Deep Creek Trail: 7 miles
Pole Road Trail: 3.3
Noland Creek Trail: 2
Noland Divide Trail: 7.9
Lora and I headed to the Smoky Mountains for our Anniversary hike. We started at Deep Creek campground which was absolutely packed on this Sunday afternoon. Right off the bat, when dropping our trash into the dumpster I also dropped my map. I asked Lora to hold the heavy lid up so I could retrieve the map with my hiking poles. After dropping it once, I got it up on top of the trash pile when Lora let go of the lid and smashed my head. I did manage to retrieve the map even though I couldn't see anymore and had a bad headache.
For the first backpack of the season it didn't take long to wear ourselves out. The humidity was high so the sweat just poured off me. We hiked to campsite #58. There was a couple at the main site so we camped across the trail at a smaller site. We got set up, washed up, and had time to collect fire wood. We enjoyed the evening by the fire and listened to an owl.
Day Two:
We got up and had a good breakfast. Started off refreshed which turned into sweat quite quickly. We hiked up to the Pole Road Creek Trail where we found a couple of sleeping bags leaning up against the sign. We crossed Deep Creek and headed up the trail which was a little overgrown. We had plenty of water crossings, but the water felt good. We saw another sleeping bag along side the trail which was a little wore out by critters. We stopped before the trail connection for lunch enjoying the views from up high with some color showing.
We stopped at the Noland Divide Trail for a break. A trail runner came along and visited with us a couple of minutes and then took off the wrong way. Lora stopped her and asked her which way she was suppose to go. She showed her the right trail which made me very proud of her.
We did the steep downhill to campsite #61 along Bald Creek. They still had the signs up where the campsite had been closed for bear. We set up, washed up, and collected firewood. Lora let out one of her famous screams and then I heard other voices. She had her mind on those bears when our new neighbors showed up.
We had time to sit by the creek where I spotted a Hellbender Salamander. It was really cool and Lora got to see it too. Second one we have seen ever. Later we got more neighbors. We visited with Quincy and Kendall by the fire. They had seen a Timber Rattler coming out of it's skin a few hundred yards before getting to camp. He was a horse Jockey and she worked with the race horses as well.
Day three:
We got up and headed out. We visited with the other two ladies that camped with us before we left camp. On the way back up to Noland Divide we saw the snake skin on the trail. I have never seen the amount of bear scat on the trail as we did on this one. They were huge piles too. Right about snack time Quincy and Kendall passed us by on the trail. Later they would pass us again as they had stopped at the Lone Pine overlook.
Over all it was a good hike. We were tired but enjoyed the beauty and peace of being out on the trail again.
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