Turkeypen Ridge Trail

After a weekend of consuming an abundance of food and drink at the family reunion, we were more than ready for a day on the trail.  It always feels so good to breath fresh air, stretch our legs, work those muscles, and sweat out some of those impurities we’ve dumped into our bodies.

For our hike, we chose Turkeypen Ridge Trail.  We put it with a few others to make a 9-mile, relatively easy loop--just what we needed after almost a week off the trail.  Another plus for Turkeypen Ridge is the trailhead is close.  We wanted to hike, not spend too much time in the car.

Hearts a burstin'

Turkeypen Ridge trail is 3.6 miles in length, gently rolling along and only gaining a couple hundred feet regardless of which direction you hike.  After gaining the ridge line from either end, the trail basically follows the ridge, weaving in and out of one cove after another, then drops down into either Dorsey Gap on Schoolhouse Gap Trail or Big Spring Cove at Laurel Creek Road.

For our hike, we parked at the trailhead on Laurel Creek Road at Big Spring Cove.  This is the same parking lot used for Finley Cane Trail and Lead Cove Trail.  There are parking pull-outs on both sides of Laurel Creek Road, but because there are three trailheads here, finding a spot can sometimes be difficult.  Our plan was to begin our hike with the 3.6 miles of Turkeypen Ridge Trail, then hike down 1.1 miles of Schoolhouse Gap Trail, connect with Bote Mountain Trail on the other side of Laurel Creek Road, hike up Bote Mountain Trail to Finley Cane trail which would bring us back to our car making a total hiking distance of 9 miles.  It would have been possible to do this same loop by parking at Schoolhouse Gap trailhead.  For a longer, more strenuous hike, Lead Cove Trail could be used instead of Finley Cane.

The first leg of our hike, Turkeypen Ridge Trail, was a very pleasant walk through low elevation hardwood forest and rhododendron.  There are a couple of small stream crossings within the first half mile, but nothing to worry about.  They were very shallow and narrow--easily crossed.  The hike begins in the wide, flat area of Big Spring Cove.  There are few flat areas in the Smokies.  Before the Park was established, all these areas were farms.  We saw several rock piles--evidence the land had been cleared for crops.

There are still a few folks out enjoying the Park

We descended from the ridge to the junction with Schoolhouse Gap Trail.  This trail is an old roadbed--wide and well graded.  It’s an easy 1.1 mile walk, partly along Spence Branch to the large parking lot on Laurel Creek Road.  We found a large rock here which made a great place for lunch.

Lower section of Bote Mountain Trail

For the last half of our hike we headed across Laurel Creek Road to the Bote Mountain trailhead.  This is the lower end of Bote Mountain Trail.  From here it heads uphill for 7 miles, gaining 3500 feet, to intersect with the Appalachian Trail.  That’s a pretty steep climb.  Luckily, we were only going to the junction with Finley Cane Trail, a mere 1.5 miles away.  Also, lucky for us, the trail rises very gently in this first mile.  Bote Mountain Trail is actually a continuation of the same old road as Schoolhouse Gap Trail follows.  Like Schoolhouse Gap Trail, Bote Mountain Trail is wide and well graded in this section.  It is a very pleasant walk through rhododendron. This would be a beautiful walk in early summer.

I need to get a fungus book.  Wish I knew the name of this.

We took a short break when we reached the junction with Finley Cane Trail before starting the last leg of our journey.  This is the same Finley Cane we hiked a few weeks ago, so it is very familiar to us.  This is a very easy, almost flat trail from Bote Mountain for a little over a mile, then very gently downhill, descending a couple hundred feet over the last 1.5 miles to our car.

We had a very nice walk; just what we needed.

We could definitely tell summer is over--the crowds are gone.  We saw only one other family on the trail even though there were several cars in the parking lots.

That’s all for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Family Reunion

We are back home today after a long weekend with family.  Like most families these days, ours is scattered about the country.  Every few years we try to round everybody up for a long weekend together.  Because of busy schedules I don’t think there has ever been a reunion when everybody was there, but we gather up as many as can come and always have a great time.

