One White Blaze at a Time
- findingfrankie2023
- Jul 22, 2024
- 6 min read
This past weekend trip marks my first steps on the Appalachian Trail! I have crazy dreams to hike the whole dang thing. I have no idea when or how. One white blaze at a time is the extent of that plan. A spur of the moment getaway to Gatlinburg set the plan in motion.
But First the Back Story
Back in October 2023, Bob and I planned a visit to Savannaha, Georgia. Extended travel is hard for him so I thought we would break up the drive with a stop in Dawsonville, GA at the Georgia Racing Hall of Fame. #NotaRacingFanButMyHusbandIs! During planning, I decided on staying at The Lodge at Amicaloa Falls State Park and sneaking in a quick day hike. It wasn't until after I made reservations that I realized the park was home of the beautiful stone arch in the movie "A Walk in the Woods" (starring Robert Redford/Nick Nolte). The stone arch is behind the Amicaloa Falls Visitor Center and the start of the approach trail that leads through the park and to the southern terminus of the Appalachian Trail. That trip re-sparked by interest in hiking, lit a fire for setting foot on the AT and led me to starting this blog site to document our travels.
Spur of the Moment Getaway
I had 10 days left to my "Use it or lose it" annual vacation bank. Work has been crazy, but it worked out to take the week off. We recently visited Eleuthera, Bahamas (Click HERE for that Blog Post) which had significantly depleated our vacation budget. However, I saw someone post in a local Facebook group they were planning to hike the Clingman's Dome to Newfound Gap section and would be happy for anyone else to accompany them. Yes, please!
I found a cute hotel, The Appy Lodge. The theme is centered around decor, education and heritage of the trail while also providing excellent accommodations for visitors. Throughout the Lodge, there are several prints by an amazing artist named Robert A. Tino. A fortunate stroke of serendipity allowed us to discover he has a gallary in Sevierville. I highly recommend a visit to this charming farm house on the way back to I-40!
Arrival Day
We shopped a bit before arrival. I love Lodge Cast Iron and we stopped at a store. They had adorable "Great Smoky Mountains 2024" skillets and a few other treasures I couldn't live without. Next we visited the 3-story gun and knife store. I let go of Bob's hand and couldn't find him for what seemed like hours (he conveniently left his phone in the car). Don't make this mistake :-)
For dinner, we ordered in pizza and after a rest decided to take the trolly into town. YOLO...just get on the trolly and figure it out from there! There is a trolly stop at The Lodge, but to get to the Sky Lift, you have to jump from the purple line to the red line. The trolly's seemed accessible, but if we had used Bob's scooter I think we would have just driven to a parking area. There is an accessible trail at the top of the SkyPark, but the bridge itself is not accessible. Bob took pictures of me while I walked across!
The pre-Hike - Newfound Gap
Bob decided to go with me at the last minute. I think the shipment of bear spray and bear bells got him a little nervous. I woke with a pounding heachache and a downpour in the forecast. I am a fan of the"hike your own hike" motto. I let the Facebook acquaintances know I would not be meeting them but mid-morning I felt better and the rain had subsided.
In all my years visiting Gatlinburg, I've never been to Clingman's Dome. I knew it would be safely populated and I knew the AT crossed at Newfound Gap so I would at least be able to step on it. So, off we went!
The drive was beatiful. It drizzled rain and the temperature continued to drop as we went up the mountain. We stopped at Newfound Gap for the classic NC/TN border picture. I could see the trailhead from there and my personal photographer graciously agreed to the photo op. Once there, I could see the white blaze trail marker not too far from the trailhead. He read my mind before I could even ask and grabbed the hiking poles. As we approached the blaze, Bob adamantly announced he was getting a t-shirt that said "I hiked the AT"! We found him one at The Appy that says "One White Blaze at a Time. It is very much a testament to the journey we've been on the past 8+ years.
The Hike - Clingman's Dome
Onward and upward to Clingman's Dome we went. Due to the steep incline of the trail, Bob's plan was to watch a couple movies. I decided to carry my pack so I could get some experience with elevation. I also knew there were 2 connector trails to the AT (Thanks to Wilderness Wanderings) and thought after visiting the tower, I'd at least hike 15 minutes one way and then turn to head back down to the Clingman's Dome parking.
Shew....it's a steep .5 mile up! I made it and the tower was magical. Upon arrival there was limited visibility. I started chit chatting with a couple from Georgia and all of a sudden the sun started to shine and you could see way in the distance!
The 2nd AT access point can be found on the left before you enter the ramp to the tower. This also overlaps with the Mountains-to-Sea trail. I walked down it, hung a right and walked for 15 minutes. It was just far enough to no longer hear the mass amounts of people and to get a little lost in the sounds of nature. Serenity Now! I turned back but as I was about to exit to the 1st trail I passed a large church youth group who had started at the parking lot on the Clingman's Dome Bypass trail rather than the paved tower trail incline.
I decided to take the bypass and glad I did. The fog kept visibility limited, but it was much quieter and a lot less populated! I found a nice spot to rest a few minutes and take it all in. The Forney Ridge Trail was densley wooded but an easy hike back to the parking area.
After Hike - Resting and Dinner
Afterward, we traveled down the mountain. We left a comfortable 62 overcast temperature for a sunny 92 in Gatlinburg! For dinner that night, we had reservations at The Park Grill. I had the trout and Bob had steak. The salad bar was AMAZING!
Next Trip
I hoping for another trip this year to hike more of the AT. Gatlinburg will always be special to us but I love it in the fall.
A few accessbile trails I've researched include these listed below. We also discovered we do not have to have a parking pass if you have a valid handicap parking plaque.
Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail
There are a couple of waterfalls on this trail, Grotto Falls and Rainbow Falls, but both require a hike to see them and the trails are not wheelchair accessible.
There is one waterfall that can be seen from your vehicle on the motor nature trail, Place of a Thousand Drips, which is near the end of the 5.5 miles. Place of a Thousand Drips is considered a “wet weather” waterfall, so you may want to consider the weather forecast if you’re hoping to see both the stream and the falls in full force during your trip.
Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail - .5 mile Headed towards clingmans dome
Cataract Falls, if you can get a parking spot here, it’s only one-tenth of a mile (no inclines):
Little River Trail - While not as wheelchair accessible as Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail, Little River Trail is totally possible for wheelchair users that don’t mind a bit of off-roading.
Meigs Falls - The Meigs Falls pull off is a couple of miles past The Sinks. Heading toward Cades Cove, the Meigs Falls pull off will be on the left. Look for a stone walled pull off. The falls are visible midway on the pull off.
The Sinks - Neither of these stops are marked. The Sinks is about 12 miles from the Sugarland Visitor Center and will be on the left. It has a very small parking area but it is just a few yards to the ibservation area.
Gatlinburg Space Needle
Morton Overlook would be another sunset point that is easily accessible.
I started a new tradition after our Savannah trip. When we visit places, we buy a postcard (or two...or three). We make notes to one another and mail them from the city we are visiting. Two of the three arrived today (4 days after our return). It's a great reminder of the highlight of our trip.
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