us with a room to meet in on June 27 
and 28.

Nearby motels, just down the road from the Inn:

Super 8 Motel: 425 Wharton Lane, Norton: 276-679-0893 
Days Inn: 375 Wharton Lane, Norton: 276-679-5340

Food: There is a Hardee’s next to The Inn that opens at 4 a.m. and closes at 12 
a.m. on Friday and Saturday and 6 a.m. on Sunday and closes at 11 p.m. The Inn 
offers a Continental breakfast, no lunch, and a dining room from 5 to 11 p.m. 
(Mon.-Sat.). In the shopping center across the four-lane from The Inn, there 
are two restaurants and an Ingles grocery, and there are a number of other 
restaurants at the south end of Norton and at the Wise Shopping Center about 
three miles west on Highway 23. The most upscale of these are Applebee’s 
(across from Walmart off of Highway 23) and Mosby’s (in the Wise Shopping 
Center next to the Social Security Office.

Nearby campgrounds in the Jefferson National Forest, Clinch Ranger District

High Knob Campground, elevation 3520 ft., $10 per day, total sites 13; not RV 
friendly, no electric hookups; wooded sites, flush toilets and hot showers 
available This site will put you near a lake in northern hardwoods among 
veeries, Canada warblers, and other northern species. From Norton motels take 
US 58 south to next exit (coming from south on US 58, take the first Norton 
exit), then take State Rt 619 south (up the mountain) 3.7 miles to campground 
sign (Forest Rt 238), turn left and go 1.6 miles to another campground sign and 
turn right and go 1.7 miles to campground.

Cane Patch, elevation 1770 ft. $12 a day without electric hookup; $17 a day 
with hookup. total sites 35, open sites surrounded by mixed woods; no tent 
pads, flush toilets and hot showers require climb up sixty steps. Here you will 
be at a place where high altitude species such as Black-throated Blue Warblers 
mix with lower elevation species such as Swainson’s Warbler. Take Rt 23 toward 
Pound; at South Fork Rd (State Rt 671) turn left and take Rt 671 west 6.3 miles 
to campground sign. Bear right at sign to campground.

Bark Camp Lake, elevation 2780 ft. $12 a day without electric hookup; $17 with 
hookup, total sites 21; tent pads, flush toilets, and hot showers; sites in 
hardwoods near a 40 acre lake. From Coeburn continue on US 58 west 2.4 miles to 
High Knob sign at Tacoma (first traffic light after leaving Coeburn). Turn left 
onto Rt 706 and go up mountain 4 miles to Bark Camp sign. Turn left and go 0.3 
miles to Bark Camp Lake sign (Bark Camp Rd). Turn right  onto Bark Camp Rd and 
go 1.8 miles to another campground sign. Turn right and go 0.7 miles to 
campground.

Schedule:

Friday, June 27
Trip to High Knob
Meet at 3 p.m. in the parking lot of The Inn (if you are staying  in the High 
Knob campground and have already checked in, just meet us at the general 
parking lot at the head of the lake trail). There we will carpool and drive up 
the mountain to High Knob and hike the Lake trail, then return to the Inn. 
Supper and other meals are on your own at local restaurants. After supper we 
will have a countdown and an introduction to the area. 

Saturday, June 28
Morning trips will meet in the parking lot of The Inn at 7 a.m.
Roaring Branch trip: drive to Appalachia and then hike up Roaring Branch. The 
main target species will be Swainson’s Warbler, but Black-throated Green 
Warblers, Blackburnian Warblers, Blue-headed Vireos, Scarlet Tanagers, and many 
other species are possible. Canada Warbler and Winter Wren have occasionally 
been found.
Cane Patch trip: drive to Cane Patch campground and hike the trail upstream. 
The chief target species will be Swainson’s Warbler, but Black-throated Blue 
Warblers, Black-throated Green Warblers, both tanagers, and many other species 
are possible. 
High Knob trip: a repeat of the Thursday afternoon trip with some additions. 
Canada and Magnolia Warblers and Veery will be chief target birds, but juncos, 
Black-throated Blue and Parula Warblers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and many 
others are possible. Winter Wren and Swainson’s Thrush have been recorded here. 
We will stop at spots that have produced Least Flycatchers and Chestnut-sided 
Warblers on the way to the lake.

Trips will return to The Inn by 1 p.m. Lunch on your own at area restaurants.
Afternoon trips will begin at 3 p. m. will be arranged to additional spots 
where species of interest have been found as a result of scouting the week 
before the field trip weekend. Trips will return to the Inn by 6 p. m. If there 
is sufficient interest, an evening owl prowl will be attempted after supper at 
9 p.m.

Sunday, June 29
Saturday’s field trips will be repeated, but field trips will return to the Inn 
by 11: 30 a.m.







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