Appalachian Trail Day 25 - Standing Bear Farm to Roaring Fork Shelter & Max Patch! (Mile 241.8 - Mile 257.3)

 I loved my stay at Standing Bear Farm.  I have to admit, there were some bad reviews on the Far Out app (fyi the app is the best way to navigate the trail), and we had some misgivings about staying there, with some reports of wild kids running about and loud, noisy party types.  Yes, there are children living on the farm, but they played like any children fortunate enough to live in the country, and they were well behaved and polite when interacting with the guests.  There was the normal amount of noise, which by Appalachian Trail standards, isn't a lot.  Everyone in our area was asleep by 9:30 at the latest.  

I wake and break down camp and head over to the kitchen area to sit near a smoldering fire.  I perch on a cut log and chat with other hikers.  There are a lot (maybe 25) people, with five or six sitting around the fire, some hikers clearing out of the bunkhouse, and others making coffee and breakfast in the kitchen cabin.  I go to the house to settle up my bill, which isn't much because I only had to pay for a campsite and two beers.  

This is our last full day on the trail for this section, and I'm stretching it out as long as possible.  This experience has been amazing, and the thought of leaving for a while is bittersweet. I am excited to go home and see my family.  I miss my bed.  I would say I miss creature comforts like daily showers and a never-ending supply of clean clothes, but I can live without them.  Living out here teaches one the difference between needs and wants.  A backpacking, nomadic lifestyle is the bottom rung of Maslow's Hierarchy.  We have hiked 18 days straight without a break longer than a few hours. 

We have reached another milestone of our journey.  Today I am thrilled to be moving on to the next section of the Appalachian Trail guide on the Far Out App!  I'm sure most people would be like "so what?," but to me it's another psychological accomplishment.  The trail is so long that the app is split into sections.  I purchased the entire trail at once for a discounted rate, and download the section I am currently hiking so I can access the information when I don't have cell service.  I am now on the "Northern TN & NC" section (232 miles), and can delete the "Georgia thru Great Smoky Mountain National Park" section (242 miles).  This may seem like like celebrating the minutiae, but it's wonderful to see progress!

 

We head up the trail around 9 am.  This is going to be one hell of a climbing day.  Straight out of the gate, we have a 2600' climb this morning, but at least it's over five miles.  Thankfully, the day is warm but not uncomfortable, and lots of clouds are moving overhead, shielding me from the hot sun. 

GG and I frequently hike alone during the day and tend to meet up when whomever is in the lead (usually GG) decides to stop, whether it's at a snack break, or a special view, or at lunch.  I tend to lag behind because I love to identify plants along the route. I have several plant identification books downloaded to my phone, and they are a little challenging to flip through on a small device.   

Oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus)

I get to the top of Snowbird peak around lunchtime.  The peak, like so many in the Smokies, is a bald, without any trees.  The trail crosses a gravel forest road and I get a glimpse of a really strange looking satellite dish surrounded by a fence and lots of "keep out" signs.  I stop to walk around the facility and continue on down the trail. 

The remainder of the day is rather uneventful.  I have hiked five miles, all uphill to this point, and now I have a 1500' descent over the next three miles to the next shelter, and another 10 miles until we stop for the night.  Thankfully, there are several beautiful views to be had today.

I get to the highlight of the day: a huge open bald named Max Patch, which is Appalachian Trail famous.  All day I have had my left foot in Tennessee and my right foot in North Carolina.  The mountain is known for it's amazing 360 -degree views, and thankfully the weather allows me to enjoy the spectacular views from the top. I would love to stay up here and watch the sunset. I bet it's amazing. While I am at the top, I get a text from GG saying she is heading down to the next shelter, so I guess I had better go as well.  At least I get to continue to enjoy some views on the hike down.  The trail is a combination horse trail and forest road, thick with ferns and moss covered birch.  

GG is set up at the shelter when I arrive.  I quickly set up and we are off to bed by 9 p.m.  Our last night on the trail for a while.  Good night!

Todays stats:  15 miles, 5200' elevation gain

Section stats:  178 miles, 46k elevation gain

Trail stats:  257 miles, 63k elevation gain

Appalachian Trail Day 24 - Cosby Knob Shelter to Standing Bear Farm - Rattlesnake & Leaving SMNP (Mile 231.4 to 241.8)

 We wake bright and early, full of excitement.  Today we are leaving SMNP and heading to Standing Bear Farm.  The thought of a hot shower, clean clothes, and some treats can really lift the spirits.  At breakfast, I tell the other hikers about the firefly display the evening before.  Apparently I was the only witness to the show.  We filter water and load our packs and hit the trail as the sun peeks through the trees.  

