Goshen Prong Backpack Trip - Smokies

“What a delightful trail! I loved the Goshen Prong trail - very pretty. Here's the trip report and link to photos:

Saturday morning Ewker, ETman, and I got up and headed for the Smokies to begin a great trip along the Goshen Prong Trail. We had to do a car shuttle, leaving a vehicle at Elkmont and driving the other one up to Clingman's Dome. When we got to the Dome, it was socked in with clouds, was windy, and COLD!!! Brrrrr! We bundled up and headed over to the Forney Ridge Trail and followed it the 6/10 mile up to the AT.

Once we reached the AT we were in the clouds big time. It was kind of nice, though, even though we did miss some great views. Hiking in the misty clouds is a whole different way to explore the trail, as it seems quieter.

We hiked to the AT/Goshen Prong Trail junction, about 1.5 miles down the AT. At this junction we stopped to eat lunch, and the excitement began. It was here that the great and all-powerful ETman saved Ewker's life. Ewker got choked on a piece of beef jerky. He was gagging and carrying on something awful! I thought he was just barfing up the hummus he had for lunch (I hate that stuff). But when I asked him if he was okay, he was able to croak out "I'm choking!" I got up and asked him if he could breath. Duh. He was turning purple. In the meantime, ETman calmly gets up and does the hindlick, uh, I mean the Hemlich Manuever on Ewker. Out popped the jerky, and all was well. Ewker could breath again! Little did we know at the time that ETman wasn't feeling so hot and was wondering if he (ETman) was having a heart attack. He told us this later. Whatever it was went away, thank goodness, and ETman also lived to finish this trip.

When we started down the Goshen Prong Trail, all we could see were blowdowns. Oh man. This could be a LONG 4.4 miles to camp. Fortunately it ended up being a very short distance along the trail that we had to fight the blowdowns. After getting by that section, the Goshen Prong Trail was absolutley delightful! We hiked the 4.4 miles to backcountry campsite #23 in no time at all. Well, we did stop a lot and take photos. ETman learned more about wildflowers than he ever wanted to know. He became well-acquainted with the Sweet White Trillium. He also determined that Ewker and I are two crazy people when it comes to wildflowers and photos.

We got rained on as we hiked down the trail, but it was a gentle rain. When we got to camp, Ewker pulled out a tarp and the three if us got it set up. He figured if it rained, at least we would have some shelter where we could cook and hang out. Well, as soon as the tarp was up, out came the sun.

Backcountry campsite #23 is a very pretty site. We really enjoyed were we stayed, plus there were only 4 other people besides us there. The campsites were far enough apart that each group had plenty of privacy.

Sunday morning we got up to gorgeous blue skies and great hiking temps. We broke camp early - Ewker and I knew it would take a while to get back to the car if there were a lot of wildflowers. We did see lots of wildlfowers, and were thrilled when we spotted Jack-in-the-Pulpit. Ewker pulled out a piece of Tyvek so we could lay on it and get photos. ETman was giddy with excitement. He couldn't control himself, so he went ahead and hiked on down the trail. Again, he thought we were completely and totally nuts. Ewker and I were like kids in a candy store with all the wildflowers.

We continued our hike on down the Goshen Prong Trail, and eventually picked up the Little River Trail which took us back to the car at Elkmont.

It was a great trip, wonderful trails, beautiful wildflowers, and good friends. I think I can safely say the three of us had a good time.

Here's the link to the photos:

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2834364990054022617jkWTva”

“woodzie - Thanks for the delightful trip report and the wonderful pictures. Even the first picture was great.

You brought back many memories for me. I've been hiking along that section of the AT and many others within the Park in those clouds. And each time my thoughts were "Please don't rain." I hope to get to CS#23 soon.

Can you tell me if you noticed a bridge, perhaps, across to CS#24. There is one bridge near there, but it needs two more or a long one unless they've been added. The water there has always been ice cold for my visits. And some times it was almost waist deep and difficult to wade across. I'm just hoping, since to do an overnight at 23, I will likely have to do a three night trip, 24, 23, 24.

I was surprised that you did not have a picture of the waterfall just north of the junction with the Cucumber Gap Trail. Long ago I went swimming in the Little River somewhere in that area. It took some getting used to, but it was a warm summer day. Back in '85-'88 I sometimes did the 6-mile loop three times per day from Elkmont CG and across the Cucumber Gap Trail. Saw my first black bear in the Park along that route as well as many deer.

Across from the parking area at the road junction there is a large, sunken area or a depression. In the old Elkmont Days that was called "The Refrigerator." It was cooler there in the shade of the thick trees and people would keep food cool by storing it in holes in that area. And where the major bridge out of the area is located at the tip of the camping area, there was a swimming hole. It was just a little ways up stream from the bridge and was formed by a small dam of rocks spanning the River. The pool was not very deep, but it was perfect for the children. The Park People hated it, because in accordance with the original agreement, the Park had to maintain the dam for the residents in the nearby houses. It was a job, since every storm would wash part of the dam away!

There used to be a campsite, probably CS#25, about one mile west of CS#23. I could be temped to bushwack to it some future day.

Again, thanks for posting the report and the pictures. I enjoyed it all.”

“I love that trail!

This trail is a beautiful trail, especially in winter. We gotta get a group of us and go back there one day sometime.”

“Woodzie, nice job on the report.


Nowslimmer, the trail to the old campsite #25 is about 1/10th of a mile from campsite 23. We saw where the trail went but it ends where 2 streams join together. We couldn't see the trail on the other side plus I had left my notes in the car on how to get there.
We did see a clearing where you could camp by one of the streams. That may or maynot be the old campsite since we didn't see a way down to it.

I should get my pics up tonight.

This was a good trip even with the incident at the trail junction.”

“Loved your pics Woodzie, really brought me there. Ewker, was that some of your home made jerky? ETman- You da man!”

“Nice trip report Woodzie. Looks like I missed another fun trip. I really hope we can get together for a hike soon. I love the pictures, especially of the wildflowers! I have always wanted to find a Showy Orchis, but never have.

So who is the skinny guy is the goofy orange crocs?”

“Very nice photos Woodzie.”

“Creek Dancer - there was a Showy Orchid in flower next to the AT on the way up from Tye River to Harper's Creek this weekend. Also a bunch of fire pinks, pinkster flower, rock cress, and spider wort ...”

“You're killing me HOI! Oh boy, I better get out there this weekend or I will miss the whole show.”

“ok so I am late but the pics are finally up

http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/558912335oXDjPX”

“Thanks for posting the pictures. I'll be looking at them later. Could you really see Fontana Lake from the Clingmans Dome Bypass Trail?
last edited: 5/03/07 9:18:10 PM”

“Nowslimmer, that has to be Fontana Lake in the distance. There isn't any other lake shown on the Smokies map that big”

“keep in mind that one only needs to be able to see less than 10 mi. to the eastern bulk of fontana lake from clingmans dome area. its >6000ft elevation makes this quite easy, even from slightly lower on the bypass trail.”

“Nice Montrail boots”