Smokies Dayhike

“Last Friday I had decided I wanted to go some where. The weather was going to be nice and I didn't want to stay home. At the last minute I decided to head to the Smokies. I went homeloaded up my car camping stuff in the car and took off.

I arrived at Cosby campground around 11:00. I paid my fees, got everything setup and had a cold beer to relax.

The next morning I was up early waiting on woodsie to show up. By the time I got everything put away we took off around 8:30.
One thing nice about Cosby campground is all the trails that start there.

We started up Low Gap Trail to the AT. This hike was approx 2.5 miles and a steady climb. Along the way the wildflowers were everywhere. Right before we got to the intersection of the AT I rounded a corner and it was like seeing snow everywhere but on the trail. The Fringed Phacelai was on both sides of the trail for as far as you could see.
Once we got to the AT we had a 2.3 mile hike to the Mt Cammerer Trail, then .6 mile to the Tower itself.
I was stopping and taking pictures of all the wildflowers/views.
The view from the tower was clear and we could see for miles. While we were eating lunch a few more people showed up. We chatted with them right before we left.
When we got back to the intersection of the AT we originally had talked about going back down the way we came up but decided to take the longer way back. I am glad we did.
It was a 2.3 mile hike down the AT to the Lower Mt Cammerer Trail. I had hiked up this way before and don't remember it being that bad. My knees and feet hurt going down. I think it was due to all the trail maintenance that had been down to put in the so called steps. I hate going up or down those manmade one. I realize it is to help the trail but it tears my knees up.
After getting to the intersection we had 7.4 miles to the campground.
This trail was super. It looked like it hardly gets used as we walked on leaves and pine needles most of the way back. You don't realize it as the trail seems flat but you are going downhill slowly. The trail could have been renamed Trillium Trail because of all the different colored trillium we saw. These were also the largest ones, some of the leaves were larger than my hand.
There is a really nice campsite (35 I think) along this trail. It is about 3.3 miles from Cosby campground. As we wound our way back down woodsie looked up and saw Mt Cammerer in the distance. It seemed like we had just left there.

The day ended back at Cosby with a total of 15.5 miles walked. It was a great day to be out.
The next morning I drove into Gatlinburg to drive the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail. That was a pleasant drive with lots of places to get out and explore. I stopped by the Happy Hiker and chatted with them for a while. I made my last stop at the visitor center to talk to the Rangers about an old map I have (actually borrowed).

I made the drive towards Townsend instead of backing tracking thru G'burg, Pigeon Forge and Seiverville.

Just glad I decided to go at the last minute. what a great weekend

pics are here. One is of the trails and the other is the wildflowers. If I have made a mistake on the flowers please let me know.

wildflowers http://community.webshots.com/album/342217492IloGAv

Low Gap Trail Pics http://community.webshots.com/album/342218465ZrlioD”

“Nice pictures. That tower must have offered some great views. I am always interested in the old graves I find along the trails. Too bad so few are legible.”

“Nice pics. I like the Cosby area too.

I'll be in the smokies this weekend. It'll be Laurels first visit. Glad to know the wildflowers are out in force.”

“Cool pics Ewker. It was a beautiful weekend to be out there! Too bad I missed all the flowers when I was there in March.”

“Nice pics! I really liked the ones from the tower and the ones with the flowers everywhere.”

“Hey, I've been there. I took a bit of a nap at the intersection of the Low Gap Tr and the AT.

Nice pics, Ewk!”

“Cool Ewker - I did that hike two months ago when the early Bloodroots were coming up on Low Gap. I hiked Fork Ridge trail to Deep Creek a couple weeks ago and came to a valley of Fringed Phacelia.. I almost cried it was so beautifuL!”

“smokygirl, I almost called you on the way back home.

tara, didn't you and binks stay at the campsite on the Lower Mt Cam. Trail?”

“Yes, we did. And, Walnut Bottoms the next night. April '03. There were wildflowers in bloom then, too.”

“I don't think the saxifrage you have is Michaux's - more likely its Saxifraga micranthidifolia, "lettuceleaf saxifrage" - take a close look at the leaf and see it you agree with me. Also the flower did not show the two smaller petals that Michaux's has. Habitate looked wrong also - Michaux's likes relatively dry rock faces with lots of sun.”

“HOI, I was hoping you would show up. Thanks I need all the help I can get on labeling.
As I was taking these pics I was wishing you could be there to tell me the names of them all...lol

That would make it the Brook Lettuce (lettuceleaf saxifrage) right?

Do you think I got the Wake Robin and Vasey's Trillium right. I know one hangs below the leaves while the other is above..I hope”

“Did you smell the Wake Robin? That's a good way to tell - it attracts carrion flies so it smells like poop...”

“nice hike... we did that back in august. we had trouble finding water so we filtered it off the rocks next to the tower which tasted like s--t but once we made some mac and cheese and after some gatorade mix it was great!”

“Nice report. Glad you enjoyed the hike.”

“That's a good way to tell - it attracts carrion flies so it smells like poop...”
smokygirl
5:42:27 PM
5/10/05

glad I didn't do that.”

“Enjoyed the wildflower pics, thanks for sharing :)”

“Decided I needed to hit the trail, so up Bote Mountain Trail to Finley Cane, across to Turkey Pen, back across that to School House Gap trail and down to point of beginning.

Total distance: 9.1 miles
Total time: 3 hrs 20 minutes
Total food/drink consumed: 1 pack cheese crackers, 1 bag M&M's, 1 qt water
Total people seen on Turkey Pen trail: 0

Enjoying a day in the woods when the sky constantly changed from a low ominous overcast to a mostly clear sky with high scattered clouds:

priceless.”

“Sweet! Good for you.”

“sounds nice. I've got the fever now that the weather is nice and the knee is healed.”