Smoky mountains – Walk Into the Future

The Return to Gatlinburg

Gat Waterfall3

“Every mountain top is within reach if you just keep climbing”.

(Barry Finlay)

Not a huge secret but I love Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains! There, I said it again!

I deviated from my normal Gatlinburg trip in 2022 and headed to Asheville, North Carolina instead. Asheville and the Black Mountain area were beautiful and happy I got a chance to experience the area.

My winter getaway is designed to allow me to get back to nature and wander around in the mountains to relax and recharge. Asheville is an eclectic city with a ton of things to do and a restaurants to choose from. This is not a bad thing but not really what I need for my mountain retreat time. Black Mountain was a pleasant surprise with the views and trails available to explore. May look to add Black Mountain on a return trip in the future.

Decided to make my way back to Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains this year. Yes, I’ve explored most of the trails there but love the environment and smalltown appeal Gatlinburg brings. I can park my vehicle and walk the downtown streets to hit restaurants, attractions and moonshine tasting venues. Downtown Gatlinburg also provides direct access to the Gatlinburg Trail which is the gateway to the Smoky Mountains.

I started my adventure on the Gatlinburg Trail again since this provides a nice warmup and allows me to capture some great water views. The Gatlinburg Trail covers just over two miles of trails with minimal elevation and is connected to the Sugarland Visitors Center. The Gatlinburg Trail is used by hikers and joggers looking for a quick mountain adventure. I like this trail since it allows me to take a quick break and then hit the Sugarland trails. These trails are smaller and popular with park visitors. There were several tour buses at the visitor’s center, so the trails were crowded this year. Cataract Falls is a popular spot, and I was able to make my way to the falls and get a few pictures before heading back down the trail towards Gatlinburg.

Clingmans Dome is one of the highest points in the Smoky Mountains and is a great spot to take in the smoky hue of the mountains. This was another popular spot and parking was a bit of a challenge this year. I parked a little down the road and made a small hike back up to the trail that leads directly to the Clingmans Dome observation tower. The trail to the observation tower is paved so that makes the climb a bit easy, but it takes effort to get up to the top of the mountain. Once there you get a panoramic view of the mountains and can see points in North Carolina and Tennessee—very cool place to take in the Smoky Mountains.

Decided to head back down to Gatlinburg before it got dark—not a fan of driving in the mountains at night. Made my way back to Ole Smoky Moonshine shop to see if they had new flavors to try out this year. The folks at Ole Smoky seem to create a couple new flavors each year and this year did not disappoint—they added pineapple and pickles into moonshine to create special edition flavors. I’m not a fan of fruit in liquor so passed on those flavors but got a chance to sample my favorites: Blue Flame and Hunch Punch again. Got a bottle of Blue Flame to add to my collection so I could drink when I got back to Florida. Fun fact, most of the Ole Smoky moonshine flavors can be found in Publix, Walmart, and Winn Dixie liquors stores. Prices are good there too.

Hiking on day 2 was centered around the Cades Cove area as I searched for waterfall views again. Parking was tough again, but I was able to get a spot that required a short walk to get on the trails. I hit this trail back in 2021 and wanted to explore the waterfalls a bit more this year. This was another paved trail so climbing up the mountain was easy. There were a ton of people out again, so the trail was crowded but manageable. The waterfall area provided a great view of the mountains and was a convenient spot to rest up before heading back down the mountain. Got a couple nice pictures before making my way down the mountain.

Mapped out the Cades Cove area and my plan was to hit every waterfall in the area. Made my way down the road a bit and ventured to a new area to take in the water views. This was the last water I got a chance to see while out. The park rangers came out in force to let everyone know there was a wind advisory, and everyone had to leave the mountains. They were concerned about campers starting fires in the high winds so everyone had to go. The rangers directed everyone in the same direction, so I found a new way back to Gatlinburg. It was scenic but not exactly what I planned for the day. The high winds shut down most of the entertainment attractions to include the Gatlinburg Sky Park. Decided to find some good Tennessee BBQ and beer to ride out the storm—pun intended.

Discovered Pigeon Forge has a Tanger Outlet so headed over there to get some shopping in. I never miss an outlet mall, so this was a great way to complete my mountain adventure.

The mountains called and I answered. Already planning my 2024 trip back to the Smoky Mountains. 😊

“Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so, get on your way”.

(Dr. Seuss)

Smoky Mountains 2021

Gatlinburg1

You knew it was coming, didn’t you? 😊

Yes, I made my annual pilgrimage back to the Smoky Mountains right before Thanksgiving. This was my third year in a row Walking into the Future with the Tennessee mountains as my backdrop. I plan to continue this tradition as long as possible to live life on my terms. Never envisioned the Smoky Mountains being part of my life journey but happy I found the mountains for the peace and joy I feel there.

