I almost talked myself out of this wonderful little hike. I was up at 6:30 am this morning, April 10, 2019; but I laid back down. I woke again at 8:30 and forced myself to get up and load up and head out. I decided to go to Cumberland Gap National Historical Park so that I could take Maximus with me. He likes to go!

We stopped by Burger King for croissants and rolled over the mountain towards Middlesboro Ky. I had not preplannned the hike, I had no idea what might be a good trail option for the day.

I went into the Visitor Center and asked for recommendations. I mentioned the Pinnacle and the Ridgeline Trail and the helpful Park Ranger pulled out a brochure with a map and marked a 7 mile loop out for me. It was right in my wheelhouse on distance and difficulty. We would follow ridgeline to Sugar Run Trail and descend down to the intersection with Harlan Road Trail which we would ascend to Ft. McCook. At Ft. McCook we would leave Harlan Road Trail and climb to the Pinnacle where the Jeep would be waiting. I thanked her and headed out.

I drove up the winding road to the Pinnacle Overlook Parking area and unloaded my lightly packed back pack and put Max on his leash. I bought  Max a harness last week and it worked much better than his collar. He was more comfortable and didn’t choke himself as he explored from side to side and stopped to mark his progress, claiming yet more trail for himself.

We started our day at the overlook, the skies were clear and the view down into Tennessee and Virginia was beautiful as the valleys stretched out into the distance. Leaving the overlook we headed towards the Ridgeline Trail and left the paved trail behind. Walking the Ridgeline was an easy walk. The views were stunning as we looked out past trees not yet budding. I tried to capture the views but photos did not do it justice.

We went up and down then down to the trail intersection. I flirted with checking out The Lewis Hollow trail but decided against it. We still had miles to go on our chosen route. We hiked 1.8 miles on the Ridgeline Trail then turned onto the Surgar Run Trail.

Sugar Run Trail was 2.1 miles down. It is a sweet little trail. We followed a nice creek going down and crossed several small tributaries, I Rock hopped and Maximus splashed his way across the streams sometimes sampling the water. He needed to replenish his fluids. How much pee can a 14lb dog’s bladder hold anyway? It’s like a never ending supply.

We turned onto Harlan Road Trail and encountered a burned landscape. It looked like the fire had been recent. I asked at the Visitor Center after our hike and there had been a controlled burn 3 weeks ago. We started climbing and I had to take a break. The climb up Harlan Road towards Ft McCook was a steady climb but it wasn’t very steep, just steady. We came out on the road and had to walk a short distance to Ft McCook, an earthen fortification from the Civil War era. There are many historical markers in the park at sites and along trails.

The 0.8 mile climb from Ft. McCook to the Pinnacle was the most challenging part of the hike. It was a fairly steep climb. I had to stop and rest again and I finished my Gatorade and wished I had had more. We did not encounter any other hikers on this hike.

This hike had a little of everything, views, streams with Cascades, level easy trail, more difficult declines and inclines. It was perfect for the day. I felt challenged but not done in by it. I already have another, little longer loop picked out for Maximus and I.

On Wednesday March 6, 2019, with the sun shining brightly in the sky after many days of rain and gloom, Maximus and I decided to ride over to the Pet Friendly Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and take a walk. Despite temperatures in the 20’s we were excited to be out and about. I bundled up with base layer, fleece and jacket, Max wore his usual grey coat.

We arrived at the Visitor Center around 11:30 and I went inside in search of a map. I was met by a super nice and very informative Ranger who took a map and showed me where to park and what trails I might want to take to reach our goal. She showed me where I might want to add distance to our short adventure and she was very enthusiastic about her charge. I left admiring this lady’s obvious love for this Park.

We drove the short distance from the visitor center to the Thomas Walker Parking Area. Our Jeep was the only vehicle in the lot. Disembarking and gathering our gear, my lightly packed back pack and Max’s leash, we headed up the Wilderness Road Trail towards the Historic Gap. The trail at this juncture is a pleasant walk with a slight grade. The path is wide and graveled. The trees are still bear and the grasses are just hinting at Spring; we enjoyed the walk. The Gap itself is marked by a sign. At the Gap one leaves the Wilderness Road Trail,  which is closed past this point for now due to rockslides caused by the recent rains.

