Solstice in the Smokies

Cosby Trailhead (GSMNP)

12/19 - 12/21/22 (2 nights)
2022 Bag Nights: 27
All cell phone photos

Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls and then Site 34

A couple groups of dayhikes near the falls, but not many people for such a nice day. 

Site 34 is a nice place for the night, the sites are spread out down the creek, probably very popular if it is not winter. 

Day 2: Maddron Bald Trail to Site 29

I had been planning on staying at the Cosby Knob Shelter on the AT. I could have made it, but not sure I would have been functioning the next day. So, I called an audible and stopped short. Site 29 was also nice but much more open, it would feel crowded to share with another group.

Woke to a beautiful day, but weather is rolling in. My legs don't want to do the climb up to the ridge, so I decided to head to the car a day early. So up to Snake Den Ridge Trail and then down to the car. 

Old cemetery near Cosby

Gregory Bald

Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Twentymile Trailhead
3/17 - 3/18/22 (1 night)
2022 Bag nights: 1

Like a lot of my trips, I had great plans for spring break that did not going as planned. My plan was to head up to Gregory Bald for a night and then cross over to and descend Eagle Creek, but ...

First flowers of spring

Love trilliums

I made it up to the ridge I setup camp and then did the short hike up to Gregory Bald. The clouds made me hopeful for a great sunset.

Full moon rising in the east

Sun setting in the west

Lots of mountains to the south

I kept alternating between the sun in the west ...

The moon in the east ...

... and the mountains to the south

Moon tucked into the clouds

One last photo after a great hour on the bald.

I headed back to camp for dinner and a small fire. Woke up in the morning with lots of clouds, no point in trying for a sunrise. My bad ankle was bothering me enough that I knew descending was going to be hard enough without worrying about all the creek crossing on Eagle Creek, so I decided to head over to the AT and then down to Twentymile. This was a little bit longer than the direct route, but I could avoid a couple creek crossings on the Long Hungry Ridge Trail. 

I passed about 10 thru hikers on the 3 mile stretch of the AT. I saw this guy coming up the trail and complemented him on his fancy staff. He said it was named after the light thingy that Galadriel gave Frodo in the Lord of the Rings. The globe actually had little lights inside. I took a photo to show my son and he moved on towards Maine. 

Kayak Fontana Lake

12/19 - 12/21/21 (2 nights)
2021 Bag Nights: 43

I put in at the Flat Branch Rd boat ramp and headed towards Site 72 in the Smokies, a beautiful day for a paddle.

Site 72 is a nice one in the trees

It is right at a bend in the lake so there are good views of the water.

The ridge behind camp

The water level in the lake is dropped for the winter, it will fill back up with rain and snow over the next couple of months.

My kayak far below

Moonrise through the trees

The next day I paddled over to Site 73 to check it out. 

View from Site 73

I paddled further down the lake and noticed what looked to be a flag on a ridge. 

As I got closer, I decided to see what was up there ...

... I found a grave site

Old boat on the ridge

Heading back towards camp

Last morning, nice sunrise

Lake mist glowing in the sun

Paddling back to the ramp

At one point, I looked up and saw what looked like a marker of some sort. I decided to climb up and check it out. Turned out to be another grave marker. 

Nice view of the lake from the marker

And then back to the ramp and car and home.