My drive up this year was uneventful. Decided to bypass all the outlet malls except one as I made my way north. It took me an extra two hours to drive up in 2020 because there were so many outlet malls on the way. My friends know I love outlet malls so for me to bypass several is a major growth step for me. I made a quick outlet mall stop in Georgia and got some new running gear for my 2022 races—always looking for running gear.

My drive up this year was pleasant—not much traffic to fight through. I arrived in Gatlinburg early in the evening on a Saturday night and decided to venture out and see some familiar sights.

The Ole Smokey Moonshine Distillery is always on my list of places to visit while in Gatlinburg. Decided to get my moonshine tasting in early and figured the moonshine would help me warm up since the temperature was 25 degrees when I arrived in Tennessee. Happy to report the folks at the Ole Smokey distillery were still conducting tasting tours. They added a bunch of new flavors to the rotation this year. My goal for visiting this year was to restock with Blue Flame moonshine which is 123-proof alcohol. They did not have Blue Flame in 2020 because they were highlighting a special 150-proof blend. I was able to get my preferred Blue Flame this year. Note: most of the other blends are available in Publix, Walmart and Winn-Dixie liquor stores and the prices are less than what I would pay at the Ole Smokey Distillery.

Moonshine

A new adventure for me in Gatlinburg was a visit to the Ole Smokey Whiskey Distillery. I have walked past this store multiple times but never ventured in since my focus was always on moonshine. They have a similar tasting tour in this distillery as well. Pay $5 dollars to get a taste of each whiskey flavor and get a $5 credit towards your purchase. Not a bad deal! The whiskey flavors were all good, but I decided to get a Strawberry/Lemonade blend which the folks in the store identified would go great with Publix lemonade. I have tried it as suggested and it is good! Not a bad first day back in the Smoky mountains.

I mapped out several hikes for Day 2. Decided to warm up with the Gatlinburg trail again to get myself moving and prep for the bigger trails I wanted to tackle on this trip. The Gatlinburg trail is scenic and allows hikers an excellent way to explore the Smoky mountains without taking too much energy. There are a few spots with elevation, but the trail allows hikers to experience the best of the mountains. Took this trail out to the Sugarland area before turning around and retracing my steps back to the trail head on the outskirts of Gatlinburg.

Gatlinburg2

This was my warmup for the real reason I was back in the Smoky mountains—the Chimney Top trail.

This trail beat me down in 2020 and I decided to tackle it again earlier this time. I did not want to have tired legs as I made my way up to the top this year. Happy to report I was able to handle Chimney Top this year without having to stop as much as I did last year.

This trail has it all—elevation, tough terrain, rocks, water, and amazing views once you make it to the top. I was able to help other hikers keep going this year by providing them with the encouragement I needed last year. It was a great experience when several hikers finally made it to the top and thanked me for not letting them give up before making it to the top. Turns out there were a lot of people on the top this year enjoying the views. This sounds like a great thing, but I did not hike to the top of a trail in the Smoky mountains to have a bunch of folks around me talking about work. Decided to make my way back down the trail and discover other areas of the mountains.

I left the Chimney Top area and drove further up into the mountains looking for adventures. The colors in the mountains this year were fantastic. Made multiple stops so I could capture the views and colors in pictures. The smoke (clouds) on the mountains made for some great pictures. A new aspect to my Smoky Mountain adventures in 2021 was the fact there were black bears out. Yes, black bears are normally hibernating in November but for some reason they were out and about this year.

The first one I saw was in a tree as I was driving down the mountain heading back to Gatlinburg. I could not figure out why there was so much traffic, but cars were stopping to get a picture of the bear. This Bear Jam (traffic) was unexpected but seeing a black bear in the wild seemed to energize everyone as they took pictures while still in their vehicles. Seeing the bear in the tree made me reassess my next hikes and pick trails with better visibility.

Smokey Bear

Day 3 adventures centered around the Gatlinburg Skybridge Park and finding waterfalls.

I discovered prior to driving up to Tennessee the Skybridge Park added a new feature: The Sky Trail. They were building the Sky Trail last year, but I had no idea what it was at the time. This added feature allows for amazing views of downtown Gatlinburg and the mountain tops. Decided to begin my day in Skybridge Park and enjoy the views and new features. The Christmas lights were already hanging on the Skybridge and made for a festive walk across. Grabbed some lunch after spending a few hours on top of the mountain and mapped out the next adventure.

I made my way to view smaller waterfalls on my previous Smoky Mountain adventures but wanted to hike to one of the larger falls this year. Laurel Falls was recommended by a lot of folks I spoke with, so I decided it was the next stop on my trip. Turns out Laurel Falls was about 15 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg, so it was a quick trip getting there. It took me a little time to find a parking spot since this was a popular destination. I almost turned around due to the number of cars parked at the trailhead. Glad I decided to make the trek up the mountain.