Reishi mushrooms

Today is really light on the inclines (only 1300'), but going to be brutal on our knees.  We have to descend 4400' downhill to get to our next stop.  I will be hitting the Vitamin I (ibuprofen) today for sure.

The heat is rising as we go over Mt. Cammerer at 5,000' elevation, this is the last mountain to climb in SMNP, and the last time we will get above 5,000 feet of elevation for another 85 miles.  We skip the side trail to Mt Cammerer, which I will regret, as it's supposed to be "one of the most worthwhile side trips on the A.T." as I read later in my Far Out app. 

We start our long, 8-mile descent, and have gorgeous views on the way down.  A short way down, I am hiking by myself when I almost stepped on a rattlesnake!!  The snake was doing what snakes do, and sunning itself in a little patch of sunlight right in the middle of the trail.  My adrenaline was jumping as I watched a really pissed off juvenile shake it's tail for what seemed like a very long time, but in reality was a few minutes. Juveniles are more dangerous than adults because they have less control over their venom release and will dump it all in one bite. I am in the lead of the hikers coming off the mountain, so I wait for GG and a big group of hikers to come down so no one accidentally treads on the snake.  The video is below. Hopefully I uploaded it correctly :-)

After a couple snack stops, we pass Davenport Gap shelter, which is downhill and to the left of the trail. We can just make out the roof from this angle. This shelter is renowned for the most bear sightings of any shelter in SMNP.  The bears are so bad, in fact, that food hangs are prohibited outside of the shelter.  The food must remain in the shelter, where a chain link fence surrounds the shelter in order to protect campers from aggressive bear incursions.   Talk about feeling like a fish in a fishbowl! 

One mile after the shelter we see the sign and permit box marking the northern boundary of SMNP!  What an accomplishment!  The Smokies are not easy to hike whatsoever, but the park has been so beautiful.  The pristine scenery and all the wildlife, big and small, have made it quite an adventure.  We place our permits in the box and continue on down the trail .

Placing my permit in the box leaving SMNP

A pretty waterfall

We cross over a creek at the base of a decent sized waterfall.  Just around the corner we can make out a road at the bottom of some steps.  A car is waiting with the lift gate open, and some people are milling about.  Could this be trail magic!?  It is!! A wonderful couple is picking up their section-hiking daughter and kindly brought some treats.  I take an apple and also accept a banana when they encourage me to take all I want.  Fresh fruits and veggies are my most craved foods on the trail. I wash it down with an ice-cold Powerade. Even though we hiked mostly downhill, the temps are in the mid-eighties and I need some electrolytes.

Trail Magic

We give our thanks and continue on.  Less than 2 miles to go for the day! The Pigeon River is visible from the trail magic.  Walking over the bridge, we are greeted by the sight of several rafts paddling down the river.  The paddlers are whooping and waving as they cross under the bridge.  I would love to take a dip in the cool water, but we're so close to the next stop, I power on. 

Rafters on the Pigeon River

We walk beneath I-40 and just like that we are off the road and back on a real trail.  Almost immediately,  my forward progress is stopped by a fallen tree blocking the trail.  The tree isn't big, however the branches in all directions will make this difficult.  The topography is such that we can't go up or downhill to walk around it.  I take off my pack and somehow make it through the tree.  GG needs some help, as she has so many things attached to her pack that she has more things to get stuck on tree limbs. 

Thirty minutes later we see a sign for Standing Bear Farm and veer off the trail onto a road which runs parallel.  The farm is a collection of buildings that resembles a small village spread out amongst the trees.  There is quite a lot of activity, with hikers walking about and children laughing and playing.  We are directed to a house to check in.  It's warm enough at night that we plan to camp rather than sleep in an unconditioned bunkhouse. The woman running the farm points us toward the camping area to the right of the house.  There is a camp store in one building, a kitchen cabin with attached laundry, a bunkhouse, and a separate bath house. A lovely stream runs between the property and the gravel road.  We find our camping spot and start setting up next to a stand alone covered porch with a swing. 

