Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Great Smoky Mountain National Park - Gatlinburg, TN

Monday July 20th - Wednesday July 22nd, 2015

Monday

Today my dad, my brother CJ, and our friend and neighbor Zach set out for Gatlinburg, TN and the Great Smoky Mountains.  We had a 3 day, two night adventure planned, filled with hiking and camping.  The drive there was really long, made worse by the car packed to the brim with hiking and camping gear.  We finally made it to the park in the late afternoon.  As I looked up from my Nintendo DS, I saw amazing views of the mountains, and eventually as we drove up the mountains, views of the valleys below.  I stepped out of the car at Clingman's Dome parking lot, and enjoyed the afternoon sunshine and high 60s temperature.

CJ and I at Clingman's Dome parking lot, ready for a hike.

My dad had decided that we would hike the 0.5 miles up to the observation tower and do the 3.6 mile hike to Andrew's Bald.  However, it was late when we got there, so we decided to start with the Andrew's Bald hike.  This hike was 1.8 miles to a "bald" or mountain top without forested vegetation.  At first I loved this hike because it was all downhill!  After just a few minutes, we stopped to take this picture, and made sure we didn't go to the Appalachian trail (my dad said we wouldn't be back for a month had we turned right instead of left!).

Always go left!

After the sign, it was a great hike down.  The trail had many stone steps and was fairly easy to navigate.  After 1.1 miles, however, the trail changed, and we headed uphill.

Elevation change for our hike, courtesy of HikingtheSmokys.com

Just after we started uphill, it started raining!  The trail was tree covered for most of the hike, but we still got pretty wet.  By the time we made it to Andrew's Bald, it was pouring rain.  Without trees at the bald, we had no protection from the rain, so we ran out on the bald, cheered that we made it, and ran for the tree cover of the trail behind us.  We didn't get to see the views that my dad said were worth the hike.

While I enjoyed the hike to the bald, the way back to the car was horrible!  I was soaking wet, and the trail was basically all uphill the last mile.  My dad said we climbed about 600 feet in elevation in our last mile of hiking.  I had never been so happy to be sitting in our car!  Unfortunately, we did not get the chance to hike up to the observation tower at Clingman's dome since it was raining pretty hard and was getting late.

We left Clingman's dome and made the drive down the mountain to Elkmont Campground, our home for the next two nights.  We set up camp, had dinner cooked on the fire, and then passed out!

Tuesday

We woke up having survived a night of rain and storms in our tent.  We ate breakfast and set off for our next hike, an eight mile roundtrip trek to Ramsey Cascades.  The furthest that I have ever hiked was about 4 miles (at Eagle Falls in Cumberland Falls State Park last spring), so I was apprehensive for this hike.  After the drive, we arrived in the parking lot to a view of the river we would be hiking along our journey.

The view from our car at the trailhead to Ramsey Cascades.

The start of the trail.  4 miles isn't that bad, right???

The hike started off well enough.  The trail was gravel and smooth in most parts with some occasional large rocks littered along the trail.  The trail was mainly uphill, but it wasn't so bad...yet.  We crossed over the river on a nice bridge, stopped at benches conveniently placed along the trail, and continued on.

CJ on the bridge.

View from the bridge of the river.

CJ and I (a little farther back!) at the begging section of the trail.

At the 1.5 mile mark, you get a nice view of the river again after having strayed away from it for a little while.  We took a small break to climb down on the rocks.

CJ and Zach taking a break on the rocks.

After this point, the trail changed dramatically.  Gone were the smooth gravel paths.  The last 2.5 miles was a mixture of dirt/mud, large rocks, and exposed tree roots.  Also, the trail was even more uphill at this point, with very little break from climbing.

Elevation change for our hike, courtesy of Hikingthesmokys.com

From here on the trail was very difficult.  We had to make several rest stops to catch our breath as we headed uphill.  We found some good rocks to sit on along the way.  We saw some really huge trees (apparently some of the largest in the park) along the way.

CJ, my dad, and I taking a snack break on some rocks on the river.

There were some very narrow bridges along the way.  I was brave, however, and we passed over them with no trouble.

The first narrow bridge.  It was about 20 feet above the river, about 2 miles from the trailhead.

The 2nd narrow bridge.  This was in the shape of a "V" and slightly wider than the first.

Along the way we had to crawl under a large tree that was down on the path.  All the while, the trail continued uphill.  With the trail again nearing the river and knowing we were getting close to the cascades, I picked up my pace.  Little did I know that the last 1/3 mile was very steep with many slippery stone stairs between me and the waterfall.  Finally, after 4 hours, we made it to the waterfall!

Climbing the last few rocks!

Finally here!

