Category: Smoky Mountains

The following is an itinerary for a prospective hike.

Day 1 – Little River Rd Meigs Creek Trailhead, South 3.5 mi on Meigs Creek Trail, 6.0 mi east on Meigs Mountain Trail, 2.9 mi south on Jakes Creek Trail, South on Miry Ridge Trail to Campsite 26 (Dripping Spring Mountain, elev. 4400 ft) – approx. distance 14 mi.

Day 2 – Miry Ridge Trail south 0.5 mi approx., Lynn Camp Prong Trail west (right), 3.7 mi, Middle Prong Trail north (right) 4.1 mi to Trail head, Return to Meigs Creek Trailhead via bicycle.

Planned hike April 21-22, 2012

Weather forecast – Thunderstorms on Saturday, Rain on Sunday, Low of 33 deg F

Itinerary

Day 1 –  Round Bottom to Hyatt Ridge trailhead on Straight Fork Rd via bicycle, Hyatt Ridge Trail 1.9 mi west, Enloe Creek Trail 7.2 mi round trip (west then east), Hyatt Ridge Trail 2.6 mi north to Campsite 44 (McGee Spring, elev 5040 ft).

Day 2 – Hyatt Ridge Trail 0.9 mi south, Beech Gap Trail 2.8 mi to Round Bottom

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Saturday, April 21, 2012

I hid my pack behind a tree near the parking lot at the Hyatt Ridge trail head and drove to the far side of the bridge at Round Bottom where I parked and unloaded my bicycle. In very little time I had pedaled back to my backpack and hid my bicycle in a rhododendrum thicket and I was on the trail.

It wasn’t long before I was wiping sweat from my eyes as I made the steady climb up to the ridge top. At the gap on top where Enloe Creek Trail intersects, I emptied my pack of all food and hid it behind a fallen tree. I loaded up a day pack with the food and set off with a light load and peace of mind that neither human nor bear would disturb my hidden pack.

Enloe Creek trail descends down the other side of the ridge and soon reaches a wide horse bridge with a campsite alongside the heavily bouldered and beautiful creek. I would like to return some day during the summer to camp here cool off in the pools and spillways and climb across the warm boulders.

Less than a mile further I met a couple from Quebec going the other way. Recognizing the accent, I asked whether they spoke French and I used the opportunity to parlez francais. It was a short conversation. They seemed anxious to move on.

The trail eventually climbed toward Hughes Ridge where near the top white trillium was abundantly in bloom. I snapped a photo at the trail intersection and recalled the grueling and lonely tramp through the snow that I made here a couple of winters ago.

I turned around and eventually caught back up with the Quebecoise couple as they neared the top of the 2nd portion of Hyatt Ridge Trail. The girl was moving slowly. We again spoke some French and English and I learned that they were headed to Laurel Gap Shelter for the night. I only ever heard the girl speak French. She was telling her boyfriend that she was depressed. I told the guy that there was a tough climb of at least 2000 vertical feet to Laurel Gap Shelter. They discussed hitchhiking from the road.

By this time I was working to dry my Iphone which had gotten wet in the rain during the climb back to the gap on Hyatt ridge. It had been in my daypack and was cased in an Otterbox, but somehow the moisture had gotten through and caused a loss of screen brightness.

It was still early and I had only a mile of easy ridge walk to McGee Springs Campsite (CS 44). The camp was suprisingly swampy and lush for a spot at an elevation over 5000 feet. Four guys were already camped at 44. Jim, Mark, Rick, and Lee had been hiking partners for 20 plus years. Lee had hiked all of the Smoky Mountain trails and had even written a guide book on the trails. A couple of the others only needed Lost Cove trail to complete all of the park’s trails. They informed me that Lost Cove was difficult because it requred a 17 miles day of hiking due to the absence of campsites.

Lee was their chief chef and it wasn’t long before he was offering me all sorts of gourmet trail food such as crackers spread with a drop of chipolte, and chopped onions, varietal colors of bell peppers, and a randomly hiden morsel of habenero.

It was early and I considered converting this weekend into a day hike. I was only about 4 easy miles from the car. The hospitality and the prospect of calling an early end to such a pleasant adventure convinced me to stick to my plans to camp here. If this company hadn’t been here, I am sure that I would have wrapped up the hike that same afternoon.

