Boondocking Day 2-Laurel Creek Falls

Happy Birthday to my Brother Dave today

and my S-I-L Cindy yesterday 

Wednesday April 20

Elkmont Campground

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

We ran the generator for an hour this morning

while we did the dishes,

charged up phones, laptops and flashlight batteries;

then set out for

Laurel Falls

and the trail beyond

which was reported to have

Virgin forest. 

I’m the water person;

David is the tree person.

So this hike was great for us both.

Every parking space was taken so

we drove to a 2^nd parking area
and walked back up to the trail  

I was amazed at the number of people

on a Wednesday in mid April. 

I can’t even imagine what this place will be like

during the summer or fall.
 

My advice:  

Don’t come then!!

The 1.3 mile trail up to the falls is blacktopped. 

Weather has taken its toll on the paving

but it is doable for folks in wheel chairs
or pushing strollers. 

The falls are 80’ tall,

Plunge down
run under a bridge

 

 and down again.

While walking across the bridge

I caught him at it again  so

this photo of David’s foot is for Nancy Mills,

a companion to the one she took

of David on the edge during our hike

together to Abram's Falls in Cade's Cove,

and also for others who know him well.

“Sometimes” gets closer to the edge while hiking

than at any other time in his life J

At first path beyond the falls was wet and slick

but once we got a few yards from the falls

we had the trail to ourselves. 

The spring ephemerals are out

and the slopes were covered with them

Trillium
yellow

and white

Foam Flower

Star chickweed

Squaw Root

Jack in the Pulpit

acres of May apple budding

 

The trail was lovely winding up

and up

past big trees

and bigger trees

which, no matter how good your picture,

never look AS BIG as they really are.

We went about 3 miles or so

before stopping for lunch

on the ridge top

which was still heavily treed but windy

and then headed back down

to see the trail

from the "other side".

I never mind hiking an

in and out trail.

It looks totally different

on the way "back".

This lovely view, for instance, was not one

we would have seen coming in

We saw this near the end of the hike.

Not sure what it is, but its deep color

was a wonderful contrast to the other

whites and soft spring ephemeral flowers.

It was a beautiful hike,

with terrific weather.

We had another

Ain’t Life Grand Day!!!