Going Downhill

This walk was approximately 12 miles, beginning off the Clingman's Dome road, at the Sugarlands Mountain trailhead. There is a small parking area just across the road from this access point, where the Fork Ridge trail comes out of the woods. The whole route continues along Sugarlands Mtn trail, to the Fighting Creek Gap and the Laurel Falls trail. What an awesome hike! I had inquired about this hike several times over the last few years as I would see folks coming off the end of this route into the parking area, which is primarily used by folks hiking the Laurel Falls trail, when I'd be there working as a volunteer in the park (VIP). The trail begins at close to 6000', and maintains elevation for most of the hike. A hike which I'll do again in the fall in order to experience the changing colors and potential views. Though notice that in the one picture there are no leaves on the trees yet, except for the rhododendrons, and it's the middle of April. Winter lasted this year. I'd estimate in the last 3-4 miles of this hike is when the most elevation was lost and that the majority of our walk was along ridgelines. Though there was a relative decline throughout the walk it was a strenuous hike in both the distance and in the use of different muscles when walking downhill on natural terrain for this distance. The only camping on this route was the Mt Collins shelter which is a few hundred feet into the trail as I have described it here.