Edd, Vera, Betty, Carl

What we are calling family are the direct descendants of Sam and Elizabeth Lancaster.  They had seven children in all; two of whom died in early childhood.  Four of their children are still living.  Two are past 80; one is getting fairly close to 90.  Twenty-one people were at the reunion this weekend.  Four generations were represented.

Anytime there is a family gathering, Edd likes to take charge.  He does a good job so we generally let him say whatever needs to be said.  Taking charge seems to be a family trait so we’re a group not easily led.  He has his work cut out for him on these occasions.

We let the oldest go first.

I don’t recall a single family gathering that didn’t involve food at some point.  We gathered around the table as a large group both Saturday and Sunday evenings.  The meals are primarily potluck with everyone bringing their favorite dish.  We started off Saturday’s meal with Whitt’s BBQ and country ham with the cooks of the family (and we have some very good cooks) supplying the side dishes and desserts.  There’s always way more than we can consume in one meal, though we gave it our best shot.  For Sunday night we got some fried and baked chicken, and added a fresh garden salad to go with all the leftovers from Saturday.

Besides eating too much, we had a wonderful weekend playing, laughing, and visiting with family members we don’t often see.  It was great fun.

That’s all I have for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

On Top of Tennessee

Clingman’s Dome at 6,643 feet, is the highest point in Tennessee.  It is only a few inches shorter than North Carolina’s Mount Mitchell (6,684 ft) which is the highest point east of the Mississippi River.  As you might imagine, there are some spectacular views from the top of Clingman’s Dome, but those views are hard to catch.  We’ve been waiting all summer for a good view day.

With temperatures once again near 90 degrees, we decided to head for the top for our hike on Monday.  We had a great weather forecast of clear skies all day, so we were hoping for that illusive view.

We arrived in the large Clingman’s Dome parking lot about 9:30.  The busy tourist season is waning and there were very few cars in the lot.  Garnett was hiking with us again and we had worked out a plan whereby the three of us would hike from Clingman’s Dome northbound on the Appalachian Trail to Sugarland Mountain Trail.  At that point, Gene would hike back to Clingman’s Dome and Garnett and I would continue north to Newfound Gap Road where Gene would pick us up.

Of course, the parking lot is not at the top of Clingman’s Dome.  There is a half mile paved trail which leads to the top and the observation tower.  Even though this is a short distance, this half mile is always difficult for me.  Maybe it’s because we just get out of the car and start uphill.  It’s a pretty steep climb, too, gaining 300 feet from the parking lot to the observation tower.

We had great views when we got out of the car, but by the time we climbed to the top of the observation tower, the clouds had moved in.  Still, not bad though.

From the tower, we headed north on the AT.  Naturally, since Clingman’s Dome is the highest point in the state, we started out going downhill.  Basically, the AT follows the ridge line through the Smokies and generally straddles the North Carolina-Tennessee border.  This section of trail is in the high elevation spruce-fir forest which I love.

This is a well maintained trail, but it’s not the easiest walk in the park.  This section is steep in spots, very rocky with lots of roots and a few wet spots.  It’s not all downhill, either.  First comes Mount Love which is hardly noticable.  Actually, its a welcome relief to the steep descent.  Then comes Mt Collins where we gained about 500 feet before dropping back down to the gap. All that being said it is still one of our favorite hikes in the Smokies.

We were in high spirits, but hungry as we came to the junction with Sugarland Mountain Trail.  This was the turn-around point of our hike and a good spot for lunch.  I’d been thinking about that climb back up Mt Collins and then up to Clingmans Dome.  It seemed like a good idea for Garnett and I to continue north (generally downhill) to Newfound Gap and let Gene do the climbing back up to the top, retrieve the car, and pick us girls up down the hill.  The milage was about the same--Gene had 4 miles back to the car and Garnett and I had 4.5 miles to the Gap.  Everyone was agreeable to that, even Gene.