We made a right onto the Cumberland Trail and began a slightly steeper ascent towards the Tri State Peak.

We checked out the historical markers set in place and took the short side trail to Fort Foote. Cumberland Gap played its part in the Civil War and there are remnants of old Union or Confederate Forts along the trails. The views off the mountain were not blocked by foliage so we gazed down into Middlesboro or towards Tennessee depending on from which side of the ridge we looked. Maximus marked our path as we climbed.  I do not know how a 14 lb dog’s kidneys manage to produce the amount of urine needed to claim a mountain but he did.

On the way back down we took a left at Indian Rock and checked out the 1.2 miles of the Wilderness Road Trail we bypassed on the way up. It made a nice loop and extended our hike for a total distance of around 3.75 miles with the side trip to Fort Foote. It was a short but sweet hike. The chill was mitigated by my layers and by the exercise. Maximus and I will be venturing back to the dog friendly trails at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park soon!

What a blessing it is to live where there are so many trails to choose from. The benefits of spending a day in the woods exploring keep me returning. I hope to venture out and about more often as I settle into my new routine around my new job. My body is adjusting to the new demands I am putting on it. I need the mental cleansing and the physical challenge a good hike offers.

On Monday, February 4, 2019, I headed to Bryson City, North Carolina to do a short solo hike. Mom and I had looped the Smokies via the Foothills Parkway and 129 on Saturday. We drove up Lakeview Drive to its end to see the Road to Nowhere. Mom wanted to walk through the tunnel and I wanted to check out the lay of the land. I am working on completing my map and I do not have many trails on the North Carolina side of the park. I referenced my maps and decided that the 2 mile long Goldmine Loop would be a nice little afternoon hike.

I woke up and almost talked myself out of it, but I sucked it up and loaded up and headed out. The drive was pleasant as I rolled over 40 to Maggie Valley then through Cherokee to Bryson City. I pulled into the parking lot at the Lakeshore Trailhead around 11:30 Monday morning. There were only 2 other cars in the lot and I saw two couples walking dogs as I unloaded my lightly packed backpack and my walking stick.

My new work schedule is going to provide me with many weekday hiking opportunities. My body and mind are having to adjust to working 12 hour rotating shifts between graveyard and days after 30+ years in the workforce working straight day shifts with weekends off. I am discovering that l am having trouble getting motivated to get out of bed on my days off accounting for the difficulty in getting up.

The weather was not as lovely as it had been Saturday when Mom and I checked out the tunnel. It was warm  but overcast with a chance of showers later in the day. I walked through the 1200 ft tunnel and set off on Lakeshore Trail. I walked a mile to the juncture with Goldmine Loop. I passed the Tunnel Bypass Trail on my way to the Goldmine Loop.

I made the left turn and descended. It was a fairly steep descent until it leveled out beside a small creek. Evidence of past settlement lies on the opposite side of the creek. The trail widens as it follows Goldmine Branch to where it meets Fontana Lake. The trail is marshy in stretches and boards have been strategically placed along the path to make crossing the worst of these areas a cleaner traverse.

Walking through a tunnel of rhododendron always tickles me. This trail is delightful to walk as the creek babbles along side. The trail leaves the former roadbed and one climbs over a bit of a hump then it meets the roadbed again and widens and levels out for easy walking.

I took the side trail and checked out campsite 67. The campsite looked like it would be a nice place to set up for a night. I backtracked to the trail and made my way to where the creek meets the lake. The lake levels are low this time of year so the main view is of lake bottom. I took a side trip out onto the dirt and got a couple of photos before following the trail up the other side. The climb is enough to be a bit of a challenge in places. I could tell I have been a slacker. My trail legs are flagging. I climbed steadily more or less until Goldmine Loop met the Tunnel Bypass Trail. I decided to go ahead and get the short Tunnel Bypass Trail in as the day was yet young and I was feeling good.

