June 23, 2024 I thought often of Harry Middleton’s seminal work, On the Spine of Time, while hiking Hazel Creek Trail. Writing a love letter to the mountains and its people as much as to fly fishing, he had this to say about the Smokies in the chapter “Bagpipes on Hazel Creek:” “There is something in me … More Hazel Creek Trail
May 12-13, 2024 As I finish the Smoky 900 (all the trails of the Smokies), one loop has eluded me for a while: a 32.7-mile circuit consisting of up the Appalachian Trail from Fontana to Spence Field Shelter, and then down Eagle Creek Trail. Eagle Creek was one of those trails that I had read … More Eagle Creek Trail
November 24, 2023 This nearly 20-mile trek is known as the Siler Bald Loop. It starts and ends at Clingmans Dome. The elevation gain is 4,326 ft. and you feel every inch of that going up Forney Creek. I really enjoyed this hike, albeit going down Jonas was more enjoyable than the trek back to … More Jonas Creek Trail, Forney Creek Trail
November 20, 2023 Normally, I would write a blog post, but my good friend Perry accompanied me on a hike last fall deep into the heart of the Smokies and wrote a stellar write-up: https://heartofthecowees.blogspot.com/2023/11/the-great-smokies-piscatorial-shambhala.html Total mileage is 16.2 miles.
July 30, 2023 The hiking loop from Fontana Dam to Shuckstack Tower, down Lost Cove Loop and return to the trailhead via the Lakeshore Trail is an interesting reminder of the genesis of this region. The modern history of the mountains of North Carolina was marked by several events: the history of Indigenous stewardship and … More Lost Cove Trail
July 18, 2023 Little River Trail is not that difficult of a hike at 6.4 miles long and 1,202’ of elevation gain, but today it was hard. The Canadian wildfires continued to waft in huge amounts of smoke and the weather was extremely hot and humid. The trail is a forest service style road for … More Little River Trail, Rough Creek Trail
July 17, 2023 I am not entirely sure of the genesis of the word “goshen”. Biblically, the land of Goshen was the Hebrew name for an area of the Nile in ancient Egypt. A goshen point is a lance-liked, concave projectile point used by Paleo-Indians. According to Appalachian Trail Names: Origins of Place Names Along … More Goshen Prong Trail
July 16, 2023 As someone who loves hiking and spending time in nature, Miry Ridge Trail is one of the best trails I have encountered. In the past I have written of the anthropomorphic qualities of hiking trails. Miry is the enchanting, high elevation siren beckoning the passerby. On this day it was amazing. I … More Lynn Camp Prong Trail, Miry Ridge Trail (1/2), Greenbrier Ridge Trail
July 14, 2023 The second portion of completing all the (Tennessee) trails in the Smokies during my sabbatical started with a nice, albeit hot hike out of Elkmont campground. It was too much in this heat wave to hike all the trails between upper Tremont and Elkmont, so I broke them up into two hikes. … More Jakes Creek Trail, Miry Ridge Trail (1/2)
July 6, 2023 The Brushy Mountain Trail in the Smoky Mountains is a 5.9-mile out-and-back trail that offers breathtaking views of the surrounding area. Starting from the Brushy Mountain Trailhead, I made my way through the lush forests and rolling hills, albeit with little black gnats attacking my ears and eyes. The trail was well-marked, … More Brushy Mountain Trail