Gregory Bald worth the long climb

June is the time to go up to Gregory Bald out of Cades Cove, but really any time of year you can get in a hike up there is worth the long climb.  There are several ways to go.  We made a loop by driving around the Cades Cove rd and little past Abrams falls turn and visitor center you go straight off the road and can drive up to a trail head for Gregory Bald Ridge Trail.    We left cars there then piled in 3 cars and drove the little bumpy Parsons Branch ONE WAY road 3 miles to the other Gregory Bald Trail and started there. 4.0 miles up you come to campsite on the right then soon see the sign *yeah! to go left .5 up to the grassy bald field.  The last half mile is tough.  And I was leading some of the Knox County teachers who had done well in the E wellness event this spring and as Covenant Health was part of their program (sponsor) I said I'd take some teachers up on a nice tough hike.   Ha a few were questioning their eager volunteering to come on this challenge!   This is not an easy hike.  But as I told a few teachers who were not really hikers at all but who had been exercising on a regular basis, as long as you are doing good aerobic exercises, like walking, biking etc it helps you get thru tough hikes.  They all did a fabulous job and were rewarded with spectacular views at the top!   Bonnie Harlow a 2009 Covenant Health Biggest Winner member for Cov health knoxville marathon, my hubby jim and co worker Nancy Harrison and friends so enjoyed the clear blue skies and bright flaming Azailias ..  They came early this year and will prob be all faded buy the end of june. But the Rhododendron is already blooming so even then and early july will be pretty too.  It is about a mile across the top then we went down the far side 5.0 miles to our cars to make it a loop.  We then caught a ride in two cars that took some of us back on Parson's Branch road and out to 129.   Even tho that is the DRAGON we only had to do 4-5 miles of it before we came down to the flat part of 129 and cut across foothills parkway back home.  Our friends who went thru the rest of Cades Cove loop road said cars were backed up trying to see bears so we beat them back home.www.covenanthealth.com/missykane