Garnett and I had a great hike down to Newfound Gap even though there were a few short uphill sections.  Our walk continued through the spruce-fir forest.  We took one break at Indian Gap.  The Trail comes out to a large parking lot on Clingmans Dome Road at this point and we found a grass spot to rest at the edge of the curb.  From here, we had only 1.7 easy miles to go.  At the Gap we again threw our packs down and stretched out on a grassy spot to wait for Gene.

It turned out to be a great hike with the last half being new trail for Garnett.  Glad we were able to help her color some map.

That’s it for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Officially Old

Certainly, I’m not ready to admit being old, but Gene on the other hand....

Jack, Ansley, and Kayley came this past weekend to help “Big Dad” celebrate his 62nd birthday.  Gene has been counting the months and the days for this birthday--the one on which he was finally eligible to purchase the senior edition of the America the Beautiful pass from the National Park Service.

We’ve been buying the American the Beautiful pass for many years, originally for $50/year and more recently for $80/year.  Now, with the senior rate it is only $10 and is good for the rest of his life.  What’s so special about this pass?  It allows the cardholder entrance to the National Parks and National Forest facilities for free.  That includes parking at trailheads in National Forests where a fee is charged.  Campground fees are reduced to half price. We use these areas so often it was a good deal even at $80/year without the additional reduction of camping fees.  $10 is fantastic.  We’re jumping for joy.

We had a great weekend with Jack, Ansley, and Kayley.  It’s hard work to get ready for such a big birthday and Nana needed plenty of help from Kayley.  We made cookies and decorated cupcakes.  There were birthday cards to make and little messes to clean up.

It wasn’t all work and no play, though.  We found time to check out the local playground at one of the parks in Maryville.

It was a fun-filled, busy weekend.  Nana and Big Dad were moving pretty slowly Sunday afternoon.

That’s all for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Middle Prong Trail

There are so many trails in Great Smoky Mountain National Park that it would be possible to hike a different trail each week for over 2 years.  Of course, some trails are better than others and there are several that are worth doing over and over.  Every time we hike a trail, we have a whole new experience.  The weather may be different--the mountain may be shrouded in fog or bathed in sunlight; the leaves may be green or the ablaze with color.  The different seasons also offer a whole new perspective to the trail.  Sometimes we find something we never knew existed on a trail we’ve hiked many times.  That’s what happened on our last hike up Middle Prong Trail.

Middle Prong has proven to be an exciting trail to hike this summer.  We last did this trail the last week in June.  On that hike we only went up as far as the junction with Panther Creek Trail, but found there the crew counting the brook trout.  That was exciting and this week we found a waterfall we hadn’t previously known was on this trail.

Middle Prong Trail begins at the end of the gravel portion of Tremont Road.  This three mile section of gravel road from Tremont Institute to the Middle Prong trailhead is closed in winter.  This is another one of those trails we wanted to hike again before the road is closed.  The parking area at the trailhead is large enough for several cars and the road ends in a loop for the benefit of those towing horse trailers.

Remains of an old homestead or a CCC camp.

As we pulled into the parking area we noticed a large group of hikers.  There are several Wednesday hiking clubs in the area and we’ve been wanting to join one of these groups.  Gene jumped out of the car and introduced himself.  As it turned out they were part of the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club, a club we already belong to.  Smoky Mountains Hiking Club has a reputation of hiking fast, faster than we want to go.  They also like to hike the old trails which are no longer maintained.  We’re not into bushwhacking, either.

Cardinal Flower

While Gene was talking with a couple members of the group, he learned they were headed up Middle Prong to an old trail which leads to Indian Flats waterfall.  They invited us to come along, but we didn’t want to race up the trail then have to bushwhack to some obscure falls.  We let them go on about their business and we went about ours.


Middle Prong Trail is just over four miles in length and an easy four miles it is.  The trail follows an old logging road and rises gently just over a 1000 feet over the course of its entire length.  Lynn Camp Prong tumbles and cascades over boulders just below the trail on the left as you head uphill. There is the occasional swimming hole for the more adventuresome on a hot summer day.  The water in these mountain streams is always too cold for me.

