Well from the photo you can guess that the inaugural traverse of the multi-adventure Eastern Continental Divide Loop is complete.  A great day hike in beautiful weather to wrap things up. In planning this trip this section of the trail had me the most concerned as a solo traveler due to its length, ruggedness and remoteness.  While I had originally planned to do this section first in retrospect it is best last for a couple or reasons: 1) Starting at the Savage River you begin by going upstream/uphill and end the 130 mile journey with this trail going down, good fit logically and good feel mentally; and 2) the huge downhill (1400 foot drop) over the last 2 miles was hard on my legs and may have impacted my ability to complete the Loop if this was first.  18 miles in one shot is not for everyone I'm sure, maybe not for me either in the future. Four road crossings along this route allow for some flexibility in planning and for the hardy backpacker backcountry camping is allowed along this stretch with a State Forest permit.  The final 7 miles of this trip have to be done in one block as there is no easy access, this is also one of the most challenging sections. A .6 mile side trip to High Rocks Fire Tower is a must if your legs will allow.  The panoramic vista of the whole of Garrett County from this vantage point really puts into perspective the enormity of the Loop just completed.

I've wanted to hike Big Savage Mountain since I first heard of the trail in the mid 1980's while a student in nearby Frostburg.  For one reason or another it has eluded me so I looked forward to this opportunity to finally get my feet on this pathway.  Many, including the Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, have dropped this trail from their destination lists due to downed trees but the Savage River State Forest staff have worked hard over the last 2 years to remove these obstacles.  As I entered the trail at the northern end near St. John's Rock the forest enveloped me as many Eastern deciduous forest trails do.  For the next 7 hours I was in complete solitude with no company but the songs of the many hidden birds and the occasional deer I spooked from the underbrush.  Heaven for me but maybe not for everyone. 

Due to lack of use the trail is little more than a deer path in many parts and makes the GAP trail from my previous day look like a super highway.  If it wasn't for the white blazes on the trees and the local animal traffic much of this trail would drift into oblivion reclaimed by the rugged forest around it.  Hiking became a test of connecting the white blaze dots as you navigated the rocky footing, thick laurel or other vegetation crowding the trail.  Several times I caught myself too focused on my feet only to look up and find I was off the trail having to search for my white blaze guides to get me moving forward again. Long pants are a must as for much of the trail I was walking in armpit high vegetation with nettles, greenbrier and blackberry spines searching for my flesh.  Three powerline cuts provide glimpses of the surrounding landscape from this high mountain ridge but the emerald tunnel persists through the majority of the trails length.  As there was little water on the trail I was thankful to have stashed some water bottles at a road crossing halfway through the trip at the beginning of the day. 

Most of the trail is dry walking and relatively level until the end but there is one area that is an exception to both.  An odd almost vertical descent for a few hundred feet with a climb just a few feet later is found about 1/2 mile before the first crossing of Pine Swamp Road, I'm sure the builder had something in mind but their reasoning eludes me. Soon thereafter the trail touches the road and then parallels it down into a wet muddy area. It then crosses the Pine Swamp Road and follows a dreaded timber road that doesn't disappoint with muck and wetness.  Rerouting this 2 mile trail section would be a good trail crew project.  From here forward for the next 3 miles the trail is barely perceptible as the overhead canopy is thin and light hungry plants have claimed the territory.  After the second Pine Swamp Road crossing the forest floor opens up and the rocky climbing towards the second summit begins. 

Views Along the Trail:

At mile 11 I reached the access road to High Rocks. While I thought a few times I might skip this side trip as not to add to my daily miles I could not resist the 200' vertical/.3 mile climb to my final opportunity to see the tablelands in all their glory. I've been to this spot three times in my life and have always been awestruck by 200 degree view of mountains and valleys.  Well worth the extra effort.

For the next few miles the trail teases you of the final descent only to climb again as the builders navigated the large boulders that make up the rocky spine of this ridge.  When you reach the end of the plateau there is no questioning the final descent as you're committed to the narrow and steep bench-cut trail clinging to the hillside. Step after painful step drops almost all the elevation you have gained over the last two days.  The view of the lake is pretty but the need for flat trail preoccupies the mind.  Finally as I reached the last grassy lane to the Savage River Campground it settles in that I have completed the challenge of the Eastern Continental Divide Loop, 134 miles, 28 miles of hiking, 27.6 miles of paddling and 78.4 miles on a bicycle, 36 hours of trail time over 6 days. I "Did the Loop" hope there are many more after me who can enjoy the variety, challenge and beauty of this mountain treasure. Farewell.