Elkmont TTA Camping Trip

Joan Hartvigsen from Highland Rim TTA planned a camping/day hiking trip to the Smokies. Sara Pollard and Tony Jones from M’Boro and Sydney from Alabama went early Friday and hiked in the Elmont area, Cucumber Gap. I had to work Friday but got off at 2 and headed to the mountains. I got to Elkmont and found the campsite, threw my gear in the tent, and took a walk around the campground and up the road toward the trails. Picked a few dew berries and a few blackberries. Got back to camp and the others returned from their hike hungry for supper. It started thundering and the sky got dark. We all got in Sydney’s Taj Mahal tent to wait out the rain. Joette dropped by to say hi. She was staying in town to hike with Upper Cumberland the next day.

When we went to bed the owls started talking. Kids in the campground were still playing with flashlights, dogs were still restless, and the campers were still loud. Another rain shower sent everyone to bed. We got up with the birds singing about the beautiful morning. Cooked breakfast and headed out. Ramsey Cascades was our destination for the day. We stopped by Sugarland Visitor Center to pick up some GSMNP stuff and look around. Then on to the trail. The trail was beautiful. We saw Bee Balm, whorled coreopsis, several other DYF, and some white ones too. The rhododendron was blooming everywhere on the trail. So pretty! We finally huffed and puffed our way to the Cascades and had lunch…with all the other hikers that came to see the Cascades. On the way back down we saw a colorful snake. No timber rattler this time. When we got off the trail, we had to drive thru Gatlinburg to get back to Elkmont. We stopped at the Hard Rock Café for supper. It was pretty tasty. We walked around for a little while and then back to the camp. We hung out for a while talking and sipping cough syrup. A fine evening.

Sunday morning, birds singing come out and play….we got up and took down the camp and headed to the next trail adventure. We went to Laurel Falls. Pretty hike and the most popular one in the Park; trail is paved and accessible to most everyone. It’s only 1.3 miles to the waterfall. Lots of folks at the falls, we seemed to be the only ones going on further. Tony decided to hang out and take pictures. The rest of us walked on. Up, up, up we were headed to Cove Mountain tower. We were walking thru virgin forest in awe of the size of the trees. Just amazing. Feel so blessed that the loggers didn’t get them all. Saw lots more Bee Balm and I think Bergamot but could have been different Bee Balm; it was white. We also found about 20 piles of bear scat. We got to the tower and had lunch while the gnats tried to have us for lunch. We headed back down and got back to the Cascades where the crowd was. There were some folks letting their children climb on the rocks so they could get pictures of them doing dangerous things. Ignorance is bliss. Either that or they didn’t read the signs saying CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN, Dangerous! Slippery Rocks. Back to the parking lot. No bears. Wait….what’s Tony so excited about? HE saw a bear AND got pictures. While coming down the trail from the Cascades he saw a bear!

We drove into Townsend and had ice cream and milkshakes. You’ll have to ask Tony and Sydney how big their milkshakes were.

Another beautiful weekend in the mountains.

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Little River Hike Pictures:

Ramsey Cascade Hike Pictures:

Laurel Falls Hike Pictures:

Cottonport WMA

Lora and I had the afternoon off so we did a little canoeing at the Cottonport WMA out of Dayton on the Tennessee River. We got to see lots of wildlife including all sorts of birds, lots of turtles, and deer. Quite a few boaters out today.

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Roan Mountain Trip

Lora and I set out to explore the Roan Mountain Area.  This is a week before the rhododendron festival, but everything has bloomed a week or two early this year.  We were just on time!  We got a room at Mountain Harbour B&B to stay at and used the appalachiantreks.blogspot.com for information on area sights.

We highly recommend the Mountain Harbour B&B to anyone that is going to stay in the area.  A very nice place with a wonderful cook and owner.  They are located just off the AT on Hwy 19 and have a hiker Hostel too.  Or you can just pitch your tent in their yard.  I recon it is already popular as we had about thirty people for breakfast on two different mornings. 

We started out at the Unicoi Cherokee National Forest station,  We bought all the maps we needed and got some more information on the area attractions.  One being a covered bridge just down from the station.