I walked the 0.4 mile out to the parking area then turned around and backtracked to the Goldmine Loop intersection and turned right  onto the Tunnel Bypass Trail. It started raining. The rain was light but steady. I walked a little ways then put in my rain coat. Tunnel Bypass Trail is 1.6 miles and takes one around the tunnel. It is narrow and rocky in places. I passed a group from a community college out hiking. They were the only other hikers I encountered.

I got back to the Jeep after walking through the tunnel one more time. I was a bit damp but feeling envigorated and satisfied with my efforts. I have been through many life changes over the past 2 years. This new job is my third in 2 years and I feel like it is going to be the last until I am ready to retire.

 

We traveled from Jamaica State Park in Vermont to Franconia Notch State Park in New Hampshire on June 29, 2017. We made a couple of stops and arrived at Lafayette Place Campground as dusk was falling. The day was dreary, chilly and rainy. We checked into the campground and were dismayed to discover that no dogs were allowed. Zoe immediately became she who must not be named and true to her laid back nature she was a quiet rule breaker, staying hidden in the car or tent for most of our stay. The weather, as rainy and chilled as it was, proved an effective cover for our deceit.

We set up camp in a steady light rain fall. We put up Mom’s canopy over a picnic table and Donna fixed a good supper. Tyler had to bunk in with Mom and Donna as we had no tarp for a rain cover on the hammock he usually slept in. Local conditions were not set to improve much over our two night stay and our exploration of this fantastic park were curtailed.

Lafayette Place Campground is a nice wooded campground offering a semblance of privacy in the sites as trees surround each site separating them from one another. The camp store has plenty of supplies and the shower houses and laundry facilities are clean. I crawled into my tent listening to the patter of rain, a most soothing, relaxing sound. The forecast called for heavy rains and possible thunder showers. Over night the steady rains got into tents and soaked sleeping bags. Everyone was damp when we rolled out on June 30. The skies overcast and the threat of rain hanging over our party, we decided to check out Flume Gorge, a popular attraction.

We paid the entrance fee at the Visitor Center and headed in. There was a nice break in the weather allowing us to shed our rain gear for the hike. We crossed the Pemigewasset River on a scenic Covered Bridge. We walked up hill to enter The Flume. The Flume is a natural gorge discovered in 1808 by 93 year old “Aunt” Jess Guernsey, according to the brochure. It is an awe inspiring site. The trail is developed, graded and wide for easy walking. It can be steep in places. The highlight of the hike is the boardwalk through the Flume Gorge. We made our way in the line of tourists towards the top of the gorge. Climbing the steps through the gorge was a real visceral treat. It engaged the entirety of the senses. The sights and sounds surrounding us, the height and depth of the gorge, the water spray off the Falls was chilly and invigorating as were the steps, which were slick with water and demanded one pay attention to one’s progress. We passed Avalanche Falls and climbed to the top of the Falls where the loop continued to Liberty Gorge and the Sentinel Pine Bridge and the Pool. Mom and Donna returned to the Visitor Center, Tyler and I finished the loop.

We checked out Liberty Gorge, then made our way to the Sentinel Pine Bridge. The Sentinel Pine fell in 1938 and forms the base of the covered bridge. The Pool is a 40’ deep pool surrounded by 130’ cliffs. We decided to do the Wolf’s Den, a narrow one way path where one must crawl and shimmy through some tight spaces. I had to lift myself up over a narrow ridge and slither through a cold pool of water to get out of the Den.

We left the Flume and headed to the base of Cannon Mountain to ride the aerial tramway up to the top of Cannon Mountain where we walked the short Kinsmen Ridge Trail, the smell of the Balsam Pines making one think of Christmas Past. It was foggy and chilly. There were breaks in the cloud cover that hinted at the extraordinary views one might be treated to in better conditions.

It was a full day of sightseeing interrupted by a trip into town where we hung out at a laundromat drying our sleeping bags and washing clothes. We ate at a nice little Italian place before calling it a night.

Looking forward to another travel day!

On January 7, my best friend Maximus and I went on a road trip.

We left the house a little after 10:00 AM heading towards The Great Smokey Mountains to check out the newly opened leg of the Foot Hills Parkway and to locate trailheads for future hikes. With the ongoing government shutdown I decided to limit my excursion to the drive and took my little buddy along for company. Dogs are not allowed on trails within the National Park so he normally does not get to go.