The camp kitchen and laundry

A rental cabin straddling the stream

My shoes need some airing out

We are given a piece of paper and pen to write down our purchases.  Many hostels use an honor system and take cash or have a Venmo QR code to transfer money.  The shower and laundry is included.  We still have food from Newfound Gap, so the only thing I purchase is a couple of hard ciders.  I put them in the creek next to my camp while I wash in one of the coolest showers on the trail.  The shower is inside a cabin and made of tile mosaic.  With the windows open and the breeze blowing I feel like I'm outside.  

I love this shower!

After shower, the next town chore is laundry.  The laundry room consists of one electric dryer.  There is an old-fashioned washboard in the sink.  I guess we're doing this the old-fashioned way, then. We fill the sink with soapy water and start agitating our clothes with our hands.  The water quickly gets clouded with dirt, so it takes me three or four washings and wringings before the clothes are clean enough for the dryer.  

GG and I sit on the porch for dinner.  Children are playing and painting with the help of a hiker. Another hiker pulls out a guitar and we have a sing along.  This is a fun and relaxing way to celebrate getting out of SMNP.   We have hiked 175 miles without a full day off,  but these occasional respites from the trail keep us going.  The trail is so much more than a hiking and camping adventure and deprivation.  The Appalachian Trail experience is really about community and learning to slow down to enjoy the little things in life that bring joy and peace. 

Todays Stats:  10.4 miles, 1300' elevation gain

Section Stats:  163 miles, 41k elevation gain

Trail Stats:  241 miles, 58k elevation gain

Appalachian Trail Day 23 - Peck's Corner Shelter to Cosby Knob Shelter + Fireflies! (Mile 218.5 to Mile 231.4)

I wake with the sunrise and see many other hikers are already up.  GG has already broken camp, as usual.  Our typical morning routine is for her to get up 30 minutes to one hour before me so she can have a leisurely breakfast and some fellowship with other hikers.  I, on the other hand, like to laze in my hammock and get a little more sleep, then pack quickly, stretch, and hang out with the other hikers in front of the shelter for a few minutes before hiking and snacking on the trail.  Some mornings I am stiff as a board from the previous days' efforts, but this morning isn't too bad.  Yay for the trail legs! I think we can start hitting slightly higher mileage without too much additional effort. 

An hour later, we are chugging back up the hill toward the Appalachian Trail.  Unfortunately the almost half-mile hike doesn't count in the days' mileage.  We call these "bonus miles."  In addition to the mileage walked on the AT daily, hikers can easily rack up an extra 1-3 bonus miles per day.  While many shelters and water sources are literally on the trail, many more are not.  Shelters and water are frequently a quarter mile off trail.   Very often, once we get to camp, we have to take multiple side trails to water, bear boxes and bear cables, and the privy.  Not to mention the bonus miles one may need to take in order to find a private spot to water the leaves throughout the day.  I need to be more conscientous of my bonus miles and practice conservation of movement when I am at camp. 

Once we get to the AT, our hearts are pumping and the day is warming up.  I usually keep some layers on until the sun gets high enough to warm the air, but the hike today was more than enough to get us warmed up quickly. My pack is fairly light today, as I have little food and water to carry.  I have one days' food for today, with some snacks for tomorrow morning, as we will resupply tomorrow afternoon. I'm carrying just one liter of water, since the next shelter is five miles a way, with water near the shelter. 

A hazy morning

We play leapfrog with a group of four men section hiking GMNP, two of which have never backpacked before.  They left the shelter before us, but GG and I pass two of them before we get to the next stop. Their packs are huge, like 65 liters stuffed to the brim, as well as tents and stuff sacks attached to the outside of the pack.  

Have I mentioned how much I hate it when people strap things to the outside of the pack?  I don't know why I let it get to me.  After all, I'm not the one carrying all that stuff.  I just think that one should carry what will fit inside of the pack, or get a bigger pack.  Nothing screams inexperienced backpacker more than crud swinging off a pack.  I really feel for these guys, because they will have a miserable experience by carrying a lot of unnecessary things, in a backpack that is way too big, especially in these mild conditions.  This is why so many people are one and done with backpacking.  

We arrive at Tri-Corner Knob Shelter (elevation 5887') in time for an early lunch.  We hiked over three small hills, gaining 1200' over the last five miles.  The sun is dappling the small clearing beside the shelter, and I take all my stuff out of my pack and spread it around a rocky spot next to the shelter to air out while we eat and filter water from the stream that runs right in front of the shelter.  The air this morning was very humid and my sleeping gear was damp when I packed it up.  There are a lot of hikers from this morning stopping for lunch.  We squeeze around the one picnic table, and more hikers are perched on the sleeping platform inside the shelter. 

