Back way into School House gap a delightful hike

I like to try different trails and even different trail heads to mix it up on my hikes.
This spring one of the "Get on Trial w/ Friends & Missy" hikes was to the ever popular White oak sinks area of the park.   But instead of going in off the park road Laurel road I met up with my crew at Tuckaleechee Caverns then we carpooled up to a friends cabin who lives on School House Gap road.  This is close to the Caverns out of Townsend.    There is a parking area a the end of school house gap road where 5-7 cars can park.   It is a pretty pretty road with even an old Red School house that a family has refurbished into a lovely cabin.    The gravel road past the parking is steep but has lots of spring/summer flowers along the way.   Saw a rare tennessee type orange orchid along the route (comes out usually in summer) then you see trail head for both School House Gap (left) and Scott Mountain (right)  We went along the School House Gap trail and saw lots of flowers and even some early Flaming azaila's.   after one mile you see the trail down to the rt (no sign) to white oak sinks.   People are encouraged to stay on the trail and even when you see the Gorgeous Pink Lady Slippers be careful not to trample too close as these are delicate flowers and if "upset" will not come back.   There is a lovely water falls towards the bottom (off to the right) Silver Falls and it was full since we just had rain that morning.

Then you end up at back of the Sinks Flat area where the protected Bat Caves are located and we saw a bat flying around for a few minutes.   We then made a loop to the left of the caves that is about a mile to 2 miles in length and we stayed on a trail and it wandered thru other sink hole type areas and had lots of other flowers like lark spur (purple) flowers etc. And yes we saw lots of Pink Lady Slippers but everyone was respectful and didn't trample too close to get a shot.   We then headed back to the school house gap trail and road where we parked.     All in all about a 7 mile hike and some made a little short cut on an old trail with a avid hike leader back to the trail head (school house gap/scott mountain ) .

Birds a plenty at 7 islands Dogwood Art Walk

7 islands wildlife sanitary out off Kodak road is a haven for over 40 types of birds.  I learned this from some of the workers who conduct studies and tours out at this 100 plus acre refuge.   Dogwood Arts and Covenant Health teamed up for some healthy walks this year and this was one of them.

The young ladies who help work there (work study program) know their facts about the types of birds you can see there, and the grasses and vegetation that are now thriving @ 7 islands.  It is a great place to hike and we did about 4 miles but took our time looking at some new baby chickadees and viewing another rare type of bird (forgot the name now) & saw where 2 years ago an Eagle had its nest etc.

www.legacyparks.org can be a source of info (they helped get this park funded) as well as www.outdoorknoxville.com   AND I always love stopping at Tuckahoe market 2 miles east of here to grab good ole home cooking

Water Fall Heaven @ Deep Creek campground NC

Waterfall heaven @ Deep Creek Campground worth the drive

If you want a nice relatively short hike that takes in glorious views of waterfalls venture to Deep Creek Campground out of Bryson City NC.  Just about 10 miles from Cherokee and half hour drive from Oconoluftee Visitor Center it is worth the drive.  Leaders Jim Burbank and Ray Sellars led us on about a 6 mile loop that included Juney Whank waterfall, then onto another area of pretty waterfalls Indian creek Falls and Tom Branch.  There are so many different short and long hike options to explore there. And some of the gang stayed in Bryson city and we plan to go back there in a few weeks for a hike/bike adventure to bike on road to nowhere then to hike thru the tunnel to other GSMNP trails.

Get on Trail spring hikes 4 Friends of Smokies

April marks the Get on Trail W Friends & missy wildflower hikes.  Even tho spring came early the flowers and extremely vivid greens etc are wonderful.  First stop West Prong out of Tremont.  Ken Voorhis the Tremont director met us along with Friends of Smokies Dir Jim Hart. We had 55 and stopped first at the Walker cemetary and Ken told us some of the history and folklore of the area.  Then we headed out (more like groups of 5-8 at a time not all bunched up ) and the west prong trail has some climbing at beginning but not steep.  It had lots of drawfed Iris and other great flowers.   The campsite right before Bote mountain interchange is such a great place for lunch/snack stop.   All in all great hike (some added on Spruce Flats Falls afterwards).   

Hoppin good time on Haw Ridge New Greenway trails

Hoppin good time on Haw Ridge new Greenway Trails
   then another fit bunny spotting along Old Walland Highway and in Townsend

Even the Easter buddy heard that a great place to hop into fitness was at the Haw Ridge new greenway trails.  Our heart walkers and Peter cottontail met up at the parking lot off Edgemore Road between Solway and Oak ridge to hike the trails.   And since the trails were pretty muddy we decided to hit the new greenway trail that winds around close to the other dirt trails and heads out to the marina greenway that runs under Edgemore road.  There is only a small section not paved yet and it is a beautiful greenway that eventually will be a long route to enjoy for bikers too.

Then we bumped into Peter Cottontail again along Old WallanD Highway on coulter Bridge And He must know how pretty this River Road is to Townsend.  When the road comes into Townsend and the new bridge, our crew turns left and takes the back way over to road where Lilly Barn is located then we turn and went back to 321 then took a right and stopped for lunch the Cuban place (cute cabin w/ blue roof)