I started off the day by walking down the road that crosses the top of Fontana Dam. At the other end of the dam the trail turns right, officially enters the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and follows another road up a hill for awhile before finally re-entering the woods. The hike that morning was a KiLLER! Straight up almost 4,000ft of elevation gain. It was rough but the weather was nice so the day was pretty enjoyable. After hiking 11.3mi I pulled into my first Smoky Mtn shelter and snagged the top left bunk. The shelter was a sturdy built stone shed with a tin roof and open front. Tarps have been fastened across the front by former guests in order to keep out the wind and rain.
The wind and rain came down with a vengeance all night! I stayed warm and dry and the noise from the storm actually helped drown out the orchestra of snoring coming from my shelter mates. Thankfully, I brought earplugs!
It took me 6 days of hiking to get thru the 72mi of trail in the park. I made it thru without venturing into town and had to carry 6 days of food in my pack. It was HEAVY the first few days but got lighter as I hiked/ate. I was briefly tempted to hitch into Gatlinburg when i crossed US441 at Newfound Gap. I developed cheeseburgeritis and was dreaming of civilization. Luckily, when I got to the crowded tourist overlook at the highway I was greeted by a couple who were providing trail magic to the thru-hikers. They fixed me up with a bowl of homemade chili, sodas, and endless snacks. I LOVE trail magic! I pushed on past the highway with a full belly and made my way down the trail towards the shelter for the night. It was a good day :0)
Everyone always warns to be prepared for the weather in the Smokies... I got it all. I encountered warm, cold, wet, rainy, sleet, and VERY windy weather while walking thru the park. The most concerning was the day that I walked over some beautiful balds with tall flowing grass and short shrubby trees that ebbed and flowed with the wind.... The winds were gusting around 70mph that day and my pack was like a sail. I got knocked down a few times. Once into a bush! I'm sure it would be hilarious on film but it was a little concerning at the time. Still a cool experience tho!
Overall, the Smokies were an amazing place and I had a great time there. Although I did NOT enjoy being forced to sleep in the shelters during my stay in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, I did enjoy the hiking. The forest began to transform into whole new species... I was now hiking thru green needled trees and wildflowers. The views were some of the most stunning yet. I was experiencing the Southern Mountains in a whole new way and loving every bend of the trail.
I left the park on 4/19 and made my way towards the Spot where the AT intersects Interstate 40. It's somewhere between Knoxville and Asheville. There's a Hostel just up the trail from there and I spent two nights resting up in the hay loft of a 100 year old barn. The sleeping accommodations at Standung Bear Farm Histel consisted of a bunkhouse, cabin, a field for tenting, and an old barn. Everything else was full so I slept in the 100 year old barn. It was actually pretty cool despite the rumors of hauntings.
It's a HUGE feeling of accomplishment to have made it thru the Smokies. I'm beginning to feel like I might have a real shot at finishing this adventure and I'm looking forward to the challenges ahead. There will be many!
237.9mi hiked ... 1943.1 to go!
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