From there we headed out to see some water falls.  We started at Millstone Creek Falls. Well actually we started out on the wrong trail.  You know it's all about the miles.  We hiked a mile or so up a trail that came to a dead end.  When we got to the car and actually read through the directions all the way, we were about 100 yards from the trail. The falls is only 150 yards from the road.  Oh well, we needed to stretch out after the car ride anyways.

From there we went to the Cherokee National Forest and hiked to Sill Branch falls. Then we hiked to Pine Ridge Falls.  Both of these hikes were about a half mile each. When we parked the car to hike to the Pine Ridge Falls, we found some black raspberries at the trailhead.  We had to take a break for some refreshments.  The falls were wonderful.  After the falls we checked into our B&B and went for dinner at the recommended Smoky Mountain Bakery.  We had a great pizza cooked in a stone oven right in the same room.  We ate out on the picnic table next to the garden where they grow their own ingredients.

The next morning we and 27 other hikers enjoyed a wonderful spread for breakfast.  It was beautiful!  All home made.  We also found that there were alot of thru hikers heading to Maine this time of year.  We packed up and rolled out the door.

We headed out to Roan Mountain (6285ft).  We parked at Carvers Gap and hiked the AT 2.2 miles up to the  Old Cloudland Hotel spot.  It is no longer there except for a small porch.  From here we took the 1.2 mile Cloudland trail to the sunset overlook, the gardens, and then to the Roan High Knob.  Sunset overlook had a beautiful view over the mountains.  The gardens had paved walkways through the rhododendron and a viewing deck built overlooking the flowers.  Roan High Knob was another great overlook.  

We stopped at the Roan High Knob shelter on the way back and also stopped for a lunch break. Once at Carvers Gap we hiked the AT 2 miles to Round Bald, Jane Bald, Grassy Bald, and another .6 miles to Grassy Ridge.  The balds were covered with rhododendron and the back side of Jane Bald with azalea.  This part of the AT had more flowers than the gardens on Roan Mountain.  It is also very popular as we meet many hikers. 

We got in atleast 12.7 miles today.  We headed to town and ate dinner at Highlander BBQ (recommended).  Very good food here.  Afterwards we drove to the trailhead of the AT on Hwy 19 to see how far it was from the B&B.  Three quarters of a mile and we found our fellow resident standing at the trailhead.  He had hiked from Carvers Gap to Hwy 19.  So we gave him a ride back.  That night we headed back into town to have ice cream at Bob's Dairyland.  WOW!

Saturday morning we had breakfast with 17 other hikers.  Then we headed out to Unaka Mountain Wilderness Area.  We started out with a short hike and big climb to Red Fork Falls.  Very beautiful and well worth the hike.  Then we headed up to Stomping Ground Ridge for a short mile long hike to what we thought was a bald.  The actual bald advertised was right at the beginning of the trail with a small campsite.  We found out that it was also home to a very large rattlesnake.  As Lora was about to step on it there was an ear piercing scream.  No, not from the snake, from Lora.  Lora jumped,I jumped, the snake jumped.  Lora panicked, I panicked, the snake panicked.  We did get some pictures after the snakes heart calmed down and he slid off the trail.

From here we drove to the Mountain overlook and then to the AT trailhead at 230.  We climbed to the summit of Unaka Mountain (5180ft) and ate lunch.  Then we hiked back down and hiked out to the Beauty Spot to check out the view.  Lots and lots of wild flowers everywhere.  After we got back to the car we drove to Rock Creek campground and hiked 2.3 miles to the Rock Creek Falls upper and lower.  Another great day of hiking.  12.8 miles.

We drove to Erwin and had dinner at Dari-Ace cafe.  Really good food there too.  We headed back to the B&B.

Sunday we got up and ate breakfast with 30 hikers.  We checked out and headed to Elk Falls which was just past the North Carolina boarder.   A 0.2 mile hike and there it is. Afterwards we headed to Hampton and hiked 1.3 miles to Laurel Falls.  Strenuous climb, but worth it.  After that we headed into Elizabethton to see the covered bridge on 3rd street.  We also walked around the block looking at historic houses.  Then we ate lunch at Dino's.  After lunch these happy hikers headed home.