After 2.8 miles we stopped at the Panther Creek Trail junction for a short break.  Middle Prong Trail beyond this junction becomes a little steeper, but hardly noticeable.  The trail gains its elevation by way of long switchbacks.  At the curve of one of these switchbacks we noticed a distinct trail leading off to the right.  From the description Gene got from the hikers in the parking lot, we assumed this to be the trail to the waterfalls.  We could definitely hear the sound of water and, ever so faintly, voices.

We continued on up Middle Prong Trail and, after the next switchback, came to the junction with Lynn Camp Prong Trail and Greenbrier Ridge Trail.  This marks the end of Middle Prong Trail and a perfect place for our lunch break.

From this junction the Appalachian Trail and Derrick Knob shelter are 4.2 miles up Greenbrier Ridge Trail.  It is possible to take Lynn Camp Prong Trail 3.7 miles over to Miry Ridge Trail and down that trail to connect with Panther Creek Trail making a nice loop for a horse ride.

Indian Flats Falls

After our lunch we headed back the way we came.  By the time we got back to the switchback to the falls, the Smoky Mountains Hiking Club group were milling around waiting for the last of their hikers to return from the falls.  They pointed the way for us and encouraged us to go take a look.  They assured us this old trail required no bushwhacking.

We could see at least 2 lower sections of the falls, but we
didn't try to climb down for a better view.

They were sure right about that.  It was as good a trail as most of the maintained trails in the Smokies.  And, it was only about 75 yards to the waterfalls.  The area at the falls was a wonderful place for lunch or just hanging out.  In fact, Gene spoke to a hiker coming up Middle Prong Trail who was on his way to the falls with his hammock to spend a quiet, relaxing afternoon.

One of a couple of cairns in front of the falls

Garnett adding a stone to one.

We expected to have a great hike, but with the discovery of this little waterfalls, our hike was fantastic.  We’ll be returning there for sure.

That’s all for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Low Gap and Camel Gap Trails

I’m not exactly sure how we ended up hiking fifteen miles to complete these trails, but I absolutely know my feet are still complaining.  My knees, too, for that matter.

The decision to do this came about something like this--Gene made a list of trails that he thought would be good hikes where the trailheads were down roads that would be closed during the winter.  His goal was to get them hiked before the roads are closed.  There are several of these roads in the Smokies; one happens to be the road to Cosby Campground.  On my Smokies trail map I still had not hiked the 2.5 mile section of Low Gap from the Appalachian Trail down to Walnut Bottoms.  So for our hike he suggested we do that section of trail.

Of course, as is the case with a lot of trails in the Smokies, the trailhead for this section of trail was not at a road anywhere; it is 2.5 miles up the mountain where Low Gap Trail junctions with the Appalachian Trail in Low Gap.  This is a good hike of 10 miles--2.5 miles up the mountain and 2.5 miles down the other side then retrace our steps back to the car.

The real problem occurred after he mentioned the hike to me and I got to rolling it around in my head.  Near the end of Low Gap Trail in Walnut Bottoms is Camel Gap Trail which I also needed to hike for the sake of coloring in my map.  By using the AT it is possible to make what we call a lollypop hike--a loop at the end of a stick.  The only problem with that is the total distance of 15 miles.  I thought about it almost all day.  I surely didn’t want to do 15 miles, but it was going to be the only way to get Camel Gap Trail without doing an overnight backpack.

I went to bed thinking it would be easier to hike 15 miles with a small day pack than carry a heavy backpack up that mountain.  When Gene came to bed I asked him what he thought about doing 15 miles.  We slept on the idea.  The next morning we threw more food in our packs and ran out the door with coffee mugs in hand to get a very early start--the trailhead was a 2-hour drive from our house.

As I said earlier, the trailhead for Low Gap Trail is in Cosby Campground.  There is a gigantic parking lot for hikers just before you pass through the campground check-in office and the trailhead is at the end of this parking area.  However, there is a very small parking area which will accommodate about 2 cars located at a spur trail which leads to Low Gap Trail.  This spur trail saves about a half or three-quarters of a mile on the hike.  We wanted to save every step we could.

