"AT lash Day 4: Unicoi Gap to Swaim Gap, with side trips to nearby peaks along the way. Bushwhacked Spaniard Knob via its neighbor peak Red Knob, which proved to be brutally overgrown with brambles. Blood was shed. The descent of Spaniard Knob from the northwest side was much less painful. For Horsetrough, I followed a drainage up the northeast side. Not sure if moss-covered rock-hopping was easier than bramble-whacking, but I made it work. Both 4k peaks had summit signs, and Horsetrough had a summit register. The AT no longer goes over the summit of Poor Mountain, but it’s a straightforward whack. The views from Cowrock were a welcome change of pace. " — wacbravo • Oct 12, 2024

"Solo hike on the Appalachian Trail (AT) from Tesnatee Gap to Rock Spring Top and back in unusually mild weather for August starting in the low 60s Fahrenheit. Stopped for lunch at a campsite near the rock face of Cowrock before reaching the peak of Cowrock. The AT goes over the peak of Cowrock, and there are side trails of varying overgrowth to the peak of Wolf Laurel Top, but I found no side trails to the other peaks that the AT passes near, and off-trail bushwhacking in this area is best left for winter hikes. I encountered two venomous snakes on this hike. First I saw a copperhead on the rock face of Cowrock as reported by a backpacker. Then I heard a rattlesnake while exploring an overlook on the east side of Wolf Laurel Top. Holding my hiking poles up, I plowed through two overgrown sections of the AT. The first was across the gap above Tesnatee Gap below Cowrock. The second on the west side of Corbin Horse Stamp had so many briars that I used my machete extensively and found the return trip much easier. Met several nice folks on the AT including a couple from Woodstock, a young lady with her dog, the backpacker who warned me about the copperhead, and another backpacker named ..." — davidensley • Aug 16, 2023