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.

Lumber Ridge

This walk began out of "The Institute" (Tremont), parking area and involved the Lumber Ridge trail, covering about 2 miles of the 4.1 to the intersection w/ Meigs creek and Meigs Mountain trails. The walk starts out with an incline right out of the parking lot at Tremont and continues to climb for the next 3mls. or so. The incline is not always steep it's just consistent. It can be tough depending on your pace and/or health. At this time of year there are some great views which begin less than a mile into the walk and this section also involves the steepest grades. It is a walk that is most enjoyable for me when I can extend it, reverse the direction and make it a one-way hike from the Sinks at Meigs creek trail and ending at Tremont. A direction and route I've covered a couple of times (1/09).

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

Spuce Flat Falls Sunday 02/10/08

This is an easy to moderate hike w/ a roundtrip distance of maybe 3 miles. I have made this hike to the falls beginning at the Tremont HQ and the Lumber Ridge Trailhead several times and enjoy the terrian, views, and of course the falls, which were running during the driest parts of last year ('07).
On the return trip from the falls my hiking partner and I let pass a family of folks ranging in age from there mid 20's to late 60's+, and who were going to be pushing it when they had to slide down boulders so as to prevent slipping and a few other challenges along the the trail. Though they had already accomplished a major part of the incline along the route, I mentioned to the younger couple we passed first that they should pay close attention to their older relatives. As up ahead there were rocks and steep, wet spots in the trail that would have to be dealt with. I smiled as my admiration grew for the older part of the group and the determined smiles they shared when they passed by. This route pretty much parallels Tremont Rd., off and up the side of Miegs Mountain w/ some good views, varying terrain and some great sitting spots once at the falls. Some of them out of the way enough to enjoy the sounds and sites and still remain unnoticed by most who may venture in after you arrive.
This hike, I think, is a good bet to take folks on who are relatively healthy and physically capable yet knew to the idea of experiencing up close and first hand some of what they see on TV.