Back to the Smokies!

[atj_Hiker]

Today I go to have dinner with one of my boys at a Chinese restaurant. His fortune cookie said "An enjoyable vacation is awaiting you near the mountains." He looks at me from across the table and asks "When are we going hiking next." I didn't beleive it until I read it myself. We're going back to the Smokies for a couple days this spring and also doing a couple days on the PMT in Kentucky. I'm fired up!
There's only a couple small sections of the AT that we haven't hiked in the Smokies so we'll do a couple quick day hikes and then do an over night with my 76 yr old dad on the PMT. Each day on the PMT will be an equivelant of 1600ft uphill elevation hike at 7 miles. That's a lot for a 76 yr old but he says he'll be ready. He grew up in that area as a kid and is like an 11 yr old hillbilly boy when he gets in the mountains.
The sections in the Smokies we'll be hiking is from Davenport to Low Gap trail down to Cosby and Clingmans Dome to NewFound Gap. Any recommendations for something to see on these short trips?

[aaronthebugbuffet]

Post a PMT trip report when you get back.
I've thought about checking it out but just never got around to it.

[JAK]

Hope it all works out. Strike when the iron's hot.

[Ox97GaMe]

you need to definitely plan to take the side trail out to Mt Camerer Fire Tower while you are there. One of the best views in the park on a good day. I would also suggest that you do the Clingman's hike first. That keeps you from having to deal with the traffic coming out of GBurg and PigeonForge to get back to the interstate. Coming in from teh interstate isnt usually too bad in the afternoon/evening. From Cosby/Davenport, you are practically at the interstate already.

Not much that you are going to have time to do unless you plan to take an additional day. If you take an extra day, the hike up to Mt LeConte is always rewarding.

[atj_Hiker]

Thanks for the suggestion about Mt Camerer. I overlooked it on the map. We did Shuckstack a couple years ago but it was too cloudy to see anything. We're going to hike these 2 different days so if it's cloudy one day, we'll do the Clingmans Dome to Newfound Gap in hopes of a clear day the next day to see the view from Mt Camerer fire tower.
We've already hiked to Mt LeConte a few years ago via The Boulevard and Rainbow Falls after a good rain which was well worth it. I've never been to Chimney Tops or Alum Cave. Which one would be more worth the trip or is there something else in the area worth seeing?

[Ox97GaMe]

My preference is Chimney Tops. Alum Cave isnt really a 'cave' but rather a large rock wall that has been underwashed. Its still impressive. You really cant go wrong with either hike.

[HooKooDooKu]

The view from Chimney Tops WAS my favorite view in the park. But now... well when you get to the top of the trail where you're at the base of the Chimney's, you used to could approach the Chimney's from a side trail that wasn't too exposed. But the side of the Chimney's was getting so eroded away from so many visitors that they closed that approach. The only way to see the view from the tops of the Chimney's is to climb up an exposed section of rock. It was something I was unwilling to risk when I had a child with me. I'm surprised I don't hear about people getting hurt up there.

As for Alum Cave... the beauty is in the hike, not the destination. As Ox97GaMe pointed out, the 'destination' isn't a cave but rather a HUGE rock over hang (we're talking so tall that right along the edge there is a full grown tree "under" the overhang). It's sort of cool, but by itself isn't worth the hike. But along the way, you spend a large amount of time beside a nice mountain stream. Just before you leave the stream, you go through Arch Rock... basically a natural tunnel through a huge hunk of rock that the trail goes right through via a steep stair case. Then there's Inspiration Point where you get a nice view of the valley and a view of The Key Hole (a natural round hole near the top of a rocky hill side). Then you reach Alum Cave... all within a 2.5 mile hike.

[max patch]

I'm not qualified to give an opinion, but some people say that the Alum Cave trail is the most scenic in the GSMNP. I've hiked it several times up to the lodge and enjoyed it.

[SGT Rock]

Chimney Tops trail recently got a total rebuild. unfortunately with the huge rainstorms we recently had, the bridge washed out.

Edit: I just checked the Smokies closed page and Chimney Tops is closed: http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm

[TNhiker]

I'm not qualified to give an opinion, but some people say that the Alum Cave trail is the most scenic in the GSMNP. I've hiked it several times up to the lodge and enjoyed it.




for me----alum cave is the premier trail of the the smokies......

it's the one that i suggest if someone only has time to do one hike in the park.......

sure, you'll see a ton of people along the way, but it's a trail that best "sums" up the smokies.....

it has a little of everything------beginning is nice and rolling kinda flat along a stream, then one comes up to arch rock to begin the ascent up to alum cave.........

then keep going past the cave and one starts getting good views of the valley, and push on to the top where one can have views (mytle point and cliff tops)......

roundtrip to the top is basically 5 to 6 hours minimum, but well worth it.........

again the only downside, is a ton of people.........you'll (obviously) see more people down near the bottom, and sorta thins out as one goes higher....

of course, if you dont wanna see any people along alum cave trail-----hike it at night and get up top of leconte to see the sunrise from myrtle point......

[Ox97GaMe]

The park service completed an extensive 'Trails Forever' rehab on the top half of the Chimney Tops trail this past summer. A full crew spent 3.5 month moving rocks, building steps, replanting vegetation, and adding water drainage. It is pretty nice and the work is impressive if you compare the before and after. Still on the exposed ridgeline for the last 100 yrds or so. It does get a lot of visitors. It is worth the trip for the view and to see some of the new trail construction techniques that are being used in the park.

[atj_Hiker]

Just got back from my trip. Started our hike at 4:30am tobeat the heat. Stopped by Mount Cammerer Tower.What a view! Well worth it! Arriving at Low Gap Trail started bringing backmemories of a journey started about 4 years ago when my boys were younger.After doing a 3 hour hike from Clingmans Dometo Newfound Gap the next day, me and my boys have finished hiking the entire AT in theSmokys. It took a few years because we don't live close and we wanted my fatherto be a part of the hiking experience which meant we'd hike on side trails soit was downhill for him. I also wanted to be careful not to do too much withoutany experience. We built on our adventures each time to make sure we were readyfor the next one.
Didn't make it to Chimney Tops. The trail was closed and myboys we're too hungry to hike it so we had to go get food. Teenagers?!?
My big goal is to talk my boys into a 2 week vacation andhiking from Springer to the Smokys but my youngest doesn't have much body fatand gets burnt out after a few days. I may need to fatten him up if that's evenpossible.

I'll post the Pine Mountain Kentucky Trail info on theGreat Eastern Trail forum.