We ate lunch in the cool breeze from the waterfall.  We spent 30 minutes at the waterfall, and then made our slow journey back to the car.  I was excited that the return trip was pretty much ALL downhill, but it was still tiring.  The hike back down took us about 3 hours, so counting lunch, we hiked for 7 1/2 hours today, by far the most I've ever done at one time.  This was probably the hardest thing I have ever done, and my dad kept telling me how proud he was of me for never giving up.

After we finished hiking, we decided it best to head back to camp.  I think now is a good time to talk a little about our camp.  First off, we stayed both nights at Elkmont Campground.  The campground was only 8 miles from Gatlinburg, and my dad told me it was the national park's most visited campground.  We stayed in the "A" loop.  Many sites at Elkmont border the Little River that runs through and along the campground.  Unfortunately, we did not have a site on the river.  However, our site was close enough to the river to be able to hear it at night as it rushed through, giving us a calming sound as we tried to sleep.  Our site was also near a bathroom and the camp store.  We were discouraged, however, when we could not call my mom on our cell phone, since there is no service (at least through Verizon) in the campground.  The campground also did not have electricity available at the campsites, so we had to rely on car chargers for our electronics.  Overall though, we loved this campground and would definitely go there again.

 After we got to the campground, we ate dinner and get to bed early.  We were all super tired after hiking 8 miles and gaining over 2000 feet in elevation.  It was a tiring, stressful, but fun day in the Smokies.

Hanging out at camp!

Wednesday

We broke camp Wednesday morning and headed to Ober Gatlinburg.  To get there, we took the Aerial Tramway that leaves from downtown Gatlinburg.  We enjoyed the 2 mile trip on the tram and the amazing views of Gatlinburg and the surrounding mountains.

View from the tram.  Mout LeConte can be seen in the background.

There was a ton of stuff to do once you got to the top.  They had an indoor skating rink, restaurants, shopping, and a lot of activities.  My brother and my dad decided they wanted to try the Alpine Slide.  To get to the slide, they had to ride the chair lift.  It looked really scary!

The Scenic Chair Lift.

CJ and my Dad starting their ride.

They had fun riding the alpine slide as I rode the swings.  After those activities, we all played mini-golf on top of the mountain.  CJ even had a hole-in-one on the 17th hole!  We decided it was time to head back down, so we got on the tram one more time for the trip back to Gatlinburg.  We ate lunch downtown, bought some fudge at one of the shops downtown, and started the long journey home.  We had such a fun time, we can't wait to head back again!



For more information about the things we did, please visit:
Great Smoky Mountain National Park site - http://www.nps.gov/grsm/index.htm
Clingman's Dome - http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/clingmansdome.htm
Andrew's Bald Hike - http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/andrewsbald.htm
Ramsey Cascades Hike - http://www.hikinginthesmokys.com/ramsay.htm
Elkmont Campground - http://www.recreation.gov/camping/elkmont-campground/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70968
Ober Gatlinburg - http://obergatlinburg.com/

Notes to parents, from parents

This trip was amazing for many reasons, but there were many dangers to be aware of.  First of all, if you decide to camp in the Smoky Mountains, be aware that wildlife, i.e. bears, frequent the campgrounds.  Campers can be fined $75 for not leaving food in the provided "bear boxes" or in their vehicles when they aren't on site.  We also so an abundance of poison ivy at the campground and along the trails.  We always caution to stay on the trails, but it was more apparent here to heed this advice.  Also, many of the areas we hiked had steep sections and drop offs that could cause serious injury or even death.  I cannot stress enough, STAY ON THE TRAIL.

The Andrew's Bald trail starts off pretty easy, since you are hiking downhill for about 1.1 miles.  From there you do go back uphill a bit until you reach the end of the trail.  The trail is in pretty good shape but be careful on rocks that could be slippery when wet.  The last 1.1 miles back to your car, however, are fairly difficult as you gain elevation steadily.  It is rated as a "Moderate" hike, and at 3.6 miles, wasn't too difficult for our children (ages 7 and 8), even in the rain.  In all I think we spent 2-2.5 hours on the trail.  We did not get to see any of the picturesque views from the bald due to the heavy rain, but believe me, it is worth the trip.

The Ramsey Cascade trail is a different story.  For the first 4 miles of the hike, you gain 500+ feet per mile.  This is considered a moderately strenuous hike, and is definitely the hardest hike our sons have completed.  The trail changes drastically at the 1.5 mile mark.  When wet, the trail is muddy, and the many rocks and roots that you must climb could be slippery.  We had to stop quite often to make the journey to the top.  We probably saw every person who hiked to Ramsey Cascades the day we went, and our sons were the youngest on the trail.  It is definitely not a kid friendly trail, but our kids did manage it.  The rangers said to expect a 5-7 hour hike.  We made it back to our car in approximately 7.5 hours.  The trail had two narrow, one sided bridges that could deter many hikers across the river.  The last 1/3 of a mile was steep and very rocky.  However, the trek was well worth it, as the cascades were breathtaking.  As you heard Logan say in one of the videos, there is a sign that warns that 4 people have died at the falls, and urges you to not be the next.  It also says to keep an eye on children when at the falls.  After being there, I can see why.  One wrong step and you could be headed for a long fall down the river.  If you attempt this hike with children, please allow more time than you think for this hike, bring plenty of water, and keep an eye on them at all times. 

