Get on Trail Thomas Divide Newton Bald to smokemont

Our 4th hike of our GEt on Trail w/ Friends & Missy 2011 Fall Series was filled with vivid color and great vistas.    Rocky Top Tours met us at Smokemont Campground (close to Oconoluftee visitor center) and we headed back up Newfound Gap Road to trailhead to Thomas Divide.   We hiked up and down along a pretty area that often ran across the top of a ridge where you could see out both sides.  Our extreme hike crew met us as they hiked in on Kenati Fork trail 5 miles then headed up to where we started  then were going down to smokemont for their 15 mile hike.   The trail in some areas was rugged and narrow so we took our time and poles came in handy.   We came to the intersection to Newton Bald area and headed to the campsite 52 where we ate our lunch.   Unlike some sites that are more in the woods this one had great views too.  The last 5 miles down Newton Bald were very steep going down and you had to be careful of footing as leaves were covering the rocks and roots. But the color was getting more and more vivid.  We read a little before the hike how the trail was named after William Thomas was one of the only white men to be named a cherokee chief.  He was a self educated attorney who learned the cherokee language and he stood up for their rights in Washington.   He led soldiers including native americans in fighting in the Civil war on the confederate side and their strength and bravery are legendary.    The area close to where we hiked was the site of one of the skirmishes in the Civil War as up along the Thomas Divide was  what was called "the last shot of the civil war".  Historians said if not for Thomas the Easter band of Cherokee Nation might not be in existence.  He lived from 1805-1893 and is buried close to Waynesville NC.