Trails & Tribulations On The Way From Rainbow Falls To Mt. LeConte

One of my goals this year in hiking was to finish the Smokies Centennial Challenge and hike the other four trails to Mount LeConte that I had yet to traverse. On Friday I completed one and moved two steps closer to the other. While I will write more on each of these topics the 15 miles I hiked to LeConte completed the Smokies Challenge and the two trails I hiked Rainbow Falls and Bullhead just leaves me two more left. It was cool to complete the challenge on the Smokies most iconic mountain, however it wasn't easy.

Where I am headed.

When I was at the trailhead I couldn't seem to get my stuff together. I thought I had everything I needed but discovered that I had left my spare battery in the car, but luck for me I was lucky from some reason I decided to bring my old Canon Camera or I wouldn't have gotten half the pictures I did. While that was annoying of more concern was when just about half-mile into the hike up the Rainbow Falls Trail my second toe on my right foot started hurting. For those who don't know I still had six miles to get to Mt. LeConte. I thought it was just my sock but when I took my boot off it was red, but not blistered. Lucky for me I carry moleskin and I put a strip of that on it.

.

The trailhead

Start of the trail.

When I reached Rainbow Falls I decided it wasn't hurting that bad and decided to continue on. Oh, reaching this 80-foot cascade was the last of the big five waterfalls (Abrams, Grotto, Laurel & Ramsey) on the Tennessee side.On the way up I spotted my first Catawba Rhododendrons of the year.

Little Rainbow Falls.

The main event...

...Rainbow Falls.

First Catawba Rhododendrons.

Looks like a ghost rock.

At 5.5 miles I took the Rocky Spur, which was two-tenths of a mile and reconnected with the Rainbow Falls Trail. When I reached the top I toured the LeConte Lodge and got to see the Llamas that bring the supplies to the lodge. I also talked with the young lady, Ryn, who writes the High on LeConte blog.

Rocky Spur.

Pigeon Forge.

LeConte Lodge...

...Wood Booger sighted in front of the dining hall...

....inside.

Ryn & the Llamas.

LeConte Office.

Anyway, since it was a perfect day I headed over High Top (LeConte's summit) and then out to Myrtle Point. When I was here last August the Tennessee side was banked in with clouds and Clingmans Dome was also covered...but not today.

Trail out to...

...past wonderful cliffs...

...with a view of Newfound Gap...

...past High Top...

....Tennessee vista...

....& Myrtle Point.

Clingmans Dome.

After this I passed back by the closed LeConte Shelter because of "aggressive bear activity" and then out to Cliff Top. The view here was fantastic too!

Trail back from Myrtle Point.

LeConte Shelter...

...& the warning.

Trail to....

Cliff Top...

...panorama.

I took the Bullhead Trail back which was steeper and rockier than the Rainbow Trail. On the way down I passed "the Pulpit" built by workers of the Civilian Conservation Corps which was cool. It sat in an area I called "Laurel Alley" because of all the Mountain Laurel. The other thing that happened was that I caught a quick glimpse of a bear. I heard something big in the woods and just spotted it head into the brush.

On the Bullhead Trail.

Gatlinburg.

The Pulpit.

Some of the specimens in "Laurel Alley."

It was here that I passed the 100-mile mark.

I spotted a bear on the way back but didn't get a picture so here is a deer.

Old Sugarlands Trail.

Well, I finally reached end of the Bullhead and finished up on the Old Sugarlands Trail back to the parking area. Even though I was tired and my knees and feet hurt but it was a great hike.