The first quarter mile or so is along a gravel road which is used by Park Service to access the water supply for the campground.  The trail then crosses Cosby Creek on a footbridge and the trail then becomes a regular dirt path.  The trail climbs steeply, following Cosby Creek upstream for about the first mile.  The trail continues to climb, using switchbacks to gain 2000 feet before coming out at Low Gap at the junction with the Appalachian Trail.

Cosby Creek

We stopped for a short break in the gap before heading down hill on the other side of Low Gap.  We’d be back here later in the day.  This side of Low Gap Trail is as steep as what we had come up losing 1500 feet as it drops down to Big Creek at Walnut Bottoms.  We came down pretty quickly and were more than ready for a lunch break by the time we got to the junction with Big Creek Trail.

After our lunch we headed right for a half mile to the junction with Camel Gap Trail.  After the steep climb and steep descent on Low Gap Trail, Camel Gap Trail was a delight.  The trail is along a well graded old logging railroad bed and gains only 1500 over the course of 4.7 miles.  That seemed like nothing compared to the steepness of Low Gap Trail.

Camel Gap is a beautiful trail at first following along side Big Creek then smaller creeks as it gained the slope through hardwood forest.  The trail became only slightly steeper as we turned away from the water and headed up to Camel Gap at the junction with the Appalachian Trail.

Another break was in order at this junction.  At this point we had completed 10 of the 15 miles and were feeling pretty good.  After our short break we turned right onto the Appalachian Trail and started our last climb for the day--300 feet over Cosby Knob.  This short climb was easier than I expected.  Then it was downhill for the rest of the way.

Taking a break and checking the map in Camel Gap

After 1.8 miles on the AT, we stopped in at Cosby Knob Shelter.  Gene needed water and that was the best place to get it.  We took a short break at the shelter, but it may have been a mistake.  Cosby Knob Shelter is several feet below the trail and we noticed on the climb back up that we were getting pretty tired.  It was a good thing we didn’t have any more up hill.

This section of the AT is very steep and rocky.  We were worn out by the time we descended the 700 feet to Low Gap.  Our feet and legs hurt, but our spirits were high.  It was only 5 PM and only 2.5 miles to go.

We took another short break in the gap then started our final leg of the hike.  All those other miles were taking their toll and it was pretty slow going. Down hill is so much harder on the feet and legs.  You cannot believe how happy I was to see that footbridge over Cosby Creek.  Still, it seemed to take forever to get down that short section of gravel road and I didn’t even have the energy to get out the camera when the bear crossed the road about 50 yards in front of me.  It’s a good thing the bear went on about his own business because I didn’t even have the energy or desire to stop.  I was headed for the car.

All the trails in this loop are nice, but I particularly enjoyed Camel Gap Trail.  I love hiking by the water and the trail was so gentle it gave me a chance to enjoy what I was seeing.  It’s too bad this trail is so far from a road.  The distance prevents most people from ever enjoying its beauty.

That’s all I have to say for today.  Thanks for tagging along.

Trillium Gap Trail to Brushy Mountain

We got with our hiking friend, Sharon, and she suggested we go up to Brushy Mountain via the Trillium Gap Trail.  That was a great suggestion and it turned out to be a beautiful hike.

Trillium Gap Trail is one of the four trails which lead to Mt. LeConte Lodge.  The others are Rainbow Falls Trail, Alum Cave Trail, and The Boulevard Trail.  Of course, there are other trails which make connections with these making other routes possible.  Brushy Mountain Trail junctions with Trillium Gap Trail and Bull Head Trails junctions with Rainbow Falls Trail.

Trillium Gap Trail is nine miles long from its trailhead in Cherokee Orchard to LeConte Lodge.  For our hike today we were only doing a short 2.8 mile section, or what is commonly thought of as the middle section of Trillium Gap Trail.  To access the middle of the trail we didn’t use the large parking area at the trailhead.  Trillium Gap Trail actually begins off of Rainbow Falls Trail a short distance from that trailhead.  After leaving Rainbow Falls Trail, Trillium Gap Trail more or less parallels Cherokee Orchard Road for about two miles at which point a short access trail comes up from the Grotto Falls parking area.  We used this access trail as a means to get to Trillium Gap Trail without having to start at the beginning.