My usual lunch is a pouch of tuna or salmon mixed with a small pack of mayo and a pack of relish on a high fiber tortilla.  My hiker hunger is starting to kick in, and I also eat some Cheetos and a protein bar, as well as some jerky that one of the other hikers offer the group.  Meal time is a great way to get rid of some extra food!  After a very leisurely hour-long lunch, I reluctantly stuff everything back into my pack.  I would love to spend some time laying in the warm sun in the grassy clearing, but we have miles and miles before we sleep!

Azaleas in bloom

The trail climbs straight up from Tri-Corner Knob Shelter,  but the rest of the way is downhill for the next 8 miles.  The sun is shining brightly and I have to stop and apply sunscreen.  The AT is frequently referred to as the "big green tunnel" because most of the trail is covered by tall tree foliage, dotted with bare patches. I don't bother carrying sunglasses because they aren't necessary for 90% of the trail.  Today is an exception, and I would love a pair today. The sun is on my left, west of the ridge, and I am sweating buckets as I descend a section of trail that is covered in small rocks, almost scree.  I'm making good time as I pass one of the four backpackers.  He looks worn out and downright downtrodden. "Don't give up, we are almost there!"  I say as I pass him.  

Less than an hour later I see GG waiting at the sign for Cosby Knob Shelter.  Since getting lost a few days back, she has been staying closer to me when we hike, but when she wants to stretch her legs and go ahead, she waits for me at trail and road crossings.  The side trail to the shelter is very short, and the shelter is just to our right.  No big trek down to the shelter today!  The water is a spring literally steps from the shelter.  No bonus miles for water!

A weird stone that looks like a knife

The first thing I do is drop my pack, change to my camp shoes,  and scope out the area around the shelter for a suitable hammock spot.  Most of the time, this is going to be in the area set aside for tents, because the underbrush is cleared out.   I have the benefit of not needing a level site - I just need two trees that are the right distance apart.  The distance is a minimum of 13 feet and up to 20 feet. That's the maximum line I have on my tarp and hammock.  

I find a good spot and set up near GG.  More people are arriving as we set up and soon there are easily over 20 people spread between the camping area and in the shelter, with more coming in the waning light.   We talk with other campers for an hour while preparing dinner.  The excitement of heading out of the park is palpable.  Getting out of SMNP is another big accomplishment to check off our list.  We are looking forward to looser camping regulations, as well as less congestion on the trail.  Additionally, while the bears don't magically disappear once we leave the Smokies, they tend to be a little less visible because they are hunted outside of the park, making them more wary of people. 

Everyone is drifting off to sleep and I am reading when I start noticing little flickers of light dotting the area around the tents.  Fireflies!  When we were at Fontana Village, Croft mentioned she really wanted to see fireflies, as she has never seen them before.  I grew up in Pennsylvania and the midwest, playing with fireflies in the summer.  They were so prolific and I never thought twice about their presence.  A very small part of my life that I now know I have taken for granted, like countless other things.  

The twinkling of the lights intensifies, as more of the insects join the party. I wish Croft were here to see the display.  There are so many things I am experiencing I wish I could share with friends and loved ones. I am so happy to be out here, taking in what nature is offering.  I hope I could bottle this entire experience.  

Good Night!

Todays stats: 13 miles; 2700' elevation gain

Section stats: 162 miles; 40,000' elevation gain

Trail Stats: 231 miles, 57k feet elevation gain

Appalachian Trail Day 22 - Newfound Gap to Peck's Corner Shelter - Farewell our Trail Angel (Mile 208 to Mile 218.5)

 We awake rested and clean.  GG stayed on the sofa, Kelly and I shared the bed.  GG starts organizing her gear by laying everything out on tables, sofa, and floor.  I am more of a shove-everything-into-its-color-coded-stuff-sack-and-shove-in-the-pack person.  It's not that I'm not organized, it's just that I appreciate simplicity.  My hammock and down are in one compressible orange sack.  Clothes in a blue sack.  Rain gear, gloves, hat into a green sack. Food in a light blue sack, and lastly, my "personal" bag with meds, earplugs, headlamp, and soap in a small, bright orange stuff sack. I can pack in 15 minutes. It's getting my arse out of bed that's the problem. 

