Category: Smoky Mountains

100% hiking day: 14 km and 1300 m total elevation gain. It took us a lot of time to get everything ready on the first day, and get moving with 24 and 32 lb backpacks. We first hiked for a few miles on winding trail to camp site 18 on West Prong Little River and then up to Bote Mountain trail, old forest service road which took us almost all the way to the top of the mountain range, and then we walked  couple hundred meters more down on the other side of the Appalachian Trail (AT) to Spence Field shelter. James Spence settled here in early 19th century and cleared the forest for summer pasture. We had some rain, but pretty good weather most of the time (all heavy-rain weather forecasts were wrong). The trails were gentle, but going up all the time. Not much energy left for taking pictures. The forest was wet and very green. We did better than expected on the first day, hiking according to the old-fashioned rule: 4 points per hour, (14+1300/100)/4=6 hrs 45 mins plus 45 mins for extra breaks.

We drove from Chicago to Elkmont (600 miles) with overnight stop near Knoxville.  Elkmont campground was built on the site of logging shanty town right on Little River. We set-up camp and  immediately started warm-up hike up Little River and down Jakes Creek. 11 km, 400 m total elevation gain.

Little River-Cucumber Gap-Jakes Creek loop from Elkmont

Click on wikiloc logo to see more details

 
On the way back, we visited remnants of the abandoned resort town kept for preservation (most structures were removed from the park after it was established in 1934). We later returned to the forest along Little River for 9:30 pm ☞ Synchronous Fireflies show. Impossible to photograph with our Lumix. There were many more fireflies than the 2000 visitors who came that night for the once a year event which lasts a couple of weeks or so.

We are packing  for 7 days of hiking in the Smokys. We will spend the first day in Elkmont and hope to see synchronous fireflies in the evening. Next day from Tremont to Spence Field via West Prong is tough, 14 km and 1300 m altitude gain, but then we hike forth and back on the Appalachian Trail on top of the range (right and left on the Google view), before walking down back to Tremont. Rain and bear activity in the forecast.

Started by visiting Mammouth Caves for a day, drove along the Blue Ridge Parkway (stayed in Maggie Valey), hiked in the Smoky Mountains (4D/3N), camped  at Indian Creek Campground (Cherokee Indian Reservation) and visited other sites in the NP, finishing in Cades Cove and Knoxville.

Our hike: Round Bottom/Beech Gap Trailhead ➜ Laurel Gap ➜ Tricorner Knob ➜ Pecks Corner ➜ Enloe Creek ➜ Round Bottom.

Loop from Round Bottom/Beech Gap trailhead

Click on wikiloc logo to see more details