Chimney Tops Trail: Total Distance = 4.0 miles Total Elevation Gain = 1,487 feet (in only 2 miles) Difficulty for a casual hiker Difficulty for an avid hiker Directions to Trailhead: From the Sugarland’s Visitor Center just outside Gatlinburg, head south on Newfound Gap Road about 6.5 – 7 miles. You’ll eventually see the peaks rise up before…
Good ol’ Rocky Top (Hey!)
What makes Knoxville so great? Aside from actually getting to experience all 4 seasons, we are also the gateway to the Smoky Mountains. The most visited National Park in the U.S.A. It’s not even a close race. In 2014 GSMNP boasted 10.1 million visitors, dwarfing the Grand Canyon in 2nd place with 4.7 million. But…
Moonlit Walk in Cades Cove
Cades Cove is an isolated little valley located in the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. Erosion created this unique and historic place that is surrounded by the beautiful mountains of East Tennessee. John Oliver and his wife were the first white settlers here in the early 1800’s – you can still visit their original cabin…
Snowy Hike on Rich Mountain Loop
In January, we decided it was time for a wintry hike in the Smokies on a weekend when the upper elevations received a nice dusting of snow. Our buddies, the Brownes, tagged along with us up the Rich Mountain Loop. The loop starts at the Cades Cove parking lot just before starting down the Cades…
Tales from the Top
Well, while I’m holed up at the house with some “head crud” as the doctor called it, I may as well get this blog done. Seasoned hikers know to prepare for varying weather conditions. It’s why we look silly when we roll out of the house dressed in layers and packing rain gear despite crystal…
Hiking Team Brown(e): Gregory Bald Flame Azaleas
Last weekend, the Browne’s were going on a hike up to Gregory Bald to attempt to catch the infamous Flame Azaleas at their peak. They invited us along for the ride, err hike, I should say and we graciously accepted being the mountain loving, hiking crazed fiends that we are. Hubs knows about every trail…
Cades Cove
We made a little Sunday trip to Cades Cove a few weeks ago to have a picnic. We took some cheese, crackers, apples and grapes to enjoy. Our picnic was nice aside from the bugs and heat bearing down on us. Then it got cut short by a big ol black bear walking across the…