Day 25 - Great Smoky Mountains

Saturday, June 30, 2007

The word "verdant" is thrown around a lot these days, but it would be hard to imagine a setting where it is more justified than in the Great Smoky Mountains. Compared to the other mountains I've seen on this trip, these are certainly the greenest. The "Smoky" name comes from the natural mist -- a combination of organic compounds and water vapor -- that constantly drapes the mountains.

I started the day with a drive to Cades Cove loop, which was a slow-going "scenic" drive without much scenery. Honestly, it was like someone had taken the traffic from L.A. and dropped it in the Tennessee mountains. This took about 4 hours and, frankly, I could've done without it.

My next stop was Clingman's Dome, which is the highest point in the park. Unfortunately, with storm clouds swirling and the mist extra thick, it was hard to see anything.

I think I'll be coming back to this park. It's not that far from where I live now and I think that there is more to see than what I did today. With it being a weekend in the peak season, the crowds were out in force and, at the end of my trip, I just didn't quite have the motivation to pack it out away from them. I wandered on the Appalachian Trail for about a half hour and, even then, I could feel a marked difference in being away from the lazies. Maybe I'll go back one day and hike the leg of the AT that crosses through the park. I saw a woman at Clingman's Dome who was patching her feet with duct tape; she looked like she was on an AT thru-hike. I think it will be quite a while (read: infinite time) before I try that. But, you never know. It definitely sounds like a great experience and I could probably be talked into it pretty easily. So, I guess what I mean is I probably won't be doing it on my own.

Anyway, after leaving the Smokies, I drove straight to Santee, my hometown. The trip was absolutely amazing, but it feels good to be home.