This trail was paved so this made it a bit easier to get up the mountain. There were a lot more people on the trail than I normally see in the mountains, but everyone was friendly going up and coming back down. The inclines grew gradually but you could tell we were walking up the mountain. The views were amazing and there were multiple spots with steep drop-offs. Please note, I saw bear #2 at the bottom of one of these steep drops. It was a cub getting some sun and mama bear was close by. We were safely out of range, so I continued my trek up the mountain to view the falls. Again, there were people everywhere but finally getting to the falls was well worth the traffic on the trail. I was able to get several good pictures of the fall and surrounding area, glad I didn’t let a crowded parking area keep me from this trail.

My walk back allowed me to get some great pictures of the mountains and the fall colors. Took in as much of the scenery as possible before heading back to Gatlinburg. I recommend Laurel Falls if you make it to the Smoky Mountains.

Made my way to Ole Red after my mountain adventures to get some food and listen to live music. I have seen this place before but never made my way in. This is a place to add to your dining experience when you visit Gatlinburg. I decided to get the meatloaf wrapped in bacon and mashed potatoes. It was as good as it sounds. 😊

Home

The mountains were good to me again this year. Can’t wait to visit again in 2022!

Irie!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

(Image by Satheesh Sankaran from Pixabay)

2020 has been a tough year for us all!

The good folks from the Walk into the Future blog wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy 2021 New Year!

The challenges we endured in 2020 will lead to a stronger mentality as we get ready to have a FANTASTIC 2021!

“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another”.

(Proverbs 27:17)

I hope the Walk into the Future blog has sharpened you in 2020. Looking forward to another great year enjoying life to the fullest and sharing my experiences, thoughts, and adventures with you in 2021!

Thanks for walking with me! Irie!

Merry Christmas!

Calvin

Poetic Fridays

Step by Step

Steps in this journey

Mark the places I have been

Each one leads to the next goal

And brings into focus the dreams that I dream

Without these steps that I take

The reality of life will have to wait

Why put off what needs to be done

Take the next step in the journey

The life you want has only just begun

Back to the Great Smoky Mountains

“Live a life of quiet inspiration.”

(William Britten)

Let us go ahead and admit it—2020 has been a tough year for us all!

COVID-19 has adjusted how and who we interact with these days. Not a complaint but a simple fact that has become necessary in 2020. A major adjustment for me has been the concept of travel. I got a kick out of labeling myself a running tourist, but this has been almost nonexistent in 2020.

I decided to make another trip to the Great Smoky Mountains for a quick and physical distanced getaway prior to Thanksgiving. I enjoyed myself so much when I hiked in 2019 so wanted to come back to the mountains and find the peace and fresh air again. Happy to report the Smoky Mountains, fresh air and peacefulness are still there—love the ability to get there and just escape for a bit.

My 2019 Smoky Mountains experience and talking with friends allowed me to do more research and plan out my hikes this year. I just rode around and then stopped when I saw something interesting in 2019. I felt like a seasoned hiker in 2020 and made plans for which trails I made a trek on and the order. Felt like I had a better understanding of the hiking process this year and this allowed me to make all the hikes I planned with minimal issues.

Hiking the Smoky Mountains

The weather was fantastic again this year. The morning temperatures started around 45 degrees and warmed up to the low 60s while I was in the mountains. Perfect hiking weather for me—I layered up and was able to shed layers as the day got warmer. I also carried a small backpack this year to carry my water bottles and put my extra layers in when needed.

Discussed trails in the Smoky Mountains with one of my friends who is an avid hiker. She provided me with additional inspiration to get back out in nature and enjoy the process.

Found the following site that describes trails by location, features, distance, and difficulty:

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/location.htm

Used this information to make my hiking experience better this year. 😊

Started my 2020 hiking adventure on the Gatlinburg Trail which has a trail head right on the edge of downtown Gatlinburg. I hiked the Gatlinburg Trail in 2019 but it was more of a warmup type hike for me this year. Wanted to fully explore the Gatlinburg Trail and take it from the trailhead all the way to the end which is about 2 miles.

The end of the Gatlinburg Trail runs directly into the Sugarland Welcome Center and the Sugarland Trails. I hiked this area in 2019 but decided to adjust my route and the distance in 2020. There were a lot more people out on this trail and my goal was to make my way to Cataract falls and get some good pictures. Cataract falls is a major attraction in the Sugarland Trails area, so everyone wants to stop and get pictures there—only spent a few minutes at the falls before it was time to move on down the trail. Bumped into a couple from Wisconsin who decided to ask me for trail directions—I helped them as much as possible but explained to them I live in Florida and I am just out walking in the woods. Guess it is a good thing they felt comfortable enough to stop and ask me for direction. People are friendly when in the mountains. 😊

Decided to head further up into the mountains to tackle my next adventure. Research shows the Clingman Dome as the highest elevation in the Smoky mountains. I did not feel comfortable making the trek in 2019 but put it firmly on my 2020 adventure list. Thought of it more as a challenge and wanted to get to the highest point in the Smokies to get some great shots.