The rain started up again and I retired to my tent at about 5:30 PM, never to come out until daybreak. I guess I was a little tired after all.

Sunday, April 22, 2012.

Not much to tell. Woke up and cooked my oatmeal and coffee; said my goodbyes and was soon on the trail. There was some blue sky and it didn’t at all look like the rain that was predicted. Early morning is my favorite time to hike the ridge tops. With less than 4 miles, it was a very pleasant, but unfortunately short day in the Smokies.

Saturday, February 25th 2012 – 12.3 mi (approx 14.3 mi including wrong turn)

At Middle Prong Little River trailhead near Tremont I started the hike without my usual hiking poles. The wide smooth pathway leading up Middle Prong seemed the way to go until I spied a sign about 100 feet down the trail. It stated that their were nice waterfalls sights along the creek to enjoy for people who wanted to walk up the trail as far as comfortable and easily turn around for the walk back. This sounded more like a nature trail than the Middle Prong Trail, so I overthought the situation and decided that I should be on the more authentic looking footpath that led up a creek on my right. At any rate, I thought that if this other was a false trail, it would be soon unmasked. I didn’t bother to examine the map. This other trail continued over a bridge constructed of a giant steel I-beam. I eventually made a difficult creek crossing and the trail continued without giving up its tread. About a mile into this trail I stopped and checked the map. Wrong trail. I later found out that this was Sam’s Creek and that the trail was an old one (not on current maps) that led to Desolation Ridge near Rocky Top on the AT. The difficult creek crossing was even more difficult when backtracking. I picked out a couple of large branches to help me balance as I rock-hopped.

Falls on Middle Prong Creek

Wrong turn. Here is the steel I-Beam bridge.

High open area on Miry Ridge Trail

The Route – Middle Prong to Panther Creek to Miry Ridge and return via Greenbrier Ridge Trail

My route led 2.3 miles up Middle Prong Trail to a point where I turned left on Panther Creek Trail and immediately crossed the Middle Prong Creek. There was no way to safely rock-hop this large stream. (For all creeks on this trip, it seemed like many of the rocks were a great deal more slippery and treacherous than usual.) I stripped down to bare feet and shorts to wade this stream. My feet numbed in water that was cold for the Smokies.

Panther Creek Trail was another 2.3 miles to its intersection at Jakes Gap with Jakes Gap Trail and Miry Ridge Trail. My new ailment was a sore back. Perhaps it could be blamed on hiking without poles. My knee/shinsplints issue did not return, but I constantly monitored for it. Miry Ridge Trail led 5 miles toward a few higher open sections where I had good views toward the western flatlands and other views of Clingman’s Dome and Mt. LeConte toward the Northeast. The wind picked up on these ridges and I constantly had to adjust my jacket, hat, and gloves to match the constantly shifting warming and chill. In spots, I spied some snowflakes on the ground. The trees on distant Clingman’s Dome were white with hoarfrost. It has been a warm winter with 74 degrees in Roswell the day before yesterday. I saw no other hikers until I reached the Appalachian Trail. On the southwestern slopes of Cold Spring Knob in short succession I met “Crash”,  “Ma and Pa” and a final thru-hiker (unkown to Crash and Ma and Pa). The last thru-hiker was trying to catch Ma and Pa; he wore a solar powered radio.  These thru-hikers had started on February 11th.

Also at Derrick Knob Shelter were Jeff and Carver along with James (a solo hiker). As it became dark, we were joined by a thru-hiker named Anthony (he reported that he had no trail name yet). Anthony was a young man from California that had kept busy building hospitals that met earthquake standards. Now that the hospital building boom was over, he was hiking the AT for the first time. Anthony had made the incredible 22 mile distance from the Fontana Hilton to Derrick Knob Shelter in a single day. He usually hikes with his dog, but had to put him in a kennel for the Smoky Mountain trek. My guess was that he wanted to speed through the Smokies so he could quickly retrieve his dog.