We got on the new leg of the Foothills Parkway in Wear’s Valley. It was a lovely day and a lovely drive. We stopped at various pull offs and enjoyed the views. The day was clear and the views were magnificent. From the new leg of the Parkway we hit the next leg in Townsend and headed towards its end on 129 on the Chilhowee Lake.

We stopped at Look Rock and decided to walk the short 0.75 miles up the paved trail to the Concrete Firetower. The trail is an easy walk and the Firetower has a concrete ramp leading to the viewing platform. The day was exceedingly pleasant with temperatures in the high 60’s with some sunshine. It felt good to walk in the woods again even if it was such a short walk.

We drove on after our walk to check out Abrams’ Creek Campground and then we headed towards Fontana Dam over 129, known as the Tail of the Dragon, with 318 curves in 11 scenic miles. There were motorcycles out enjoying the challenge of the ride and we pulled off several times to let the riders roll on unimpeded.

We got to the Dam and walked a short way out onto the Dam taking pictures of Fontana Lake and the view of the River from the top of the Dam

It was a great day.

On Tuesday January 8, Maximus and I headed to Bays Mountain State Park where we ascended to the Bays Mountain Fire Tower. The day was not quite as sunny and warm as Monday but it was still comfortable for a walk in the park.

We got to the Park around 10:00 am. They were working on the Dam so they had it closed to foot traffic. Maximus and I began our 6 mile walkabout on the Lakeside trail.

The day was a bit overcast and the wind had a bit of a chill when it blew. Bays Mountain State Park is located in Kingsport, Tennessee and has many amenities including a planetarium and a small animal habitat area where they have a bobcat, deer, otters, and their pride and joy, a small grey wolf pack. They offer many educational programs.

We left the Lakeside trail to climb to the Firetower via the hemlock trail and the  Firetower trail. It was a challenging climb and I could tell I have not been hiking in a while. I need to get my trail legs back. We enjoyed the views from the base of the tower. I didn’t try to climb it with Maximus. We headed back down and took the Chinquapin trail getting in some extra hiking. Chinquapin met Big Oak Trail and Big Oak met Lake Road and from Lake Road we crossed back to the Lakeside trail to finish our hike.

There are so many trails so close. I look forward to many adventures. I have had many changes over the past few weeks and life is starting to settle out. I have a new job with different hours than I am used to working. I am excited about the future.

Jamaica State Park in Vermont is a nice little State Park. We got our fire going and Donna fixed a breakfast casserole with local eggs and sausages Mom bought while we were hiking. Breakfast was a feast and afterward we packed up to head to our next destination. We had each gotten National Park Passport books and were anxious to get them stamped. So Far on this trip we had stamps from the Great Smokey Mountains National Park, The Blue Ridge Parkway and Shenandoah National Park.

Setting the GPS for Franconia Notch we headed out, following GPS even when it led us to a dead end. Sometimes, it is good to be reminded of the limitations of technology. We found our way to the interstate and we drove into a steady cold rain. Donna found the only National Park Historical Site in Vermont and as it was not too far out of the way we took a side trip to Woodstock, Vermont where we explored the Marsh-Billings Rockefeller National Historic Park.

The Park includes a working farm and mansion and preserve. We wandered around the exhibits, got our books stamped and explored the grounds as the rain fell.

On the way back to the interstate Donna found the only National Historic Site in New Hampshire. It was only 8 miles off the interstate. With the rains falling and the promise of rain for the rest of the day we decided to go for it. We drove through the Vermont country side and crossed a covered bridge that had a sign warning that if you did not walk your horse across the bridge it would be a 2 dollar fine.

Saint-Gaudens National Historic Site celebrates the life of the sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens. He created the monument to General Sherman that stands in New York’s Central Park. There are representations of his sculptures at the Site. We enjoyed exploring the studios and gardens despite the rains.

We made it to Franconia Notch late in the day and set up camp in the rain at Lafayette Place Campground. When I got reservations I didn’t realize dogs were not welcome at the campground. Zoe became she who must not be named and being a very quiet unassuming hound she remained undetected for our two nights at this lovely state park.

