I have hiked a lot in the
Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) this year, but the last hike I had was June. I corrected that Saturday with a hike on the Gatlinburg Trail. I have blogged in more detail about it
here, but today Deb's Mom joined us on this pleasant four-mile hike from Sugarlands Visitor Center. Overall it was a fun hike in the GSMNP.
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| We have arrived! |
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| On the Gatlinburg Trail... |
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| ...past the Park Headquarters... |
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| ...& an old cemetery. |
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| Jewelweed (Spotted Touch-Me-Not). |
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| The beauty of the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River... |
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| ...& the trail. |
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| Dogs! |
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| Deb trying to keep up with her Mom. |
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| More river beauty. |
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| Old fireplace just off the trail. |
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| Footbridge from the right bank. |
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| He just loved the water. |
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| At the Gatlinburg Entrance sign. |
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| Fallen Hemlock. |
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| We reached the Gatlinburg end... |
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| ...so we headed over to the NOC.... |
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| ...which always has park weather. |
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| I need to head up to Ober Gatlinburg. |
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| Headed back to the second entrance. |
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| Footbridge from the left side of the bank |
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| On the footbridge. |
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| going past an old homestead. |
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| Deb hiking away. |
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| Orange barriers. |
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| Moth on a Hemlock. |
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| Last 200 yards... |
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| ...to the finish. |
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| Gatlinburg from the Gatlinburg Overlook... |
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| ...& now the vista at the Mt. LeConte Overlook. |
We then headed to Sevierville first stopping at
Chipotle and this experience was better than our
first one. This might be a surprise to some but I went with the vegetarian option of the
Sofritas, the braised organic tofu, and it was very good. We then went to
Tanger Outlet and it was like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge...a madhouse, but it is Labor Day weekend. Now for my rant...
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| Sofritas. |
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| That was the traffic headed in. |
**Here is my warning to any Trump voting hatriot, don't read any further.**
Well with that out of the way it is rant time! OK, if you're not rich and a regular person I don't get it If you are voting for Trump. However, when I see a big Trump sign in the back window of a vehicle at Sugarlands Visitor Center I don't get it. People like Trump and other Republicans underfund the National Parks and would like to privatize them and turn the over to private companies so they can be raped and pillaged. If you don't, believe me, it is in the 2016 Republican Platform (story
here). The days when most Republicans, like
Teddy Roosevelt, defended the National Parks are long gone. Men like him way back in the 1800's and early 1900's understood the importance of public lands. So, a vote for Trump is a vote against the very park that you are taking the time to visit and enjoy.
Hatriots...Nuff said, rant over.
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| Hatroits set up in Rogersville...gas prices are that bad under Obama |
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| Good grief they were also driving a Prius! |
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| Tennessee has Hatroits too! |
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