After a hectic and stressful week I was in need of some trail therapy plus hoped for a real life face to face with my Facebook trail friend, Yappy who I had never met in person. She flew in from the West to hike the Benton MacKaye Trail with her hiking buddy, Worries and they were currently working their way through the Smokies and taking a night off in Bryson City, NC. After my weekly stint at Farmer’s Market, I loaded up my hiking kit and headed over to the Bryson City Relax Inn for a couple of enjoyable hours of hearing about their adventures. We soon established that we were all members of the same Hiker Trash tribe. Despite the invitation to spend the night, I felt the call of the forest and the desire to be in my tent so we agreed to meet up on trail in the morning. It was getting pretty late but I only had a mile and a half to hike into my reserved campsite #65 on the Noland Creek Trail. To protect the fragile ecosystem, all backcountry campsites must be reserved ahead of time and stealth camping is not permitted in the Smokies. At the trailhead I realized that I had forgotten to grab my trekking poles at home, not too much of a problem, except that my tent is not freestanding and they were an integral part of my tent set up. I hoped that I could find some suitable sticks to make it work and did find a nice branch to use as a hiking stick.
I was successful and enjoyed camping alone at the site, even lighting a small campfire and burning trash left from previous occupants. The next morning I was chilly and needed to start walking. Yappy and Worries caught up with me after I waded through my first steam crossing of many on this trip.
We soon reached Campsite #61, my next intended stop though it was only noon. Yappy and Worries hiked on and after a long lunch I decided to do the same though on the Noland Divide Trail up to Clingmans Dome then down Forney Creek Trail to Campsite #68 for a total of 17 tough miles. I paid the price for being so ambitious with some painful leg cramps that night.
The campsite was obviously the site of logging operations from days past with lots of remnants scattered about including this train axle in the creek. The next day I got the opportunity to practice my water crossing skills as there were many, some deeper and faster than others but all with slick rocks to negotiate.
I love seeing relics of past communities in the park, though it does make me sad to think that families had to leave this land and the hardscrabble but amazing lives they must have lived in such a beautiful place.
Interesting that dogs are not allowed on the trails though many do allow horses, I believe a concession to those that gave up their land for the park.
The wildflowers were magnificent!
Ate all my food and used up all my fuel so time to head home! My hiking skills are really improving since evidently I can now walk on water at Fontana Lake according to my Gaia hiking app. Left my excellent hiking stick at the trailhead and hope some other hiker puts it to good use!
Haha, yes you DO walk on water! Thanks as always for sharing your experience. Those two friends look like such fun:)
Best of all you got out there and enjoyed! Much luv.
Thank you Mudsmeller! Could have used that walking on water skill earlier on some of those creek crossings! Haha! According to Yappy and Worries it might come in handy on the sketchy PCT water crossings too! 😘