The view from our hotel balcony

We run in town and Saturday on the main drag of Gatlinburg does not disappoint. Trucks with rebel flags billowing from the truck beds and loud motorcycles cruise 441.  The tourist traps are starting to open - Ripley's Believe It Or Not, candy stores, weird museums, clothing stores, and arcades. Tacky muscle shirts with distasteful tattoos abound. I love this place. My husband has never cared for it, because he says it reminds him of Ocean City, Maryland, but in the mountains.  GG isn't a fan of southern culture, but she seems to be warming up to the place. Maybe if we were here a few more days....

We can't seem to get everything stuffed back in Kelly's car and end up strapping GG's pack to a rack on Kelly's bumper. The entire winding drive up the road to Newfound Gap, GG was worried about her pack falling off. Thankfully, we and the pack all made it to the parking area. We take a quick bathroom break and say our farewells to Kelly.  She has been a wonderful hiking partner!  She is so nice, and a strong backpacker and an overall great person. I will really miss her.

We head down the trail around 11am, way later than we intended.  The hike is really uneventful for the first few miles.  The weather was partly sunny, and the clouds are thick.  The trail is busier than usual with day hikers.  There are a couple of views on the map, but there isn't much to see because the trees are overgrown.  Moreover, if you step off the trail you would think you're in a designated bathroom area: there is a lot of toilet paper littering the ridge behind the bushes, what I call "trail lilies".  I like to think this kind of poor toilet behavior is left by uneducated day hikers and not long-distance hikers, but who knows? 

We get to the Icewater Shelter which backs up to the trail.  It has a sweeping view of the south and east which would be absolutely gorgeous on a clear day.  We have no intention of staying, but I see a familiar face in front of the shelter.  It's SMILES!  We haven't seen him since the NOC, and we really thought everyone we had met thus far was way ahead of us.  Smiles is a high-school student who received permission from his parents to hike the trail, with the caveat that he has to return home by a certain date this summer in order to start his next term.  We saw him on our first day of this section, back at Dick's Creek Gap, and several times since. Most recently was at the NOC.  We chat for a few minutes before we continue on. 

Our next stop is Charlie's Bunion. It's a mountain straddling the Tennessee/North Carolina state lines that has a sheer rock face on the north side broken only by a large rock protrusion just below the summit, thus the name. When we get there, the fog has completely cleared out.  The view is breathtaking, but there are a ton of people waiting in line for a picture, and some influencers are hogging the view for yoga move pictures. We hang out for a minute, but realize this is probably the best view we will get, and continue on. 

The trail today is easy-peasy by AT standards.  We already hiked four miles and 1100 feet gain.  The next shelter is just 7 miles and only 1600' gain, broken up over the miles, with the biggest peak remaining over Laurel Top is only 600'.  This is the way I love to hike, with gently ups and downs as opposed to the 2-3000 feet all at once.  

We get to the blue-blazed side trail around five pm.  The day is hot, with the humidity climbing from all the rain of the last couple days.  I am really bummed about having to go down to the shelter.  This is one of the things about Smoky Mountain National Park that I am not going to miss.  We still have a couple hours of daylight to get some more miles in, but the next shelter is five miles away.  We got a late start and don't have the energy for a 15-mile day today.  Were we not in the park, we could just walk until we want to stop and set up off the trail.   

But here we are, so we head down the trail to the shelter.  And when I say down, I mean DOWN!  Peck's Corner Shelter is almost a half mile down the side of the mountain.  When we arrive, the shelter is occupied, and half dozen tents dot the few flat areas between the trees.  These are the times I am very happy to have a hammock!  The water source is another tenth-mile downhill, with a lovely piped spring emerging from the hillside.  A tent near the water source has the best spot in this area. 

We have our dinner while chatting with other campers and shelter occupants, congregating near the shelter opening, perched on the edge of the platform.  We clean up and get ready for bed.  We are out by 9 pm most nights, and tonight is no different. Good night. 

Todays stats:  10.7 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain

Trip stats:  150 miles, 37k gain

Trail stats:  219 miles, 55k of climbing up hills

Appalachian Trail Day 21 - Silers Bald Shelter to Newfound Gap - Clingman's Dome and the highest point of the AT!! (Mile 195.8 - Mile 208)

We wake early, with sunrise.  Two other hikers came in last night around bedtime, and one of them is also up. The weather is hazy and drizzly, with intermittent rain forecast throughout the day.  We pack quickly and stick together as we leave, a little hesitant to spread out after the confusion of the last two days. 

