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.

Blooms and a Bear

The beautiful Mountain Laurel was everywhere in the park, and is still is but fading fast.  Now if the rodo's would appear all of a sudden for my friends who are coming up this weekend that would be great!  Not likely, though I have seen some stray rodo's blooming already and if you've seen any around the GSMNP let me know.  The young bear was just off one of the busiest trails in the park about 50' up a cherry tree and undisturbed by the visitors who were nearby taking pictures and admiring this "gift".   

Laurel Falls Folks

The fine folks in this photo found this emaciated dog trying to make it's way somewhere. The dog was one like many that are often turned loose in the park by the local owners to run big game out of the park and/or training them to do so at a later date. These folks walked with, carried, and led the dog to the trailhead where I had contacted a ranger to pick-up the exhausted hound. Hopefully this dog will find another home other than where it came from. In the years I've been hiking this park I have had several similar experiences where I have come upon a lonely exhausted dog deep in the backcountry and had them follow me out. One hound followed me for a day and a half coming off Gregory Bald to the Twenty Mile ranger station where I found a boar cage to put him in with some water and then I contacted a ranger. Thanks to these folks this dog will know another day.

Blooms in the Smokies

These are just some of the blooming wildflowers I've had the pleasure of seeing in the last couple of weeks in the GSMNP. They were seen on the West and Middle Prong trails, and vicinity.

Some Trails Closed in the GSMNP

Great Smoky Mountains National Park crews are making needed repairs on both Chimney Tops Trail and Noland Creek Trail which received significant flood damage this winter. In North Carolina, Park crews will repair a slide area along Noland Creek Trail. In order to make the needed repairs, the trail will be closed to all hiker and horse use from April 22 – May 2, 2013 from the trailhead to Backcountry Campsite 64. Note that Campsite 64 will remain open, but Backcountry Campsite 65 will be closed during the project. In Tennessee, the popular Chimney Tops Trail has been closed since January when high waters destroyed the pedestrian bridge across Walker Camp Prong at the beginning of the trail. Crews are working to replace the 70-foot long bridge to allow trail access and estimate reopening the trail by June 30th, 2013. At that time, the Park’s Trails Forever Crew will begin Phase 2 of the ongoing full trail rehabilitation which will necessitate closing the trail each Monday through Thursday from Monday, July 1 through Thursday, October 17, while the trail continues to undergo a major facelift. For more information about trail closures, please visit the Park’s website atwww.nps.gov/grsm or call our Backcountry Information Office at 865-436-1297.

Some opening dates and closures for the Great Smoky Mountains 2013

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park has altered the facility opening dates for many park facilities for the 2013 season. The delayed openings are a direct result of staffing and hiring limitations which impacted the Park’s ability to conduct preseason preparation work on its facilities. Because of the five percent budget reduction that is in place, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is closing three campgrounds, two picnic areas, one horse camp, and associated access roads, for the 2013 season. Facilities to remain closed in 2013 include: the Look Rock Campground and Picnic Area and the Abrams Creek Campground in Tennessee; the Balsam Mountain Campground and Picnic Area (including the associated Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain Roads) and the Tow String Horse Camp in North Carolina. Secondary Roads are scheduled as follows: Round Bottom/Straight Fork Road will open April 1; Parsons Branch and Rich Mountain Road will both open on April 5; Roaring Fork Nature Trail and Little Greenbrier are set to open April 12. Heintooga Ridge and Balsam Mountain Roads will be closed for the season. Clingmans Dome Road has been open dependent on weather conditions since February 15, but will be officially open for the summer season on March 29. Operating Hours for Visitor Centers – The three visitor centers are open daily and the operating hours through March are as follows: Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, 8 a.m.-5 p.m., Cades Cove Visitor Center, near Townsend, TN, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and the Oconaluftee Visitor Center near Cherokee, NC, hours will be 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Operating Hours for Backcountry Office – The Backcountry Office located at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, near Gatlinburg, TN, is open every day from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Backcountry reservations and permits can be obtained online at www.smokiespermits.nps.gov or by calling 865-436-1297

Anthony Creek and Russell Fieled up to the Appalachian Trail

This 10.4 mile walk which took us up to the AT and the Russell Field Shelter for lunch began at Anthony Creek trailhead. We, the "Mysterious One" and I, parked at the trailhead located in the picnic area to the left just inside Cades Cove a little before 11am with cloudy skies and temperatures probably in the lower 50's. With the clouds and damp air from the rain the night before it felt cooler. The trails were somewhat muddy at times but that's why they make good boots! As we walked the 5.2 mls to the shelter at Russell Field, we made a few brief stops along the way one of which was at campsite #10, where we admired someones work from the night before in how they prepared their sleeping area. The leaves from some rodo's and a small perimeter ditch probably payed off handsomely with the overnight rains. After enjoying some leftover pizza for lunch at the shelter a through hiker (aka "The Yetti"), came through and asked about water availability between Russell and Spence Field shelters, as he had blisters and wanted to avoid hiking the .2 down to the water source for Russell. We told him that trailside water is scarce along this section and he'd probably be wise to fill up here. The "Mysterious One" offered to go fill it up for him but he went ahead and did it himself. She had spoken with his partner who had passed through about 45 minutes prior and who had told her of the "Yetti's" blister problem. As you see in one of the photos there was still some snow on the ground despite the warmer temps and rain. This route, in and out, is relatively moderate for those in good shape with a mellow incline most of the time, it has some views of Cades Cove in this season without leaves, and a not to much traffic. As we made our return down it began to rain lightly and we passed two men going up in jeans, cotton t-shirts and sneakers, one with a small pack?. I hope their day went well. Peace