Click on a photo to enlarge it.
We spent the next five days in the Smokies, and walked over 33 miles along various trails which included thousands of
feet of elevation difference. We were hoping that on Monday the crowds wouldn´t be so bad. Wrong!! We drove to the
western side of the park to Cades Cove where we wanted to do a 5 mile walk to Abrams Falls.
Cades Cove is a one way
loop road and that's where we hit a traffic jam! We couldn´t believe it. We crawled along, stop and go, and it took
one hour to do 5.5 miles to get to the trail head! But it was a really good walk and we even saw a ringneck snake on
the way. Helen thought it was a shoe lace on the track except it was a bit too shiny for a shoe lace!! We stopped to
take photos and when other walkers came along we told them about the snake. One woman screamed!! On the way back we
chatted to a couple from Wisconsin for 40 minutes who´d seen us on the trail to Rainbow Falls yesterday.
We got back to Winnie at 5-30pm and were hoping to do another short walk to Laurel Falls. But we got stuck in another
traffic jam around the second half of the loop road and had to give up on that idea. We ended up having to drive in
the dark, which is something we always try to avoid, especially in national parks where there are always dangers of
wild animals crossing the roads. But at least we managed to find a spot in amongst trees just outside the park, where
we could stay overnight.
On Tuesday, we took the mountain road to the top for a view of the North Carolina side and the cloud covered valley
below. Then we did a 3.6 mile trail to Andrews Bald for wonderful views. The clouds covered the valley below in such
a way that it looked like a glacier. Plus we were the only people on the trail - wonderful! Afterwards we went to
Clingmans Dome - the highest point in the Smokies (6500ft). There is a 0.5 mile tarmac walk to the top which is quite
steep. We were quite fit by now and so it only took us 10 minutes but there were hordes of very fat Americans
puffing, panting and sweating their way up!! This is because it's the "easiest" walk to do in the park which goes to
the highest point. But it was also 23 °C and we were virtually the only ones who had anything to drink with them!
That afternoon we did a 5 mile trail to Alums Cave Bluff, over log bridges and through a stone arch and up to the bluff
where there were literally swarms of ladybirds! They would fly into your face and we had a hard job keeping them from
flying right down our T shirts! Helen had to take her T-shirt out of her shorts a number of times, to shake out the
ladybirds who had managed, somehow, to get the right trajectory!!
On Wednesday, we drove up to the Chimney Tops car park and did a 4 mile strenuous walk up to the top. We had to
scramble over rocks and tree roots and it got very muddy towards the top. But it was a great walk and more good
views. Then we drove back to the top of the mountain road and found out that there had been snow on the top this
morning! Afterwards we drove down to the North Carolina side of the Smokies and stayed overnight on Harrahs Casino
car park. It was supposed to be free - unless you go into the casino and lose money!!!
On Thursday, we did a 6 mile walk that just kept on going up and up, even though it was supposed to be a loop walk!
We saw another snake on the trail and finally the path did eventually start going downhill again! That evening we
made pumpkin soup which took us ages to prepare. On Friday it was raining in the morning, but we still drove to the
trailhead car park and had breakfast and washed up whilst waiting for the sun to come out. Just after midday, the
sun came out and we went for a short 3 mile walk to 3 waterfalls and yet more snake photos!! That afternoon we drove
along the Cherohala Skyway - another scenic drive that is a paradise for motorcyclists who just open up their
throttles and let rip!
On Saturday, we drove into Georgia and went to Amicalola State Park (entrance $2) to do a short walk to the 729 ft
waterfall.
On Sunday, we went to the town of Helen (yes that's what its called) and, believe it or not, but it is a Bavarian
town with an Octoberfest!! So we oomppa pahhed our way around and bought some wonderful rye bread (2 large loaves)
and laughed at all the menu boards that had wrongly spelled German delicacies. We also found out that the clocks had
been turned back an hour! Afterwards, we took advantage of our extra hour and went to Tallullah Gorge State Park ($4)
and walked 2.5 miles to see various falls, the highest of which are called Hurricane Falls. There were also 546
steps!! Easy going down but a killer coming back up! They also have a wonderful idea for recycling old car tyres -
they shred them and then build the rubber into a trail footpath that is really springy and a lot better for the knees
and ankles than tarmac! They should use the idea for the Pennine Way!