Ober Gatlinburg was an interesting change of pace from our previous two days.  There were many people in line for the tram.  You must pay to park on site, or find a free site some distance away and walk.  Before getting on the tram, they take your picture like at many theme parks.  The tram ride took about 8 minutes, and it swayed several times, though nothing too scary.  Once up top you could view your picture, as well as buy tickets for all the activities on the mountain top.  There are several things to do and they have all day passes available, or you can buy individual tickets.  Prices were a little high, in my opinion, for the activities.  Each "ticket" cost $3.50.  The swings that Logan rode were one ticket.  Mini-golf was one ticket.  The alpine slide and chair lift were two tickets together.  The had many other activities that we didn't do that could be fun, especially for younger children.  In the winter time there are more snow-activities to do as well.  It could be a fun place to spend part of a day if you are willing to spend some money doing it.  Just getting up on the tram was expensive, $12 for an adult and $9.50 for children.  We did learn, however, that your tram ticket was good for two days of unlimited riding, which we didn't take advantage of.

Falls of the Ohio State Park

Falls of the Ohio State Park - Clarksville, IN
Saturday, June 6, 2015

This weekend we were visiting Louisville, KY, supporting a friend in a beauty pageant.  We took some of our spare time to cross the river and stop by this small state park in Indiana.  The park runs right along the Ohio river and is part of what used to be rapids along the river.  It is now dammed and most of the falls are flooded.  However, we were treated with a really neat area to explore.  We were able to walk along the fossil bed that was once under water.  There were also a few short trails through the woods to explore.  We found many shells, and a chuck of rock which we thought was coal.  Overall it was a fun, quick excursion out of the big city!

My brother and I looking out towards the river.

Sitting on the fossil beds.

Exploring nooks and crannies along the bluff.

We took a break in the shade and watched a family drive their RC cars on the rocks.

Climbing on rocks!  You can see the bridge to Louisville in the background.  Downtown Louisville is just past the bridge.

My brother will climb on anything...

Exploring the rocky bluff.

Cheesin' while on the trail!

Dixon Springs, Burden Falls, and Ferne Clyffe - Shawnee National Forest, Southern Illinois

April 5, 2015

Happy Easter!  Today we packed our lunches and headed for a road trip to Southern Illinois.  We spent Easter hiking in the beautiful Shawnee National Forest.  We managed to make it to three waterfalls today.

Dixon Springs State Park - Golconda, IL

Our first stop was at Dixon Springs State Park.  We arrived at lunch time so we eat our picnic lunch in one of the picnic shelters.  This early in the year, there weren't very many people in the park, but it seems like it would be a very nice place once summer comes around.  We stopped and took a quick picture at the springs before we hit the trail.

Dixon Springs.  That is the WKYQ Rabbit we took along on our trip.

We decided to hike the Ghost Dance Canyon Trail.  The trails wasn't marked very well, and the trail was hard to follow in a few places.  The trail heads under a large bridge on the highway and follows the stream into the canyon.  Shortly after the bridge, we had to make a stream crossing.  It wasn't too difficult but some of the stones we used to cross were very wobbly.  The cascades were just a short distance further down the trail.  The cascades were very nice, but not as big as many of the waterfalls we've grown accustomed to.  The canyon was very nice and would be pretty once the flowers bloom and trees start to green.

My brother and I at the cascades of Ghost Dance Canyon.

CJ and the WKYQ Bunny peeking for a picture.

Burden Falls - Burden Falls Wilderness, Shawnee National Forest, IL

We next drove up to Burden Falls.  We visited this waterfall last spring, but loved it so much we came back again.  It is probably our favorite waterfall in Southern Illinois.  Even though the hike to the falls is extremely short, we like that you can (very carefully) climb your way down to the base of the falls.  Unlike last year, we learned of a trail downstream of the falls that would climb the bluffs and loop back to the top of the falls.  We enjoyed this hike since it added some distance for us to hike and gave us some good views into the gorge.

Guarding stance!

Teaching the WKYQ bunny how to make a cairn.

CJ staring down Burden Falls.

