KTA Hikes the Smokies

From June 30 through July 6, 2013, nine hikers trekked through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) on a trip organized by Keystone Trail Association.  The trip was led by KTA Board member Jim Foster and Executive Director Curt Ashenfelter.  

After traveling most of the first day, we arrived at our home base for the week, the Tuckasiegee River Mountain Lodge.  The Lodge is a unique bed and breakfast situated on about 14 acres of hardwood forest between Dillsboro, Cherokee, and Bryson City in beautiful Western North Carolina.  The next day, we traveled to one of the iconic spots in the Park and on the Appalachian Trail: Clingman's Dome.  At 6,642 feet elevation, Clingman's is the highest spot on the entire 2,185 mile Appalachian Trail, and the third highest mountain east of the Mississippi.

 

Any hiking trip is subject to the eccentricities of nature.  We experienced several inches of rain during the Smokies adventure, which is quite unusual for July.  The nine participants were prepared for wet conditions and eager to hike regardless of the conditions.  In a couple of instances we had to alter our plans because some stream crossings that are normally easy to get across had become rushing torrents.  On day three, we took the van to Newfound Gap, in the virtual center of the park.  From there, we took the Appalachian Trail, stopping at the Icewater Spring A.T. shelter for lunch.  Soon after that, we came to our destination, Charlies Bunion.  The rounded rock looks a little like an imagined foot ailment, at least in the mind of the man who named it, Horace Kephart.  The Bunion offered great views of The Jumpoff, Mt. LeConte and Greenbriar Pinnacle. 

 

For day four, we did two short hikes on opposite sides of the ridge.  First, on the Tennessee side, we hiked the Alum Caves Trail.  One popular guide says that every person who visits the Smokies needs to do this trail at least once.  Highlights of this four mile jaunt include the beautiful waterfalls at Arch Rock.  Then, we went back to North Carolina and did Kephart Prong.  This rather easy trail is described as having something for everyone, from historical artifacts, to hemlock groves, to a trout stream.  We passed an old Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) camp plus chimney and foundations from back before the area became a park. 

 

Day five was Independence Day.  We began at Mingus Mill, a restored grist mill, and did part of the Mingus Creek Trail, followed by the Newton Bald Trail.  Some of our group took a day off from hiking and checked out the attractions in Cherokee, NC and Gatlinburg, TN.

 

Our last day of hiking featured what is described as an "unknown gem" in the Smokies, the Heintooga Ridge area.  Due to a rushing stream too dangerous to cross, we couldn't hike much of the Flat Creek Trail, as we had planned.  But, we had a nice trek on the road through this isolated valley.  Then, we found some trails that were not blocked, and hiked a few miles there.

 

This hiking was a logical extension of the KTA trip to the Dingle Way in Ireland led last fall by KTA Board Member Paul Shaw.  We hope to provide more of these trips as a service to KTA members, and as a fundraiser to support KTA's programs.  If you are interested in going on a future KTA trip, or if you would like to lead a trip for KTA, contact Curt Ashenfelter at ktahike@verizon.net.