Today we will hike Clingman's Dome, a halfway point of the park, and Clingman's Dome is less than five miles away! At an elevation of 6,643 feet, the mountain is THE highest point along the entire Appalachian Trail, not to mention the highest point in Smoky Mountain National Park, AND the highest point in Tennessee!!   We have been able to view these mountains for most of the trip since we left NOC. After we crest this mountain, we only have a couple days' hiking to get through the park!  

We are soaking wet, our gear is soddened, and things are starting to smell from two days of damp.  One would imagine the rain washes away dirt, however the mud from the trail makes dirt stick to everything!  I always feel so gross once the rain starts, and the feeling doesn't go away until we can wash up and lay things out in the sun to dry out. However, the prospect of hitting a landmark achievement of the trail makes us light in our steps and a little giddy! This is an emotional and psychological milestone for most hikers, and definitely for me!  

I am finally feeling exhilarated instead of tired.  I feel good and my legs are starting to feel powerful instead of like lead weights.  My pack is riding easier on my back. We have been living between 4 and 5,000 feet for the last two weeks, and the miles are starting to go by easily instead of feeling like painful drudgery. Maybe it's the effects of shucking off the stress of the last two days, but maybe it's because I am finally having fun than pain out here because I don't feel like I'm fighting against the trail!

GG and I make our way northeast over fairly level ground towards Double Spring Gap Shelter, an easy 1.7 miles to start our day.  Along the way, we discuss our plan.  We will crest Clingman's today, and stay three miles north at Mt Collins shelter tonight, making today an easy 7 miles with 2100' climb!  Tomorrow, we need to meet Kelly to pick up our food at Newfound Gap, which is five miles from the shelter.  We can get our food and hang out with Kelly, then continue north.  

The sun is starting to poke out and the haze is burning off.  I would love to check the weather, as well as check in with family, but we've had hardly any cell service since leaving Mollie's Ridge two days ago.  I know we will have service at Newfound Gap, so I occasionally turn off airplane mode along the way.  No point in burning my phone battery searching for a signal. 

Double Spring Gap Shelter

We take our off packs for a quick bathroom break and to shed some layers once we arrive at Double Spring Gap Shelter, and I'm pleased to see we have a signal!  I call Kelly to check in. She is pleased to hear from us and informs me that Gordon has already called her to arrange a meeting this afternoon.  Wait! What?!

"But I thought you were visiting a friend like five hours away?" I ask.

She said Gordon called to say he was going to get to the meeting spot today and he was running out of food, so he needed to meet her today.  She was on her way and should be at Newfound this afternoon.   I am panicking, because we are 11 miles away from Newfound Gap.  We are hiking faster, but 11 miles at this altitude will still take us a long time.  Additionally, we were psyched for a lower mileage day.  

I break the bad news to GG, and we resign ourselves to a faster hike.  This may be a shock to a lot of other hikers, but with climbs, rocky spots, and pit stops to water the leaves and snack breaks, we average around 1.5 miles per hour.  Granted, we tend to meander down the trail and enjoy the experience more than hustle.  If we really step up our pace, and take limited breaks, maybe we can make it around 2 pm.  Of course, that's if the rain holds off.  Thankfully, the clouds are starting to break up even more, and we get occasionally bursts of sunlight. 

We pick up our pace as we climb the next three miles toward Clingman's Dome.  The vistas are starting to open up and the day is really starting to warm.  We hike in and out of stands of Fraser firs to patches of wildflowers and grasses and catch a gorgeous panorama of layers of mountain ridges stretching to the south as far as we can see. 

As we near the top, we can hear the rumble of motorcycle and car engines long before the trail traverses the edge of the parking lot and a pedestrian walkway up to the lookout tower. I visited Clingman's before, so I knew what to expect. I prepared GG for the crowd of people we were most likely going to see at the top.  The lookout on top of Clingman's is a very popular tourist spot, with the busy vacation town of Gatlinburg, TN less than an hour away. The day was starting to turn into a beauty, with the sky now partly sunny, which means more tourists will be itching to get outside after the last two days of rain. Plus, it's a weekend, which adds to the impact. 