The wind kept blowing making it cold enough. Jeff and Carver had already gathered a pile of firewood and later had the fireplace going. J&C were planning to start an AT thru-hike in the more sane season of early April. Carver had hiked the entire Smoky Mountain map (my goal also), but even more impressive, he had hiked many other long trails around the southeast including some I haven’t yet hiked or fully hiked. These included the entire Foothills Trail and Bartram Trail.

I boiled rice and added an avocado and sardines. It was the hot warming stew that I needed to take the chill off.

Sunday, February 26, 2012 – 8.6 mi

After breakfast of oatmeal and coffee I began the downhill return trip on the Greenbrier Ridge Trail. To the right I had a view of the Lynn Camp Prong creek valley leading up to the ridgeline where I had been hiking the Miry Ridge Trail. At the point where Lynn Camp Prong connects, the Miry Ridge Trail changes directions and drops as if to leap over and follow a new ridge to the AT. The grade was very gradual making it easy on the knees. Jeff, Carver, and James caught up with me and I began hiked with James to the Middle Prong and on to the parking lot.  I gave James a ride back to his truck parked at Cades Cove. James has a summer job as a caretaker at AT campsites in New Hampshire. As part of his training, he had to take an eight day Emergency Medical Training course. Sounds like he is going to have a nice summer.

Permit 95875

Day 1 – Oct 28, 2011

13.5 miles – Clingman’s Dome – AT Bypass Trail to AT to Goshen Prong – South on Little River Trail to Rough Creek Campsite 24. To Three Forks Campsite 30 and return to Rough Creek Campsite 24.

It was 15 degrees colder on Clingmans Dome, than at Smokemont. I saw phosphorescence peeking out of the fog in the woods below the Clingmans parking lot. Dots like unmoving animal night eyes .  In the morning I had finished breakfast before first light. Scrambled egg whites with mozzarella and shallots. Black coffee.

Took the AT bypass trail to AT. Although cold, I was soon shedding layers. Later on the Goshen Prong trail in the cold rain, I was adding back layers. For a brief minute I felt sleet mixed in the rain. It rained all day. A cool cave going about 40 ft through the rock was directly on the Goshen Prong.

I took a break from the rain and explored the cave and ate a sandwich. It was only 10 am. Saw 6 people today. L.J. Is camping  at CS 24 where I have set up my tarp. I reached campsite 24 by 12:30. Set up in the rain and put on dry clothes and climbed into dry sleeping bag. Ate snacks and warmed up.  Ground cloth is wet. Later, hiked to campsight 30 and back. Still before 4PM. Back in sleeping bag warming up again.

After a short break from rain, it soon started raining without letting up. It is a long night when you spend it in the sleeping bag from 4PM until 6:30 AM. This was the only way to stay reasonably, but not entirely warm and dry. The outside of the sleeping bag is a little wet, but the down is staying dry. Halfway through the night, the rain turned to big wet clumps of snow,

Day 2 – October 29, 2011

16.6 miles – Hiking North on Little River Trail to Elkmont Campground – Jakes Creek & Cucumber Gap Trail back to Little River Trail to Huskey Gap Trail to south Sugarland Mountain Trail to Rough Creek Trail and back to Rough Creek Campsite 24.

The Little River Trail is a nice trail for hikers that don’t go for steep climbs. It follows a level path along a beautiful mountain stream. For a brief taste of climbing, a loop can be made using the Cucumber Gap Trail.

The lower end of the trail passes interesting ghost resort town near Elkmont. To see more of the town, continue on Jakes Creek Trail. “Daisy Town” was first created as a hunting resort next to a lumber camp. Knoxville townsfolk used the lumber company’s railroad to travel to the resort. Later, when the lumber company had felled the area’s timber and wanted to move on, it secretly relocated the tracks in the middle of the night.

During the creation of the park in the 20’s and 30’s, long term lifetime leases were given to owners. The last two leases expired in 2001. By then, it was felt that these structures might have historical value and some were placed on the National Register of Historic Places . Originally the houses were to be demolished and the land returned to its natural state; however as roofs cave in and walls fall over, the town now sits abandoned while the park service deliberates, ten years and counting.

