Bucket List Hike Max Patch

Yes indeed it is one of THE best SPOTS in Eastern US to hike

I"m talking about Max Patch in Pisgah forest off Harmon Den Exit past newport and before Waynesville off I 40
  Go up 6.2 miles and turn towards left on this gravel road and in 1 mile you see the trail head.  !!! And in half mile you're on the top of the one of the most spectacular balds and views you'll ever see!!

after hike I went to Hot Springs and hiked AT w/ my youngest Gracie and buddy Reilly 

We hiked up then out towards Lemon Gap on the AT  but even the 3-4 mile loop around the base then across the Top is a great hike!!

Dowsing and Fun hike @ Mingus Mill

 The Get on Trail w/ Friends and Missy got a treat for hike number two this Oct season.
Not only is Mingus Mill area next to Oconoluftee a neat area to view the old mill which still is making corn meal and flour, it has some great trails and off trails to cemeteries close by.  And we had the treat of having some Dowsing experts with us to lead our group.   While Vol Ranger Jim Burbank and Retired ranger Ray Sellers was showing half of the group the old slave cemetery the other half walked with GSMNP ranger Lloyd Luekins and Mountain Man Glen Cantrell over to the mill.

Regina a vol ranger from Cosby as well as Patty Edwards from Gatlinburg also helped explain to the groups about dowsing.   It is not hocus pocus but even in recent years utility companies have crews out with dowsing rods (light wt rod/wires) to try to detect water and of course they are famous for finding bodies too.     You could easily see and feel (when using yourself) the rods move towards each other and cross over graves.  Patty had a book about it telling us to be ware that jewelry and cell phones on your person could block the connections etc.    We hiked up the nice wide Mingus trail a mile or more then saw the sign to cemeteries.  The small bridges are pretty but also Extremely slippery so be careful. After the 2nd bridge Jim pointed out an area where folks say there is old graves hidden and sure enough, Glen Cantrell and patty's rods were moving a lot and Glen remarked  "must have been a violent death or murder"  Of course this got everyone's attention. :)

Further up the trail it got little steeper and the end there was a old gravesite with many old markers .. One said Mathis and Glen explained that was  big family in the area that had a farm close by.   Most returned back to the parking lot while some of us headed up further on Mingus trail to the Deep Low Gap trail intersection making for about an 8 mile hike.

Might be a neat spot to explore around Halloween for fun and don't forget to stop by the Mill as they had lots of christmas packaging you can buy to send loved ones presents.   Maybe it keeps the old grave site bones happy too to keep the mill active and vibrant?

Mile up Mingus @ Rifle Range practice range for Rangers 

O.R. gals 

Leaders Jim Sarah Glen Missy Patty Lloyd Ray
(regina already up at cemetery) 

Burrells Roxy and Lynn 

Patty & dowsing rods mnt man Glen looking on 

Cov gals Missy April (RN Parkwest) Sharon 

Laurel Falls & Beyond

  tis the season to hit the trail !

  Every October I help lead hikes for Friends of the Smokies to get folks fit while having fun and raising funds for Friends of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  The call Center where I work @ Covenant Health say some folks start calling in in August asking "is the list out yet? can I sign up"

Josie (hiker/nurse) Julie and me

sponsors Sam Curtis (Farm Bureau) w/ wife Jody (far right)
w/ crew heading up to tower

Ralph (88) & his hike bud Phyllis Henry
Ralph and Dot Egli & Mountain Laurel Chalets long time sponsor

two sweet buds Jan and Mary Bond

part of the gang at falls

falls a popular spot watch your footing though

above falls many tall giants from old growth forest

great lunch bench

intersection w greenbrier ridge 

Me seeing fast Phil on his way back down

And we sometimes have a waiting list and they all pay 20 dollars per hike!  Why?   Friends of the Smokies does so much to keep our GSMNP such a spectacular place to visit ! and if you don't explore out on the trails you don't capture it's unique beauty.    And we end up making new friendships while enjoying seeing some regulars each season too!   First hike of Fall and Spring is relatively easy and we appreciate the Park allowing some of their VIP volunteers to go along too.  Regina from Cosby campground and Bill from Laurel Falls patrol both joined us and we had a great day!   Here are some snapshots of the walk up to Laurel falls on paved (sometimes rough) trail and then up past falls a mile plus to Greenbrier trail intersection and up thru old growth trees to Cove Mnt trail and to see the old fire tower at the top!