Weekend Walks

These pictures are from several hikes taken with a friend over the holiday weekend. Hikes which included a short 2 mile RT up Curry Mountain trail to fill some time before dinner on Saturday, an approximate 6 mile RT up Rich Mountain trail to Cerulean Knob 3665', and on Monday what turned out to be approx. 4.5 miles along West Prong trail and the loop to campsite #18.










There were some folks camping in the un-official site across the bridge and to the left at #18. While some others had left their garbage scattered around site 'B' w/ more hanging in a plastic bag for others to take out. We picked up a gallon milk jug and other stuff laying around this site, put it in the hanging bag and called it in to the Backcountry office later. On the walk out I collected a plastic bottle, a straw and some plastic wrappers thrown away by others and was grateful enough to enjoy the walk with a friend. Peace

Curry Mountain Trail

This trail head lies just across the street from the east end of Metcalf Bottoms and would be considered moderate to difficult over its 3.3 mile length depending on your condition. The Curry Mountain trail can seem imposing when one starts the walk and over the first mile there is a considerable climb however it eventually mellows with a broken pattern of declines, flat spots and a general incline over the next two plus miles.
I found the trail clear and wide and after the first mile or so I began to have some great views to the east framed often with pink and white Mountain Laurels. These Mountain laurels were scattered on both sides of the trail, sometimes quite thick, over the next two miles.










The Curry Mountain trail parallels the Little River road more or less for the first mile and thus there was audible traffic noise for about 30 minutes into this walk.
Each time I've walked this trail I've enjoyed it especially after the first mile or more traveling in the direction chosen today. At the 3.3 mile mark it intersects with the Meigs Mountain trail which to the left will take you by campsite #20 on the way to Elkmont, or to the right and a short distance to campsite #19 before continuing on to Tremont.

Panthers at Jakes Gap

Hello Happy Campers, It's raining in Townsend right now (10:43pm, 9/14). It started drizzling a few hours ago and has been pretty steady w/ some nice showers. This is a good thing, as I just finished and enjoyed a relatively short in distance, 3 day excursion and it is getting dry not only in the seeps but also in them small streams as well. Of course some of you folks have been out there and know.
Well my most recent excursion began at the end of Tremont Rd. and the Middle Prong trail. I followed this trail up 2.3 miles to the Panther Creek Trail and hopped what I thought was an easy stream crossing, though like many other stream crossings given normal or above rainfall things would be different.
Before turning left up Panther Crk. I spoke w/ some of the rangers working on the native brook trout restoration program and they made sure I was aware of the work being done and also to pay attention to the notices posted in the areas concerned. While the Middle Prong trail and other trails in this area will remain open September 7-September 19, 2008, to public use for the purpose of conducting the native, Southern Appalachian Brook Trout restoration, hikers should be aware that project personnel will be using all terrain vehicles on the trails to aid in the operation.
I enjoyed the hike up from here on Panther Crk. trail and water was available up until about a 1/2 mile before reaching the Jakes Gap (4055'). To the right at this intersection would have have put me on the Miry Ridge trail and the AT in about 5 miles but my route called for walking down Jakes Crk. Trail a short distance and camping at site #27. This was a nice quiet campsite and had plenty of water down below the lowest site, in the beginnings of what becomes a much larger Jakes Creek. The spot I chose; being the first here I had my choice, turned out to be the spot closest to the stream, about 35 yds., and had a big rock, probably some 15-20' long and several feet in diameter. This made a great table for stuff and/or a bench for me at times when I wasn't using the large log laying parallel to this boulder. The fire pit and site were well kept and the only garbage I saw, and carried out, was a small empty propane canister, found by accident in some tall weeds.
Saturday morn I arose after 8am and began an "unrushed" day. A few hours later I left the site cleaner than I found it and continued down Jakes Crk trail, which I really enjoyed. It was a wide trail following a former railroad route used by the Little River Logging Co., and under a thick canopy while dropping approx. 1500' in elevation over about 2.5 miles before meeting w/ the Meigs Mtn. trail on the left. The Meigs Mtn. trail connects Elkmont and Tremont (10 mls), though I was stopping at campsite #19 (4.6 mls), just past the Curry Mtn. intersection, oh, say a half mile. This is a small campsite w/ only 3 sites I could ID and 1 set of 4 wires to pull your packs and food bags up. There may have been more though I looked some and saw none. I did find water in the spring. Had to run the salamander off that was watching it for a few minutes but it returned after I made the "little one's" small domain deeper and more accessible to my filter hose. It was nice, two days in a row I found plenty of downed dry wood to build fires w/!! This campsite is on part of an old homestead which a Mr Andy Brackin established and this section of Meigs Mtn. trail up from Elkmont is full of history. I suggest taking along the small book 'History Hikes Of The Smokies' (Strutin '03), which can be purchased at the GSMNP visitor centers/bookstore, when walking here.
Sunday morning I got up around 7am, got my coffee, ate my last 2 Odwalla bars, packed my gear and walked back to the Curry Mtn. trail intersection (about .5) to begin my 3.3 ml. descent to the Little River road and the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area. This trail has a few relatively small inclines and the rest is pointing down the mountain for about 1100' of vertical. Along the top of this trail there were some nice views which of course will increase w/ the coming of the fall.
Overall a nice short excursion, on trails new to me, and relatively easy terrain once Jakes Gap is Reached from Panther crk.
Please call congress and let them know what you think about protecting our wild life from the destruction of Mountaintop Removal and the proposed I-3. You'll find the number(s) on the bottom of this page. For information on these topics investigate some of the action links provided here. Peace