We put up Mom’s canopy and fixed dinner managing to stay dry if a little damp.

The sound of the rain on my tent was a pleasant peaceful sound. Our plans for Friday include a couple of short hikes.

We left Shenandoah National Park on June 27, 2017, and began the second leg of our journey; heading for New England. Our first stop on this leg of our trip was Jamaica State Park in Vermont. We arrived at the Park around 8:45 pm and set up our camp in the dark. We have a habit of arriving late for some reason. I crawled into my little nest and snuggled down in my blankets. The coolness of the weather was something I had not mentally prepared for. Mom lent me one of her blankets and I stayed cozy warm sleeping the best I had so far on this trip.

I woke to the sound of bird song. It was a charming melodic song that entranced me and brought a delighted smile to my lips. I lay in my tent for long minutes just enjoying the sound.

The campground at Jamaica State Park is nice. I lapped the campground several times over our stay. I like to check out other folks campsites seeing the variety of ways people set about to make themselves comfortable. There was WiFi near the guardshack so we all made use of it to call home and touch base.

Everyday is an adventure. Waking up, drawing that first breath of awareness we set the tone for the rest of the day. I had never considered a visit to Vermont as being on the bucket list, sitting in my chair beside the fire, the tall trees my backdrop, I wondered what other beautiful places I may have failed to consider.

We hiked out to Hamilton Falls from our campsite. The trail starts out following an old rail bed. It is a very pleasant walk looking down on the West River. The water sparkled with the sunlight and the sound of it provided a nice background sound to our companionable hike. There are a couple nice swimming holes along the way.

We made the turn up the side trail to the Falls. The trail was rocky and steep, it was muddy in a few places. The side trail was only a mile in length then we had to descend off the main trail down to the Falls. Hamilton Falls is a pretty cascade down a rocky face into a still pool. We waded and explored around the pool.

We retraced our steps then walked on out to the Dam on the rail bed trail. The Dam was an impressive rocky monolithic structure. We admired it then headed back to camp. We hiked 6 1/2 miles all in all.

We stayed 2 nights at this sweet little State Park. Next stop New Hampshire!

Saturday October 13, 2018…hello trails! I have missed you my old friends. I do not like to take so long between hikes. I studied my map to find a trail I could do an in and out hike on and settled on The Road Prong Trail, a 2.4 mile trail that connects the Chimney Top Trail to the Appalachian Trail along Clingmans Dome Road.

Chimney Top Trail was closed for several months after the Chimney Tops Fire that raged out of control through neighborhoods in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. One of the homes lost was my mom’s childhood home on Turkey Nest Road leaving my cousin and her family homeless for a while. The trail has been reconditioned up to a point beyond which the environmental damage was considered too great and a viewing platform was built so one can gaze at the iconic rocky peaks from afar.

I did this trail many years ago with my son. I remember climbing up onto the Chimney Tops and looking off into the distance. I clung to the rocks my fear of heights making my knees weak while my son scampered around like a mountain goat. I left a return climb up to the new viewing platform to be decided after conquering Road Prong Trail.

The first part of this hike is 0.9 mile of Chimney Top Trail. Chimney Top Trail is a very popular climb and the parking lot at the trail head was full. I pulled over a little above the lot in an overflow pull out. I got to the trail head around 9:45. I read that Road Prong would have some water crossings so I wore my water shoes and quick dry clothes.

As I made my way along Chimney Top Trail I had plenty of company. At the trail intersection I noted the difference in the two trails. Chimney Top is wide and well maintained and heavily traveled. Road Prong became a single line winding away up the mountain. I left the many behind and found isolation quickly. Road Prong follows the river and one is serenaded by the sound of rushing water. Glimpses of Cascades and waterfalls are visible through the foliage.

There is a moment on a hike when one has not hiked in a while where the body and mind protest. Lungs struggle and the mind questions the purpose? What are you doing? Why? Fatigue or just the promise of future fatigue teases muscles not tested in a while, the heart pounds inside the rib cage. Pushing through this spell which can vary in intensity and length is an effort of will. Giving in would be easy, pushing through is rewarding.

