Settelers museum

I ran across this museum which is an old farm and a one room school house built in the late 1800's. They had good information on who settled this part of the country and where they came from.

550 mile assesment

It took me over 2.5 hours to go 2 miles yesterday and by the end of the day I could hardly walk. I've decieded to backtrack to the road and find some medical help.

river

It had been a long day and my ankle really hurt so after crossing this stile I stopped and taped up my ankle.

Cold morning

Last night it was VERY COLD and I froze. This video says it all.

Grayson highlands ponies

The top of the mountain is grass covered instead of tree covered. To keep the trees in check, the park service keeps herds of horses up here. They keep the trees cut back and the top of the mountain grass covered. Oh, and they also stick their heads right into the shelter and beg for food!

Ridge top in the Smokey Mts

As I walked the ridge up on the top of the Smokey Mts it got so narrow that my walking stick was wider than the trail. (This video is out of sequence but it's still a good one)

Cold day

It started out cold this morning and never got any warmer in fact, I think that it got colder as the day went on and I slowly clinbed into the Grayson highlands. It hovered around 32 degs all day. As I passed this rock I noticed that the outside was covered with ice yet under the ice the rock was warm enough to keep water flowing between the rock and the ice shell.

Blue blazing

After Damascus Va, I took a little detour and walked the Va Creeper Trail. It's the old railroad line that ran up into the mountains to bring timber back to the mills. Today it's a Rail to Trails conversion. I'm taking it because of all of the bridges that span the river and to give that big burger that I had for lunch a chance to digest.

Crossing into VA

I finally made it to VA. and in a few more miles I will be in Damascus Va. The trail goes right down the main street. I'm looking forward to a HUGE burger and fries.

Farm land

The trail has taken on a different feel, we are starting to go thru farm land. A nice change from going over mountains.

Water fall video

Here are two waterfalls that I stopped and took a video of, hope that you like them.

Water falls

The waterfalls on the AT come in all sizes. Small ones that just tumble over rocks to large ones that fill the river gorge with noise. Of all of the things that I've seen on the trail the waterfalls stand out in my mind as one of the best keep secrets of the trail.




This one is over 80 feet high.

barbed wire

Many times a week as you walk along you might come to a barbed wire fence. The normal way to go over the fence is by a stile. These can be a series of steps that go over the fence or a board set 90deg to the fence that allows you to step over the fence. At times they can be very easy and sometimes very challenging .

Class 4 trail

Here's a special class of trail, a class 4. Nothing but rock and boulders.

Views from Big Bald Mt

The top of the Mt was nothing but grass and the day was clear so you could see for 40+ miles. Afterwards it was over to the top of little bald mt.
Then it was on to other smaller Balds and a nice view of the trail as it went up a hill and on into the woods.

Flowers of the trail

Here are a few of the different flowers that I've seen on the trail. Sometimes they carpet the forest floor and other times it's just one lone flower on the side of the trail. no matter what, it is nice to see after a long hard climb.

Pictures of the Smoky Mt trail

Shelter life in the Smoky Mt.



Views from the trail

Pictures of the Smoky Mt trail

Shelter life in the Smoky Mt.



Views from the trail

Waterfall

About 500 feet up a mountain I came across a nice waterfall.

April fools day

I'd hiked up this mountain for a long time when I came to a side trail that went up to the top of the mountain. there is a fire tower at the top so I took a video of the tower, hope that you like it.

Class 3 trail

Here's an example of a class 3 trail.