July 28-29, 2018 Johnny and I have a tradition that we will go camping/backpacking at least once a month. For July, we chose the 13-mile Hemphill Bald Loop in the North Carolina section of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park (GSMNP). The loop and this area of the GSMNP is fascinating: giant poplars, abundant wildlife, … More Hemphill Bald Loop
December 3, 2017 I am usually punctual with the posting of hikes, but in the finality of 2017, time has eluded me. Last week we had a very atypical snow storm that leveled 10 inches in Boone. Unusual in the sense that winter is not officially here. Prior to the storm, I made my first … More Chestnut Branch Trail
May 28, 2017 “There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness, that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm.” – Theodore Roosevelt When I was very young, I heard people talk about the Smoky’s in terms that is usually reserved for far-distant destinations of allure and mystery. When … More Big Creek Trail, Swallow Fork Trail, Baxter Creek Trail
February 4-5, 2017 “It is one of the blessings of wilderness life that it shows us how few things we need in order to be perfectly happy.” -Horace Kephart I’m often amazed at the reluctance of some to go camping. “What about _______ [insert any deathly fear, i.e. bears, snakes]?” they will ask. “Aren’t you … More Porters Creek Trail
November 27, 2016 Hiking all the trails for a particular area can take one to obscure places they would normally not even think about visiting. Cooper Creek Trail is located on a sliver of North Carolina, abutted on three sides by different jurisdictions: the Cherokee Indian Reservation, N.C., and the National Park. The trail is … More Cooper Creek Trail
November 18-20, 2016 It’s late fall and the temperatures have felt more like mid-summer rather than the cusp of winter. It has been nearly 70 days since any measurable rainfall in Western North Carolina, wildfires are popping up over the region. Most started by deranged pyromaniacs/attention seekers, but the bone dry conditions act like vat of gasoline. … More Mt. Sequoyah, Mt. Chapman
November 11, 2016 Oh, these vast, calm, measureless mountain days, days in whose light everything seems equally divine, opening a thousand windows to show us God. – John Muir I am beginning to understand the mythical allure of the Smoky’s, with its wildlife, epic views and tough, spindly paths. At the end of a tumultuous … More Mount Cammerer Trail, Lower Mount Cammerer Trail
November 5-6, 2016 There are forty peaks over 6000’ as part of the South Beyond 600 Challenge. The most remote and difficult are located in the backcountry of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I’ll be honest; these are hard peaks to grab. They require a lot of research and a lot of compass/orienteering skills. My … More Old Black, Tricorner Knob, Mark’s Knob, Mt. Guyot
October 13, 2016 This time of year it is very hard to keep me at work. I often will take several “sick days” while the leaves are turning and the weather is cooler. Even though I was “infirmed”, Emily, Alice and I headed to the Smokemont Campground on this beauteous day. There are two ways … More Smokemont Loop Trail
With the promise of changing leaves, the family and I hiked the Flat Creek Trail (2.6 miles) in the GSMNP on a bright fall day. This is an family friendly trail, that winds between Heintooga Bald and Balsam Mountain with three simple creek crossings. I love North Carolina in the fall, and love it so … More Flat Creek Trail