I pushed and I climbed. The trail is damp and rocky. I carefully made my way up coming to a major water crossing. We have had a lot of rain and the current looked strong. It took a little while for me to pick my way across. My rock hopping skills dusty, I hopped and waded some grateful I had on the right apparel. The temperatures were in the mid 50’s, the water ice cold. My feet were tingling with cold when I waded out the other side.

As I started up the opposite bank I looked back at the water rushing down the bed and saw 3 older men trying to figure out the best way to cross. The trail continued to be steep and rocky and wet. The sun was out. It never really got warm but my clothes dried as I hiked. About 3/4 of the way to the top I made it to a section of trail where a blow down blocked the trail. I figured out the way around it and found that the trail crossed the creek, then went up the creek bed a ways. I followed it a little ways then absolutely lost the trail. It hurt but I decided to turn around and not risk getting lost.

I ran into the three gentlemen I saw at the river and told them what I ran into. We chatted and I fell in with them. It took all 4 of us to find and follow the trail through the maze that crossed, followed the creek bed, recrossed and crossed again. The guys were super nice and talked the rest of the hike. Above the creek crossings the trail was not as rocky as the lower portions.

My new found friends were headed to Clingmans Dome via the AT. We parted company and I headed back down confident I could find the trail having traversed it once. At the river I had my legs and confidence and managed to rock hop back across. I was feeling so good when I made it back to Chimney Top Trail I decided that I could do the 0.84 mile climb to the viewing platform. It is an arduous climb, especially after hiking 6 miles of rugged trail. The climb challenged me as I joined the steady flow of tourists. I had to stop and rest a couple of times. I took photos of the chimney tops and mourned the loss of trail that crossed the distance from the platform to the rocky crags. The trip down the many many steep steps had my legs shaking with fatigue. I made it! Total miles around 8.3 to do both trails.

It was a great day! I needed the time in the woods to recenter myself and remember what is really important. I get caught up working, paying the bills, trying to make my income greater than the outgo and it is a close thing some weeks. The stress of it eats at me and I want to be done with it but I can’t see an end and it is wearing on me. To leave it behind and hit reset I go to my favorite place and I challenge myself. Getting back into the Jeep feels good after a good day hiking!

We left our campsite on the Blue Ridge Parkway around 8:30 Sunday morning June 25, 2017 and rolled on down the road towards our destination for the next 2 nights.

The Blue Ridge Parkway ends and becomes Skyline Drive, which traverses Shenandoah National Park. We made our way along Skyline Drive to Big Meadow Campground. Locating our campsites, we set up camp. It was late in the day and we were hungry so we went to the Lodge and had a nice dinner before calling it a night.

Monday morning I crawled out of my little nest and found a sunny spot and sat still just soaking in the blessed warmth of the rays. Nights on this trip have proved themselves to be chilly affairs and we are heading steadily north. I dare say it will not warm up significantly.

We walked up to the shower house and laid down the quarters for 4 minutes of bliss under a steady stream of hot water. It felt great to wash and putting on clean clothes after 3 days on the road is not to be overrated.

Mom and I went to the visitor center to orient ourselves, getting a trail map and advice from the helpful Rangers. We picked a 4 mile loop hike that was easily accessible from our campsite, included a piece of the Appalachian Trail, and had a nice waterfall.

We gathered together at camp and got our hiking supplies and the 6 humans and one canine that made up our vacation cadre headed out into the woods.

The AT runs alongside Big Meadow Campground and we accessed it via a very short trail. Making a left we headed towards the side trail that would take us down to Lewis Falls. The walk along the AT was easy, the trail marked well and maintained. We veered off and headed towards the Falls.

The trail to Lewis Falls was steep and very rocky. Mom had difficulty navigating over some of the rough terrain. Stepping up onto or over or down off rocks on uneven ground proved taxing and Tyler and I kept a close eye on her lending a steady hand for balance whenever necessary. She was game and never complained. We came to the overlook for the waterfalls and enjoyed the beautiful view as we rested up for the climb back up.

The trail made a loop so we took the other route up and luckily it proved a little less rocky and navigating it was a bit easier. We hit the AT and started back to camp. We had to stop and rest several times as Mom’s energy reserves were zapped from the difficult terrain and the climb.

