June 25-26, 2022 In the summer of 2020, I had a great intern, Ben. I always thought that he got the short end of the stick. He had to wear a mask all the time, he was not able to go to court as much, and we didn’t get to hang out. We are of … More Fork Ridge Trail
June 12-13, 2022 Hughes Ridge Trail intersects the Appalachian Trail and the Chasteen Creek Trail/Enloe Creek Trail. The ridge is not a difficult hike, but the hard part is reaching it. From Newfound Gap, it is a 10-mile hike or from Smokemont Campground it is steep 5.6 hike. I chose the latter and set out … More Hughes Ridge Trail
November 9-11, 2021 Fall in the Smoky’s. Sounds cliché, but it’s something that must be experienced. The leaves create a canopy of orange and yellow; it envelops you and delights your senses. On a crisp morning, I parked at Cosby campground and hiked the easy Gabes Mountain Trail (6.3 miles). Hen Wallow Falls is roughly … More Gabes Mountain Trail, Maddron Bald Trail, Albright Grove Loop Trail, Low Gap Trail, Camel Gap Trail
October 12-13, 2021 A divide is nothing more than a dividing ridge between drainage areas. Noland separates Deep and Noland Creek. The northern terminus starts a mile and a half from Clingman’s Dome and the Appalachian Trail and runs south for 11.5 miles to the Deep Creek Campground. My friends and co-workers, Margo and Howie … More Noland Divide Trail
August 20-22, 2021 My slow, sloth-like completion of the Smoky 900 continued in August. On a really pleasant weekend, my friend Howie and Johnny met just outside Bryson City, NC and left a car at the Deep Creek Campground. We then all rode together to the northern trailhead for the Deep Creek Trail just off … More Deep Creek Trail
June 18-19, 2021 Cabin Flats is a very short trail at .8 miles. For some reason, I had never hiked it before, even though I’ve hiked Dry Sluice Gap Trail and Bradley Fork. Aside from hiking the Smoky 900 challenge, why would one hike this trail? Well, it has one of the best campsites in … More Cabin Flats Trail
May 21-23, 2021 My plan was to spend 3 days in the Smoky’s and hike in via Mingus Creek Trail, spend the night at campsite #52 (Newton Bald), hike down to campsite #60 (Bumgarner Branch) via Sunkota Ridge Trail and then back to the car on Sunday via the Deeplow Gap Trail. In total, I … More Mingus Creek Trail, Sunkota Ridge Trail, Deeplow Gap Trail
May 9, 2021 I am catching up on blog posts. So much has changed, but I am so happy to be back writing and back blogging. In May of this year, I continued the Smoky 900 challenge with a delightful trail in the Cataloochee area of the park. To get to the Little Cataloochee trailhead, … More Little Cataloochee Trail
May 7, 2021 The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. – Burns The original idea was to finish a huge chunk of the Cataloochee portion of the Smoky 900 challenge; hike up Pretty Hollow Gap to Mt. Sterling, spend the night then descend Long Bunk and Little Cataloochee. The hike up … More Pretty Hollow Gap Trail
April 17-18, 2021 Psalm 104:1 (KJV)Bless the Lord, O my soul. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Psalm104:10-11 (NIV) He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the mountains. He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the land is satisfied by the … More Palmer Creek Trail
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