Rattlesnake Lodge
One of the true pioneers of conservation lived and
worked in Asheville at the turn of the 20th century. Dr. Chase
P. Ambler moved to Asheville in 1889 and was noted in this area
for his work in the treatment of tuberculosis as well as his
efforts on behalf of the natural world.
Ambler, a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, was instrumental
in organizing the initial effort to establish a national park
in the southern Appalachian Mountains. So strong was his voice
in this regard that Mt. Ambler (6100 ft.) in the Great Smoky
Mountains National Park is named in his honor. Additionally,
the first tract of land designated as National Forest (Curtis
Creek near Old Fort, NC) is dedicated to him.
As a true nature enthusiast, he bought some 318 acres
of land just north of Asheville and built his refuge. Rattlesnake
Lodge was built in 1903 - 1904 primarily of native materials;
the logs and beams of the house were hand-hewn chestnut! The
working wage at that time was 10 cents an hour, and this was
paid to craftsmen who hand-shaved the white oak boards for the
roof. Since Ambler intended to spend his summers and weekends
there with his wife and five children, he offered a $5 bounty
for each rattlesnake brought to him. This caused quite a stir
because, at that time, this was a good weekly salary. Rumor has
it that snakes were brought to him from as far away as Mt. Mitchell.
Forty one snakes were killed in the first three years after construction
began, the largest of which was measured at 5 feet, 8 inches
in length.
I like to walk to the lodge from Bull Gap (so named
because the last bull buffalo in North Carolina was killed here
in 1799) just north of Asheville on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Exit
the parkway at the sign for Weaverville and follow the road to
Ox Creek, across the crest of the hill. At 0.9 miles you will
see the small, unpaved parking area on the right. Follow the
path from the rear of the parking area and, at the intersection
with the trail, make a left. You will almost immediately enter
a series of well-graded switchbacks which lead you to a ridgeline
that is easy to walk, with some spectacular views particularly
in autumn and winter when the trees have shed their leaves. Round
trip is about 3 - 3.5 miles of fairly easy walking. The trail
basically follows the 4-foot wide sled path that Ambler had built
to accommodate the transport of materials needed for the construction
of his retreat. The path was intentionally made too narrow for
buggies and carts, to discourage casual visitors. As you walk
along, look for the many places where the down hill side of the
trail is supported by stone work.
Ambler remarked that his view was of "unbroken forest canopy
to the horizon." In a letter to "Forest and Stream"
in 1906, he described the approach to the lodge as "forested
with chestnut, oak, hickory, walnut, birch, gum, locust, and
large tracts of rhododendron and laurel covering hundreds of
acres, so thick that one can only get through by cutting his
way." While not that thick today, the Flame Azalea on the
trail are spectacular when they bloom in April and May. After
reaching the ridge, it is not unusual to hear the huge oaks,
hickories, and Tulip Poplars creaking and groaning as they rub
against one another while swaying in the breeze, a wonderful
sound that is one of my favorite parts of this walk. One noticeable
absence today is the American Chestnut which was the dominant
tree species in eastern North America at the time of the lodge's
construction. In 1904 the Chinese Chestnut was introduced to
America and with it came a fungus to which the native chestnut
had no resistance. Within 40 years the American Chestnut was,
with very few exceptions, effectively extinct. Some studies that
indicate as many as three billion trees died in that time frame.
Dr. Ambler spent weekends, summer vacations, and as
much time in the winter as was possible at the lodge, which at
4400 feet in elevation was cooler than Asheville in the summers
and, due to its location in a natural "bowl," was sheltered
from the worst winter weather. In addition to the main lodge
there was the kitchen, spring house, tool shed, stables, swimming
pool, and tennis court - quite a nice little getaway. Another
feature of the grounds, according to Ambler, was a "good
board shack with bunks and a large fireplace for the convenience
of trampers and campers." This had served as quarters for
the men who built the lodge. The public was always welcome to
use the shack, at no charge, when hiking on the trails to Craggy
Pinnacle and Mt. Mitchell. This was perhaps the first hikers'
hostel in the area.
Mrs. Ambler died in the influenza epidemic of 1918,
and Dr. Ambler sold the lodge in 1920, having lost much of his
desire for the place he had shared with her for years. In 1926
the lodge burnt down, probably due to lightning. Today only parts
of the stone foundation are visible, along with stone work used
to level and reinforce the trail. You can still see the swimming
pool and Daffodils planted around the home site. An early morning
walk to this spot always evokes images in my mind of what this
place must have been like with five children combing the woods
and learning from their father, who took such delight in the
mountains. A walk to Rattlesnake Lodge offers one an opportunity
to see a wide variety of plant and animal life, and to contemplate
the life of a man who made a difference.
This article was written for Travel Host of
Western North Carolina.
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