Some Recent Hikes

This week I took a friend for what I believe was his first "real" (lol) hikes in the Smoky Mountains and on Wednesday he didn't want to leave. Monday we hiked two different trails, Grotto Falls and Meigs Creek. I had not hiked Grotto for several years and what I remembered was a quiet walk in the woods in which I saw only one family on the trail. NOT!!! anymore. Dudes and Dudettes!, what a trip. There must have been more than 200 people between the parking area and the falls during our in-out hike and it ain't all that much to see, in a relative sort of way. After that we hiked 4.4 mls RT to Meigs Creek Cascades, which was very pleasant as we encountered no one on the trail after leaving the area around the sinks. Here is a picture of "Schulz" in front of them.

On Tuesday afternoon we went up along the AT from Newfound Gap in the smokies and walked over to the "Jump Off" along the Boulevard Trail. Bummer was the "Jump Off" point was clouded in so the vistas were still only stories I have heard. However this was an awesome walk and now I know I have to go back for the full views. On our hike we got to speak with a man doing trail maintenance along the AT, this less than a year after having both knees replaced! Thank you!! Much of the AT in the smokies is maintained by volunteers like this man, and his wife who was down the trail doing some other work. We also were privileged to see these!

Tuesday morning we hiked the route to from Tremont to Spruce Flat Falls and got to chat with a couple in their 80's, who were doing the same route a little slower and enjoying it as much as we did! Another fabulous day of appreciation and gratitude for the gifts of nature.