Andrews Bald facts for kids
Andrews Bald is a special mountain in the Great Smoky Mountains in the Southeastern United States. It stands tall at about 5,920 feet (1,800 m) above sea level. This makes it the highest "grassy bald" in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
A "grassy bald" is a mountain top or side that is covered in grass instead of trees. It's like a natural meadow high up in the mountains! The park service helps keep two of these grassy balds open in the Smokies. The other one is Gregory Bald, which is in the western part of the mountains.
Andrews Bald has two peaks and is located along Forney Ridge, just south of Clingmans Dome. You can find it on maps from the USGS. It's the 62nd-highest mountain in North Carolina [1] and is completely within Swain County, North Carolina.
What is a Grassy Bald?
Unlike some other mountains, the grassy part of Andrews Bald isn't right at the very top. Instead, it spreads out along the southern side of the mountain. Scientists are still not completely sure how these grassy balds first formed. It's a bit of a mystery!
For a long time, in the 1800s, farmers let their cattle graze on these mountains. This helped keep the grass short and stopped trees from growing. But after the national park was created in the 1930s, the forests started to grow back over the grassy areas.
In the early 1980s, the park service asked visitors what they thought about the grassy balds. Most people wanted to keep them open and grassy. So, the park service now works to maintain the balds on both Gregory and Andrews mountains.
History of Andrews Bald
Andrews Bald is probably named after Andres Thompson. He was an early settler who used to hunt on the mountain. There was even a small cabin on the southwest side of the mountain, right near where the grassy area is now.
These small cabins were common in the high mountains of southern Appalachia in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They were often used by herders who took care of cattle, maybe just for part of the year.
Visiting Andrews Bald
You can hike to Andrews Bald using the Forney Ridge Trail. This trail goes very close to the top of the mountain and crosses the whole grassy area. The Forney Ridge Trail connects to the famous Appalachian Trail near Clingmans Dome.
You can start your hike from the Forney Ridge parking lot. The grassy bald area is just under two miles (about 3 kilometers) from the parking lot. It's a great spot for a hike and to enjoy amazing views!