We round a bend and see the huge winding cement walkway and observation deck.   There are people everywhere!  We walk up the circular walkway towards the top.  Under the cover of the deck, people are shuffling around the circle, packed in cheek by jowl.  We are trying to get a couple of pictures of the vistas, as well as check out the signs which tell us the direction and names of distant peaks.

 

I look up to see a lady wrinkling her nose and pointing at GG.  All of a sudden, I realize why.  We must smell awful!  We hiked four days from our last town, and five days since we last showered.  Our clothes have been worn since we left, and we have been sweating like crazy on all the uphill climbs. We are definitely nose blind to our odors, and to all of these very clean tourists we must REEK! We take a couple more pics and head down the ramp to keep the tourists from puking. 

We came from over there!

At the bottom is a large patio with walls that are perfect to lounge on while we snack and look at the map and soak up the sunshine.  We meet another backpacker who just left town, and we chit chat for a while about trail life. Many tourists approach us and ask lots of questions about backpacking and living out of our pack. We always enjoy discussing trail life with other people.  When we finish eating, we shoulder our packs and head down the trail. 

The trail is literally "down," as we have to head downhill toward Newfound Gap. We still have 7.8 miles to the Gap, and while the trail is mostly down and not up, it's not an easy hike.  The woods are typical of a high elevation - lots of firs and pines, with moss covering the forest floor. The soil is thin, so we have to watch carefully for roots and rocks in our path. 

After three miles of trucking downhill (and up 570'), we come to a blue blazed side trail leading to the Mt. Collins shelter.  This is where we originally planned to stay tonight.  We drop our packs on the trail for a quick pit stop, think about how easy our day could have been, then continue down toward the gap.  The trail parallels the auto road most of the trip, and we can hear engines gunning on the road.  

We descend the 2700 feet and arrive to Newfound Gap mid-afternoon, greeted with a horde of cars, motorcycles, and people. The noise is deafening after being in the woods for days. We quickly spot the group of hikers spread about the grassy area of the parking lot, packs littering the ground.  Gordon is there, as is several other hikers enjoying a well-deserved break and some trail magic courtesy of Kelly.  She brought us Subway sandwiches, bags of chips, and soda!!  A sub has never tasted so good, IMHO. We take off our shoes and lounge in the camp chairs that Kelly brought. 

Unfortunately, our trail angel wasn't present. Gordon explains that she ran a hiker into town.  Apparently, the hiker tried to do a section hike starting in the park.  He picked one hell of a place to learn to backpack. He quickly decided to toss in the towel and go home, so needed a ride to nearby Gatlinburg.  

We share our trail stories with the other hikers. Today has been full of so many accomplishments. We have hiked almost 10% of the total Appalachian Trail.  We have made it to the top of the highest spot on the trail.  We are almost done with the Smokies, and the requirement of sleeping in the shelters. There is talk about upcoming shelters and hostels.  The next shelter is only 3 miles away, and most of the hikers are going there tonight. GG and I are really tired from the extra miles and energy today, but we are a day ahead as a result.  

I started to get the idea to go into town.  After all, Gatlinburg is fairly close.  If we go into town and get a hotel room, we could shower and wash our clothes.  The only problem is that it's Friday and the weather turned beautiful, and Gatlinburg is super crowded and expensive.  II mention it to GG and she is cool with it.  We decide if Kelly is okay with taking us and spending the night, we will do it.  If she doesn't want to come with us, we will take it as a sign and continue on the trail.  We have plenty of food now, so it's a lot of trouble and expense for a hot shower, clean clothes, and a nice comfy bed. But I want it so bad, that I offer to pay for the room for the three of us. 

Kelly returns and agrees to the idea!  Yay!! I book an overpriced room in a nice hotel that doesn't have laundry facilities, and we are off to town. We say goodbye to Gordon and try to stuff ourselves and our packs into Kelly's already overstuffed car. 

An hour later, we are checked into a nice king suite with a pull-out sofa and a nice view of the Little Pigeon River. GG and I quickly take showers and explode our packs all over the room.  Wet backpacking gear is covering the dining table, floor, and balcony.  We find a laundromat and have dinner at the Alamo Steakhouse while the clothes are washing.  We get back to the hotel around 10pm and go straight to bed. Good night!

Today's stats: 12 miles; 2720' elevation gain

Trip stats: 139 miles; 35k elevation gain

Trail stats: 208 miles, 52k elevation gain

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