Some of these houses have an interesting architecture reminiscent of simple vacation homes of earlier generations.  The piled stone chimneys evoke Smoky Mountain getaways of long ago. The feeling is quite different from that given by the cabins of permanent residents who lived a hard and isolated existence in these mountains.

My rain gear was still wet and my mittens were soaked. I had slept in my only dry socks, but wanting to keep them dry, I put them in the dry sack and pulled on my cold wet socks. I pried my frozen boots open and worked my feet in. With a flat trail, colder temps, and wet mittens it took nearly 7 miles for my hands to warm up. It was only after a few blue patches of sky appeared that I knew for sure that I wouldn’t have a second day of cold rain.

I picked a sunny spot on the Husky Gap Trail to shed a layer of clothing and have lunch. I took off my socks and squeezed out water. The water streaming from my socks was red. It took a confused moment to realize that the red was blood soaked up from my feet. An untrimmed toenail had torn into a neighboring toe.

Sugarland Mountain Trail was my favorite of the trip. It climbs a ridge with views into the Little River Valley to the west  and views of Gatlinburg and Mt LeConte toward the east.

I saw plenty of other people all day long on this beautiful, but cold Saturday.

Back at campsite 24, I found my tarp and sleeping bag safe and secure. Another group of 4 from Nashville, TN had set up tents nearby. I visited and enjoyed their campfire. I made a feeble attempt at my own campfire, but gave up quickly.

The night was clear and cold with bright stars visible through treetops.

Day 3 – October 30, 2011

11.1 miles – Rough Creek Campsite to Rough Creek Trail to South on Sugarland Mountain Trail to Mt. Collins Shelter to AT to Clingmans Dome.

Happy Birthday to Taylor. He is 22 today.

I had coffee and breakfast in the dark and was packed up and on the trail at 7:34 am. This time I headed uphill on Rough Creek Trail and soon was shedding layers. Back on the Sugarland Mountain Trail, I picked up where I left off the day before. When the trail dipped to the west side of the ridge, it became bitterly cold with snow coating the trees and ground. By now, I was down to shorts, tee, and down vest. Once again my hands became cold.

At one point I came up on a grouse in the middle of the trail without flushing it out. I stopped and watched for a minute as it seemed unbothered by my presence,  its head bobbing as it alternately stepped and paused along the trail. I suddenly sprinted toward the bird. As it lifted off, another unseen grouse took flight from the growth just to my right. No, I didn’t catch either bird.

The Sugarland Mountains trail continued to impress me with its ridge walk and occasional views across the Tennessee Valley and Mt. Leconte. In the southwest a distant sharp peak may have been Thunderhead.  I recommend this trail.

I eventually reached Mt. Collins shelter where I met a southbound AT thru-hiker eating a jumbo bag of potato chips. Like all thru-hikers at this stage, he was very thin. Having hiked the AT to Clingmans Dome several times before, my plan was to hitch-hike from here, but it had warmed up some and since it was such a nice cloudless day,  I finished with a 3.5 mile AT climb up Clingman’s Dome.

Campsite 24 elevation is 2860 ft and Clngman 6643 feet. It was nearly a 4000 ft climb for the day.

July 15th 2011 – Friday

In order to get an early start on Saturday morning, I drove to the Fontana Hilton trail shelter late Friday evening. It was just after midnight when I arrived. I parked, grabbed my sleeping pad and bag, and walked down the path to this double-wide shelter. A lady told me that a Boy Scout troop and others were there. Some had dragged their sleeping bags out into the gravel area around the shelter and were sleeping under the clouds. It looked like a good chance of rain so I took up the one remaining spot in the jam packed shelter. Just as I climbed to my spot on the top level, my neighbor let loose the first of his rafter shaking farts. I wondered that everyone in the shelter didn’t wake up. This was not as I had imagined it. I had guessed that there might be one or two others or perhaps nobody else in this shelter. Instead there were about 28 people here. The bathroom was disgusting. I walked right back out, nearly gagging. Some kid had a problem and after a loud argument that the leader ended by saying, “You will sleep here or else!”, he settled down outside the shelter and began making upchuck sounds. The kid must have been sick. Lot’s of noise for after midnight. I eventually slept some and was gone the next morning before daylight.

My route is shown traced in orange on map, below.