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More Pictures:

Possum Creek Segment - Cumberland trail

Lora and I hiked the Possum Creek segment of the Cumberland trail.  We just had the afternoon so we hiked from Retro-Hughes Road to Imodium Falls and back.  It was about 8 miles round trip.  We got to see lots of birds, a Black Racer snake, and lots of flowers.  The trail is in excellent condition.

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National Trails Day

National Trails Day June 2
I went to Fall Creek Falls Saturday to hike the Gilbert Gaul Trail. The hike was led by Ranger Matt. We started at the Inn so the Ranger could arrange the shuttle. The trail goes around the edge of the lake. There was lots of signs of beaver activity, we didn't see any beaver. We did see snakes. Ranger Matt saw a black racer in the trail and tried to catch it. It sped into the woods. So the Ranger took a couple of steps into the edge of the woods to try and catch it. I saw another snake and said there's a copperhead! He said No it's a black racer and I said I don't think so. He had almost stepped on it when he realized it was a timber rattler. He picked it up with my hiking stick as I backed up several feet from it. He laid it down on the trail where it started to sing for us. Ewwwww creepy crawley! it was either fat or about to have babies. Ranger Matt explained that the black racer was about to have lunch....rattlesnake sandwich? We saved it!??????and its babies. Oh good, more rattlers in the woods.

We left the Gilbert Gaul Trail to check out the new trail that is being built. It will be called the Link Trail and will link the Overnight Trail to the Gilbert Gaul and backpackers can have the option of another campsite. The trail ended on the south entrance road. The van was waiting for us with t shirts and soda from the American Hiking Society.
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Burgess Falls State Park

Lora and I took the grand daughters out for Memorial Day to Burgess Falls State Park.

We checked out the butterfly garden, but someone had already picked them all. Then we went hiking.

The 1.5-mile round-trip River Trail/Service Road Loop is a moderately strenuous hike taking visitors past four waterfalls on the Falling Water River. The waterfalls are 20' cascades, 30' upper falls, 80' middle falls, and 136' lower falls in height.

We did do a swim at the bottom of the big falls. We went back to the car and did a picnic lunch and then did some more swiming by the parking lot. They took full advantage of the playground too.

This was a very popular park today. Good clean trails and facilties.

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Sale Creek Canoe Trip

Lora and I decided to take the canoe out. We went to Sale Creek and canoed upstream towards I-27. It was a very good area for canoeing even on a weekend. Just a few fishing boats.

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Nick's Graduation

Our Nephew Nick graduated with the democratic scholarship worth $750, presidents award for excellence in academics, Lion's club award, community service award, and other awards. He also got a $67,000 scholarship for academics to Carson Newman University. We have attached photos.

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Scott Moutain Hike

School House Gap 2.2
White Oak Sinks 1.0
Scott Mountain 3.6
Campsite #6
Day One: 6.8 Miles
Crooked Arm Ridge 2.2
Rich Mountain Loop 2.0
Cross to Cades Cove Picnic Area 0.5
Anthony Creek 0.2
Crib Gap 1.6
Unnamed 0.1
Finley Cane 2.8
Bote Mountain 1.5
Day Two: 10.9
Total Miles: 17.7

After a night without sleep I picked up Lora and we headed to the Smoky's. We registered at Tremont and started our hike at the School House Gap trailhead. The Smoky Mountain Wildflower Pilgrimage was occurring so we saw lots of people with name tags on.

We hiked up School House Gap to the White Oak Sinks which are known for their numerous wildflowers. It is an unmarked trail that goes off the School House Gap trail just past the Turkeypen Ridge trail intersection. It is a well used trail off to the left that has a horse block.

I thought for sure that I could find a yellow Ladies Slipper for Lora, but none were to be found. She did find some other flowers that she had not seen. She got to see the fall and cave as well. Then we headed back out to School House Gap and headed up to Scott Mountain.

It is a steady climb with views and flowers all along the way. When you get to the end of Schoolhouse Gap you walk right into a private yard. The Scott Mountain Trail is off at an angle to your left.