Ferne Clyffe State Park - Goreville, IL

We love Ferne Clyffe!  This was our third trip to Ferne Clyffe.  This was the longest hike of the day, which only turned out to be about a mile round trip.  It was cool to remember the different parts of the trail as we passed them.  We again climbed the left cliff face of the waterfall to get "behind" the falls and walk a small trail partway up the bluffs.  There is a good elevation change from the trail head down to the falls, so this was a great way to end our day!  I made it all the way back to the car only having to stop once, I'm proud of myself!  Last year we had to stop often for me to catch my breath.

All in all, it was a great way to celebrate Easter, out enjoying nature!


For more information about the places we visited...
Dixon Springs -  http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/r5/DIXON.HTM
Burden Falls - http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/shawnee/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=32309&actid=50
Ferne Clyffe - http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/r5/FERNE.HTM


Notes to parents, from parents:
The Ghost Dance Canyon hike was VERY short (less than 1/2 mile round trip).  There were no signs to lead to the trail (it started near the pool), there were very faint markers on trees, and the trail was not always very apparent.  It should be easy to get to the destination, as you follow the creek the whole way, but down near the cascades, you have to go around and through the trees to get to the base of the falls.  There is a stream crossing to be made during the hike, and we feel it may be difficult after a hard rain.

Burden falls is also a very short hike if all you are wanting to do is see the falls.  You can walk a few feet from your car (if you park in the VERY small, limited parking lot) and see the first of the falls.  You can walk right up to the edge of the large falls (pictured above) so please be extremely careful, especially with small children.  If you decide to hike down to the base of the falls, you have two options.  Option number one is to climb on the right (going down) side of the falls.  It will be pretty apparent the course you will take, but it can be very dangerous as there are semi-steep drop offs and many large boulders.  Option number two is how we hiked out, a trail that crosses the top of the upper falls and follows the bluffs until you climb down a much easier path into the gorge, then hike back upstream to the base of the falls.

We have previously discussed Ferne Clyffe Waterfall Trail in another blog, so for more information, see the previous blog about Ferne Clyffe.

As with all Southern Illinois waterfalls, water levels are best in spring time and after a hard rain.  These waterfalls will be dry or nearly dry come summer.  Happy hiking!

Giant City State Park

Giant City State Park - Makanda, IL

February 7, 2015

Today was break from the cold of winter.  We enjoyed a trip to Giant City State Park in Southern Illinois that saw the temperature reach nearly 60 degrees!  We took the opportunity to spend a few hours on a few of the trails offered at Giant City.

Our first hike was on the 1 mile Giant City Nature Trail.  This is the most popular and crowded hike at the park.  It was not too difficult and was a great beginning hike for the new year.

Walking along the "Streets of Giant City" with my brother.

My brother and I cheezin' between some cliffs.

I hope it doesn't fall on me!

Next, we hiked the 3/4 mile Indian Creek Nature Trail.  This was a less traveled trail.  The highlight was the large bluffs that Native Americans once used as shelter.  We took the opportunity to make the first hiking video of the year!

The sandstone bluffs that Native Americans used as shelter.

Grumpy old man!

Just for fun, I reenacted one of my favorite scenes from one of my favorite movies.  Enjoy!

We had a great day and enjoyed the beautiful weather!

For more information, visit http://dnr.state.il.us/lands/Landmgt/parks/r5/GC.HTM.

Notes for Parents, by parents:
Our hikes were all moderate and short in length, and our children found them all easy.  We also completed the 1/3 mile Arrowwood Self-Interpretive Nature Trail.  This trail was easy and took you to several different labeled tree species.  The only dangerous part of the hike was during the Giant City Nature Trail.  There are some decent drop offs near the trail, but the most danger is if you climb up the bluffs.  There are at least two "paths" that people have used to climb up on top of the "streets" to look back down onto the trail.  We made the climb up, but coming down was fairly steep and could be slippery.  Please watch your children on top of the bluffs and if you take these "paths."  Otherwise, this park was a fairly easy place to hike with the family!

Nashville, TN

Nashville, TN

January 24-25, 2015

This weekend we met some friends in Nashville, TN.  We went to breakfast at Puckett's Grocery, and afterwards went to the Parthenon.  It is a recreation of the real Parthenon in Greece.

My brother and I in front of the Parthenon.

We spent the rest of the afternoon roaming downtown Nashville.

The next day we spent the afternoon at the Adventure Science Center.

We spent 15 minutes at the water table.

My brother's favorite exhibit.

My brother in front of the interactive light wall.

My brother looking out at downtown Nashville from the top of the dome of the Science Center.

One of the exhibits was the Tinkering Garage.  We were able to build anything we wanted to.  They provide the tools, we bring our imagination!  What did we build?  Boxes!

My super-awesome-amazing box!

We had a great time at the science center and a great time in Nashville visiting our friends!

My brother and I getting ready to head home.