The Grotto Falls parking area is about 2 miles from the beginning of the one-way Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.  The parking lot will accommodate several cars, but this is one of the most popular hikes in the park, so the spaces go quickly.  Also, because this trail leads to Mt LeConte, some vehicles will be there overnight.  We arrived about 9 AM and were able to find a parking space near the end of the lot and didn’t have to try to squeeze to the shoulder of this very narrow road.

Lower portion of Grotto Falls

The primary feature along this trail is Grotto Falls located just 1.4 miles from the parking area.  It is a relatively easy climb on a wide, well used trail to one of the prettiest falls in the Park.  No wonder it gets crowds every day.  On the morning of our hike, we only saw 3 or 4 other people on the trail as we made our way past the falls.

Roaring Fork, the source of Grotto Falls, drops approximately 25 feet as it falls over the rock outcrop into a small pool then quickly tumbles again over boulders as it rushes on its journey to join the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River near Gatlinburg.  There are boulders all around the falls.  Sometimes they seem to be in the way of the best camera shot, but they make great places to sit and enjoy the beauty of the falls.

The trail actually goes behind the falls.  This can be a wet spot depending on the amount of recent rainfall, but we only got a little spray on our boots as we passed behind the falls.  Grotto Falls is the destination for most hikers on this trail.  We, however, we continuing beyond the falls up to Trillium Gap where we would junction with Brushy Mountain Trail.

Even on days when there are crowds at the Falls, the trail above the falls is blessedly peaceful.  There may be the occasional day hikers like ourselves or the few guests coming or going from Mt LeConte Lodge, but certainly not the throngs of folks that clog the trail below the falls.

 This is also the trail which the wrangler uses to lead the llamas to and from Mt Leconte Lodge.  The llama trailer was in the parking area and there was evidence on the pavement and on the trail that they had been there earlier that morning.  I’m sorry we missed them. That would have been a real treat to see.

The trail above the falls becomes a bit steeper, but not too strenuous as it gains another thousand feet before meeting Brushy Mountain Trail in Trillium Gap.  The gap is a large grassy spot with a couple of logs to sit on for a break.  In the middle of the gap is a 4-way intersection.  Trillium Gap Trail makes a sharp right turn here to continue on to Mt. LeConte.  Straight ahead of us as we came up Trillium Gap Trail is Brushy Mountain Trail.  To go straight here would lead 5.5 miles to Greenbrier Cove.  Our destination was to the left about a quarter mile up to the summit of Brushy Mountain.

Trail on Brushy Mountain

Brushy Mountain is a heath bald which offers some tremendous views.  This is different from the grassy balds we’ve been visiting this summer.  A heath bald is covered in short shrubs of the heath family--blueberry, sand myrtle, wintergreen, rhododendron, and mountain laurel.  These shrubs can get pretty tall and I was barely able to see over the top.  Fortunately, there is a “bald” spot just off the trail that offers excellent views.  This is also a great spot for lunch as it is somewhat protected from the wind by the surrounding vegetation.

Mt LeConte just under the cloud

A few rumbles of thunder and an ominous looking black cloud approaching from over Mt LeConte cut our lunch break a little short.  We packed up our stuff and headed back down the mountain.  Our return trip along Trillium Gap Trail was as peaceful and pleasant as our ascent had been until we got to Grotto Falls.  The crowds had moved in and we had difficulty navigating our way behind the falls and over the surrounding boulders.

Lunch spot of the day

I guess I’m selfish and enjoy the solitude of a mountain trail.  At the same time, I’m grateful all these people chose to venture out into the woods for a day of exercise, fresh air, and a big dose of nature at its best.

View from our lunch spot

This is a beautiful hike and we’ll be coming here often.  Thanks, Sharon, for sharing the hike and the day with us.

That’s all for now.  Thanks for tagging along.