The AT through Shenandoah is often sighted by through hikers as one of their favorite stretches of trail. The views off the AT into the Shenandoah Valley are beautiful. The little bit of the AT we did was fairly easy walking. The world was green, the skies were blue and dotted with fluffy white clouds, it was slightly cool with little humidity. There had been several bear sightings around the Lodge and up from the campground, but we never saw any.

As we got close to the Lodge we left Mom with Tyler and Abby and Zoe while Craig, Donna and I went to the camp to get a vehicle to pick Mom up at the Lodge saving her 0.6 mile of walking. We rested up a bit then from the hike before hitting the visitor center again for souvenirs.

We ate at the Wayside then crossed Skyline Drive to wander the maze of trails through the Big Meadow. How can you camp out at Big Meadow Campground and not go experience it’s namesake?

I will go back to Shenandoah when I can dedicate more time to just exploring all it has to offer. We barely touched the tip of the iceberg here.

 

 

On Saturday September 29, 2018, my son and I ventured to Wautaga Lake to spend some quality time together. I have not been to this area in several years. We decided to park at the AT parking area on Wilbur Dam Road, a small pull off where the Appalachian Trail crosses the road. It is section 4 by the Appalachian Trail Guide to Tennessee-North Carolina.

On July 5, 2014, Tammy, Leah, my dog Ares and I made the trek from Dennis Cove to Wilbur Dam Northbound. This nice hike crosses the Pond Mountain Wilderness area into the Cherokee National Forest. This was one of Ares last hikes. He does not like bridges and getting him to cross them became more and more difficult over time. I ended up carrying my 60lb hiking companion across more than one log bridge.

The AT at Dennis Cove is a popular destination due to the scenic Laurel Fork Falls. I have hiked the short distance to the falls several times. It is a sweet little hike with a beautiful payoff. On this day in July we would get our photo ops of the Falls then push past them on what for me was new trail. We hiked down to where the high water trail branches off from the AT and then we were off into new territory. We climbed, and climbed we did switch backs and more switch backs. For over 1.5 miles we climbed. The world was verdant and green, the deep green of summer in full growth. The trees were fully leaved and we walked through tunnels of greenery. The low hanging bushes were flowering and we walked on carpets of white blossoms. As we climbed I sweated until I did not have a dry stitch of clothes on. We then trudged along getting a little break from the arduous climb.

What goes up must go down…and so we did. As we descended on more switch backs we came to a place where the view opened up and we could look down on our destination. Wautaga Dam looked so tiny off in the distance, the lake sitting in the mountains picturesque. It looked so far away. It was a combination of challenge and the disheartening realization that we still had a long way to go.

As Shane and I got out of the Jeep and headed south on the AT, I told him about the time I did the whole section. Our goal on this day was the Wautaga Lake Shelter a 2.5 mile hike over a rocky knob then across the large earthen Dam to walk the edge of the lake a little ways. We thought about going all the way to US 321, but we talked ourselves out of that.

This day was about time in one another’s company, reconnecting and discussing the curve balls that life can throw unexpectedly. How do you redifine yourself when, through no desire of your own, your circumstances drastically change? I don’t have answers only examples from my own experiences. He will have to wend his way through the next few months like we made our way up and over carefully navigating treacherous ground, climbing obstacles and stopping to enjoy beautiful scenery and appreciating the fact that we were not cut adrift alone.

The trail crosses the top of Wautaga Dam and looking one way the lake stretches out between the ridges and sparkles in the sun light. People were out on water craft enjoying the day, their laughter and distant conversations audible. Looking the other way the mountains stretch out into the distance.

We walked to the shelter, and illegally loitered there eating a snack. This area has been closed to all human activity except through hiking on the AT. It is illegal to camp or hang out due to bear activity. We didn’t see any bears and we limited our break to an energy bar and a few sips of Gatorade before we headed back. The paved Dam access road has a pretty steep grade I noticed as we made our way back retracing our steps. There are several places along where the views of the lake are very pretty.

Life is about moving forward no matter what happens or what obstacle presents itself. If you keep your head up and one foot in front of the other the payoff is there.