The drive up was nice—I wanted to stop and take pictures but decided to get up the mountain and take pictures on the way down. The cloud cover or smoke in the mountains got thicker the higher up I drove. That is when I realize how far up the mountain I had traveled because I was in the clouds on the ascent. Amazing experience and one I will repeat as often as possible. There is peace in the mountains! The area attracted a large group of visitors, but everyone was friendly and gave each other space for pictures and the trek up to the Dome. Please note, the trek up to Clingman’s Dome is paved but the incline is extreme, and the elevation is over 6,600 feet. This was the first time I noticed hikers taking breaks on their way up the mountain. I soon realized the altitude and incline would impact me as well. I did not stop moving but my pace was a lot slower than it was when I started the climb up. I also realized I left my water bottles back in my vehicle but did not stop climbing higher.

I will report the climb up to the Clingman Dome was well worth the pain! The views were covered in smoke (clouds) but you could still see the peaks and valleys below. The wind whipping the clouds around sounded like the clouds were singing—amazing being so high up in the Smoky mountains. The Clingman Dome borders right on the Tennessee and North Carolina state lines. I crossed over into North Carolina on this portion of my hike.

I took a quick detour on my descent from the Clingman Dome and ventured onto a portion of the Appalachian Trail. Decided it was worth the trip since I was already high up in the mountains. I did not go far on the Appalachian Trail because this portion was very rocky, and I wanted to save my legs for my next trail adventure I had mapped out.

https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/clingmansdome.htm

My last trail was the Chimney Tops Trail, and it was well worth the hike. The trail description identifies the difficulty as moderate which it may be, but this was my fourth trail of the day and my legs were screaming all the way up the trail. I would recommend doing this trail first if you visit the Smoky mountains or do it on a separate day. The hike up the mountain is very scenic and offers multiple opportunities to take some great pictures. The terrain changes multiple times on the ascent but it is an exciting hike. I had to stop and take breaks multiple times on the Chimney Tops Trail. This was due to the fact I had been hiking multiple trails and probably should have deferred this trail for the next day after getting some rest. Discovered a new mental toughness as I slowly made my way up to see the views I had read about.

I almost gave up on making it to the top but a fellow hiker who was coming back down gave me a little extra inspiration to make it to the top. He casually said to me, “You are only 4 minutes away from the top”. I think we both knew he was lying to me to keep me going forward but surprisingly it worked because I put a smile on my face and kept going. I made it to the top about 15 minutes after encountering my hiking friend and was extremely happy I did not give up. The views and the feeling of accomplishment were well worth the leg pains I endured to make it up the Chimney Tops Trail. Mind over matter came into play while making this hike and I am happy I made it to the top. We can accomplish anything we put effort into, and the Chimney Tops Trail become my Mount Everest! Pun intended! 😊

http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/chimney.htm

The descent down from Chimney Tops was just as beautiful as going up. My legs were in better shape to walk down the mountain after I took about 30 minutes to just sit still at the top and admire the beauty of the Smoky Mountains. I recommend you visit it if you have not been there because of the peacefulness the mountains bring. The hikes are a great distraction and provides an opportunity to get out and get some exercise at the same time.

Skybridge

Decided not to do the Gatlinburg Skybridge this year because the lines were too long, and people were not practicing physical distancing while standing in line. I will try the Skybridge again on my next adventure back into the mountains.

https://www.gatlinburgskylift.com/skybridge

Moonshine tasting

Yes, I made it back to the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery to get more moonshine. They have added a few new flavors this year and I got a chance to taste them all. Some I liked and others were not that great—not a huge fan of the flavored moonshine (Sour Apple, etc.). I was shocked they were out of my favorite moonshine, Blue Flame which is 128 proof. They replaced it with a 10^th Anniversary edition which is the Ole Smoky Moonshine 153. Yes, that is 153 proof moonshine! It has a kick to it, but I played it safe and got my tried and true White Lightning which is ONLY 100 proof. 😊 Will make the Ole Smoky Moonshine Distillery a regular stop each time I am back in Gatlinburg.

https://olesmoky.com/collections/moonshine.

Got all of this done the weekend before Thanksgiving and still was able to enjoy time with my family as we gave thanks for 2020. It has been a tough year but there are still things to be thankful for.

Thanks to you for reading my words and following my adventures! Here is to a great end of the 2020 year and a better 2021—let’s make it happen!

Irie!

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