Wood Booger Top 5: Best Hikes Of HikeSummer '15

As it is the first week of September that means that HikeSummer '15 has come to a close and that means it is time to look back on the best hikes of the summer season. Like I said in the HikeSummer blog I didn’t have the volume of hikes like I did in the spring, but there was some good one and also some great ones. So, in some ways it was easy and others hard to cut this list down to five. One thing you should notice is the three August hikes in the Top 5. Those three hikes were back-to-back-to-back. Anyway, with that said here are the best-of-the-best of HikeSummer '15.

Honorable Mention 1: Cataract Falls & Cades Cove Hikes (August 1, 2015)

– While it was not hike heavy, the three hikes added up to around three miles, it was fun because Deb and I took her mother to Cades Cove for the first time, and it was my first time hiking with her. The first hike was to Cataract Falls which is at the Sugarlands Visitor Center. The second was another one miler out to the John Oliver Cabin, which is always a nice hike. Finally we went another mile to the Elijah Oliver Place, which I didn’t do on my previous visit to the Cove.

Honorable Mention 2:  Waterfalls in Georgia & North Carolina

(June 9, 2015) – This wasn’t as much hiking as a waterfall tour of Georgia and North Carolina. I hiked less than two miles total, but got to enjoy four waterfalls. The first was one of the last Georgia must see ones…Minnehaha Falls. This required a half-mile out and back hike. Then I drove up “Waterfall Road” on US-64 from Highlands to Franklin in North Carolina. Here I got to enjoy three cascades in the Cullasaja Gorge. One you can drove under, Bridal Veil Falls and the second required a short hike, but was well worth it as Dry Falls was spectacular. Then final falls I visited was right off the highway, Quarry Falls.

Number 5:  Grotto Falls Hike - Day Out In GSMNP On The Roaring Forks & In Gatlinburg (July 11,2015) - On this day I got to finally take a trip on the Roaring Forks Motor Nature Trail, which I have wanted to do for some time, and the added bonus of hiking out to Grotto Falls. The three-mile out and back hike is a popular destination in the Smokies. One of the unique features of this 25-foot free falling falls is that you can walk behind it (it wasn’t that unique for me as this was my third such waterfall this summer). Besides the beautiful falls, there were lovely Rosebay Rhododendrons lining the trail and I also got to hike this one with Deb, which made for an excellent day out.

Number 4: New Friends & The Beauty Spot To Boot Just Another

Day on The AT (August 27, 2015) - Since moving back to Tennessee I have wanted to go out with a hiking group here, so recently I had the chance to accompany the Greeneville Hiking Club on an outing on the Appalachian Trail (AT). The hike was one I had done before, taking the AT from Indian Grave Gap to the Beauty Spot.. I have to say that after my experience at Mt. LeConte with Hike Georgia I was a little wary of going out with a group but I was pleasantly surprised. I will say this was a great hike and I look forward to heading back on the trail with the Greeneville Hiking Club.

Number 3: Chimney Tops, Laurel Falls & The John OwnbyCabin…Just Another Day In The GSMNP (August 13, 2015) - On this day I had three hikes, but one stands above the rest and that was my trip up to the Chimney Tops. This is a GSMNP (Great Smoky Mountains National Park) Hike I have wanted to do for some time. I got here in early in the morning to somewhat beat the rush. The first mile isn’t too bad, but it then starts uphill for the final mile. Let’s just say this trail is pretty steep, but that is the easy part. When you finally arrive at the first Chimney Top it is a scramble up a rock face, so at this point it is more climbing than hiking. Once at the top the view is spectacular, but you will notice a second peak. Let me just tell you listen to the hiking guides and don’t venture any further. Believe me when I say the view isn’t any better. Even with a busted head this was one great hike.

Number 2: Left Behind By Hike Georgia But Still A Great Day At Mt. LeConte (August 22, 2015) - Mount LeConte might be the most iconic mountain in the Smokies and one I have wanted to hike since I first eyed it many moons ago. So when my Hike Georgia put this hike up I jumped at the chance to finally climb LeConte. We went up via the Alum Cave Trail, which is closed during the week, but this was a Saturday so the trail was open. Let me just say I started the day with Hike Georgia, but I didn’t finish, which turned out to be a good thing. I will just say the pace they set about killed me and it wasn’t until they left me behind that this became a great hike. There were highlights on the way up like Arch Rock, Inspiration point, Alum Cave Bluff and Sliding Rock. These would have been enough for most hikes, but I hadn't even reached the top. Once I arrived there I finally got to see the LeConte Lodge (which just made me want to stay here more). Then I hiked out past the Mount LeConte Shelter, High Top (the summit of the mountain), Myrtle Point and finally back to Cliff Tops. If that wasn’t enough, on the way back I got to see the Eye of the Needle. The only things I didn’t see were a bear. This is a Top 10 all-time hike and most seasons would have been one, but not this time.

Number 1: GSMNP Hike To The Jumpoff & Charlie’s Bunion

(June 25, 2015) – So, what could beat a great hike to iconic Mount LeConte, a must needed hike to The Jumpoff, and Charlie’s Bunion,. These two spots rivaled only LeConte on my must-do list of hikes in the Smokies. I had planned to do this one in October of 2013, but the Government Shut-down but the kibosh on that hike. Once again last summer I was going to do it, but it never happened. So, after the flooding issues with my apartment in Dawsonville I had scrubbed my overnight near High Knob in Virginia and my three-day over the Roan Highlands if I was only going to do one hike this summer it was going to be to The Jumpoff and Charlie’s Bunion. Also, with all of the bad luck I had been having I NEEDED this hike….BAD! The hike starts at Newfound Gap and follows the AT all the way to the Bunion. However, before I hiked to the Bunion I took the short detour up the Boulevard Trail to the spur up and over Mount Kephart and down to The Jumpoff. The vista here is one of the best in the Smokies. Then it is back to the AT for the almost one and a half miles out to Charlie’s Bunion, which might be an even better view than The Jumpoff. This was one of the rare days when everything seemed to click and I will just say this hike was a tonic for my soul! This was easily a Top 10 and I will say Top 5 all-time hike, I loved every minute!