Orchard Road is a small gravel road which starts at Peppers Creek Road, goes through the top part of the apple orchard, and eventually connects to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This small road was originally a game trail, and was later used by the Cherokee Indians, and by the end of the 1800’s was part of a primary trade route running parallel to the Eastern Continental Divide. It played a substantial role not only in the Revolutionary War, but also the Civil War.
The main route over the mountain was at nearby McKinney Gap, below the orchard, and when the railroads eventually moved into the area in the late 1800’s, they chose the same low point in the mountain. The toughest part of the route became known as the Clinchfield Loops, comprised of massive loops to keep a low change in elevation rate to enable the trains to haul their massive loads safely. The edges of the Loops are on the northern and bottom part of the orchard itself. The train tracks cut through the land via a system of eighteen tunnels within a mere thirteen miles of actual track, an impressive undertaking for that time, yet cover only three miles “as the crow flies.” Four thousand men, mostly foreign immigrants, labored to build this stretch of track, and many of them died and were buried at nearly forgotten cemeteries near the top of the mountain. The track, now owned by CSX, was completed in 1908, the same year the apple orchard was started above it.
Charlie McKinney (1780-1858) owned the land that later became the orchard, and planted the first apples on the property. He lived along what is now known as Orchard Road with his rather unusual family of four wives and 48 children – separate houses for each wife, of course. He and his huge family led very colorful lives and left a substantial mark on local history. He, his wives, and many of their children are buried in the small cemetery near the orchard. It is not on any map, except the one for the trails for the orchard. The main gravestone, that of Charles McKinney, was recently replaced by some of his descendants, and is the only modern marker there. The numerous others are smaller, irregular shaped, native stones with hand-carved markings, many of which have been rendered illegible, if not entirely erased by time and weather. The cemetery has recently had the rhododendron overgrowth removed, revealing many more gravesites and "opening up" the area, making it even more worthy of a visit.
There are several pull-offs along this end of the road, but not one directly at the trailhead. Only the top part of the banister for the steps is visible from the side of the road to mark the steep start of the trailhead. A walking stick might be helpful (nothing to do with the cache). The steps themselves are steep, as is the trail, and it is all downhill, but well-maintained, at least to Charlie’s gravestone. The trail might be slippery when wet, and should not be attempted when ice or snow is on the ground, and certainly not at night. If you enjoy old cemeteries, especially those with historical significance, feel free to take your camera and show us your pictures in your comments.
The nearby orchard has regular business hours which can be found online, but Orchard Road doesn’t close (except possibly in the very worst weather). The view of the mountains from most of the road, especially the section through the orchard, is a favorite locale for photographers, dropping by throughout the year for seasonal photos of the area. Watch for local wildlife – sometimes there are bears or turkeys nearby.
The cache is a plastic ammo can, which should contain some nice swag (sorry, I didn’t have any travel bugs or trackables), not far from Charlie’s grave, which is the clearest place to get coordinates. I’m not sure I remembered to include a pen, so you should probably bring your own, just in case.
Don’t forget to bring your camera!