When we got to the private yard there was a pickup truck in the road and a guy was talking to a guy in the cabin. We talked to the guy for a while and found out that he owns the cabin and the house on the top of the mountain. Real nice guy. After we had been talking a while here comes the cowboy riding a horse down from the man’s house on top. He talked loud enough that you could've heard him in Cades Cove. He had ridden his hoss on every trail in the Smoky Mountains and never had seen a view as beautiful as the one he just saw at the top of road. Why everyone should go up and look at the view. We left and after we had hiked a good hundred yards you could still hear him plain as day talking about how the man should charge people to go up and look at his view.

Scott Mountain Trail is a beautiful trail to hike. We headed up to campsite #6 and set up for the night. It was a clear night and we saw lighting bugs and listened to owls.

The next morning we hiked down Crooked Arm Ridge. It has some great views of Cades Cove. It was a steep downward hike to the cove. When we got to the intersection of Crooked Arm Ridge and Rich Mountain Loop, we saw two guys with camera’s that had just seen a bear. We decided to hike to John Olivers' cabin. Just as we crossed a creek we saw the bear off to our left. He was hiding, but you could see his ears on each side of the small tree he was hiding behind. We hiked on.

After we visited the cabin we headed back towards the orientation shelter. As we got to the edge of the field, we saw our bear again. This time he was eating something, probably another hiker, down in a ditch area. We watched for a while and then hiked on.

You can't walk past the Cove's store without getting an ice-cream cone. So we did. Then we hiked through the picnic area to Anthony Creek Trailhead. We headed up the trail to Crib Gap Trail.

We had a hoss rider catch up to us right at Laurel Creek Road. We crossed over the road and noticed a bunch of cars down around the corner. We figured "Bear Jam" and that is what it was. As we hiked passed there were lots of camera’s and people pointing at us. Somewhere in between am sure there was a bear, but we could not see it. We hiked to the end of the trail and then took the connector trail that crosses under Laurel Creek Road through a tunnel or bridge since that is where the creek goes under the road.

Shortly after we got on the Finley Cane trail we stopped and had some lunch. We came across one other couple on horses on this trail. All really good trails to hike. We got on Bote Mountian trail and took it to the car.

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Water Fall HikeP

I drove to Savage Gulf, Greeter Falls trailhead to meet up with Upper Cumberland TTA. It was raining when I got to the parking lot, cold rain, zipped the pant legs on, too cold for shorts. Two cars pulled up, nine hikers emerged ready to hike. Richard, Kathleen, Margaret, Pete, Louise, Gary, Mike, Cindy and Pokey Pete. The rain stopped as we started out. This park is loaded with waterfalls. It’s a short hike to Upper Greeter Falls and Lower Greeter Falls. Lots further to the last one we would see today. I tried to get pictures of them all, along with the wildflowers blooming along the way.

The Mountain Laurel was starting to show its blooms. All the early spring blooms are gone and the late spring ones are blooming now. Stonecrop, Maple leaf viburnum, Sweet Betsy Trillium, just to name a few. If you look at the pictures you will notice I didn’t label them all. (cause I don’t know what they were).

Board Tree Falls was pretty. We hiked into the Gulf. The Sinks didn’t have any water but Ranger Falls was flowing great. There were pretty purple blooms all over the rocks leading to the falls, not sure what the tree is. The Ranger we met on the trail thought it was a Princess Tree. I looked at images online later and found that it is invasive. Pretty blooms though.

We hiked the Connector trail to the junction with Collins Gulf and took a spur trail to Schwoon Spring which is really cool to see coming out of the cave.

Then on to Horsepound Falls and then Suter Falls coming off the trail at Collins West trailhead. 14 miles today.

We stopped at Mary’s in Coalmont for supper. I think they were a little surprised by all of us coming in at once. They didn’t mind our muddy boots and the food was good. Stop in for the sweet tea. It’s good.

No cell service in the area so if you need to call someone to tell them you’re going to be late, you have to get back on Hwy 111 to get service for Verizon. Sorry to worry you Mom and Craig. Great hike, now home for shower and sleep….zzzzzzzz

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