Tremont-An Old Friend with Falls #8

Friday July 13, 2018                                                                                  Most Recent Posts:
Great Smoky Mountains National Park                  The Little River Trail, Husky Branch Falls and Millionaire’s Row
Tennessee                                                                                                  Drama in Cades Cove

For me, Tremont Tennessee means The Great Smoky Mountain Institute where, some years ago, David and I spent a wonderful 4 days with the environmental writer Scott Russell Sanders.  I was anxious to return to see the Institute, which is an educational arm of the park, and to check out the hikes in the area.

The open, flat area which the institute occupies is known as “Walker Fields” and was named for Will Walker who first settled there in 1859.  Walker remained in the vicinity until his death in 1918 and refused to sell any of his land to the Little River Lumber company until late in his life when he sold with the provision that certain sections of Virgin Timber would not be cut.  The agreement made, a lumber camp and small community known as Tremont sprang up. The President of the Little River Lumber Company kept his promise to Walker but after the president’s death, the company cut all the trees. 

On Friday I drive over to the Institute before they are open and take the trail to Lumber Ridge Trail to Spruce Flats Falls.  The trail is rugged, some what steep, especially the last section down to the falls and very rocky.

The trail to the falls takes a right UP and away from the Lumber Ridge Trail

The institute does important and interesting environmental residential programs for families, teachers and others.  I could see the participant and staff housing off to my right as I climbed.

I never hike without hiking boots and here’s a good reason why.

I was able to catch a few mountain views through the trees along the trail.

I love the “folds” in these ancient Appalachian Mountains.  I just hope they aren’t covered up erosion from the horrible clear cutting that was done in the early 20th century.

This is a pretty interesting “ladder” cut out of one piece of wood to help you down when the trail is too muddy or running full with water and to get you by a large rock at the end.  I know I’m near the falls from the increasing sounds of the water.

There they are in the distance.

Definitely worth the tricky footing at points.

Looking down river as the water flows away.

It never seems to me to be hot enough in these mountains to tempt me into the waterfall pools.

Beautiful Spruce Flats is Falls # 8 on my quest for as many as I can hike to.

The unique ladder going back up.  It’s interesting to climb.

I had to show a picture of this because I could hardly believe it.  The mother, I assume, who is carrying a baby in a backpack on her back is wearing flip-flops and her perhaps 5 or 6 year old daughter has on sandles for this climb.

This is much steeper than it looks and I thought more difficult on the way down than on the way up. 

I really have to watch my feet.  In addition to rocky and rooty, this trail is narrow and the drop off on the “outside” does not look inviting.

When I arrive back at the Institute I go into the store to pick up their schedule of programs.
Among the up coming programs are Teacher Escape Week-ends, Southern Appalachian Naturalist Certification Program (I’d love to do this), a Road Scholar Hiking Week, a photography workshop, a Sierra Club program and a women’s backpacking week-end among many more.

If you have the opportunity to take advantage of this wonderful place I can guarantee you will have a wonderful time, learn a lot and be rejuvenated.   Check them out here.

As I was leaving, I saw this darling poster on the wall.

On my way home I start wondering if Will Walker is the patriarch of the Walker Clan which came to include the Walker Sisters I talked about in my first post from Great Smoky Mountain National Park..  You can see it here.  

I pass this little church every time I drive toward Townsend to go to Cades Cove or to Tremont and somehow thought this was the church where the Walker Sisters were buried.  So day I pull over into the only parking space and hike up to take a look.

I find a number of Walkers and several who were born in the early 20th century and would have been adults by the time the park took over the land and some who were contemporaries of the Walker sisters.  But the sisters are not here.

It’s certainly a lovely spot for eternal rest.

The sign in front of the church tells me it is the Headrich Chapel, established in 1902, and is on the National Register of Historic Places.   A sign on the church says it can be rented and there is a phone number to call.  But apparently it’s darling little bell no longer rings for Sunday Services.

I subsequently find that the Walker Sisters final resting place is on a hill behind my campsite.