Weekend Gem-Tenmile and Gregory Loop
Parson Bald
This great 2 night trip is made for the person that wants a later start the first day or a lazy beginning of it covering about 7 miles. All and all, for the lollipop loop’s 20 miles length it has a couple of steeper climbs to get your heart pumping and an incredible mix of mountain scenery. You climb from a cascading creek to the A.T and over a few mountains to land back the creek for a nice dip in the getting warmer summer month here in the South. Start out at Twentymile TH and take loop of the trail up on an old roadbed crossing over the creek several times on bridges before making a right on Twemtymile TR . Keep on trucking to Long Hungry Ridge and stay straight following signs to the Appalachian Trail. This short and steady climb gets you up to a nice saddle where you make a left on this legendary pathway. If you want a great view, go left for a half a mile up to the Shuckstack Fire Tower where views stretch out across the lovely NC section of the Smokies, down to Fontana Lake and across to Joyce Kilmer And Citico Wilderness Areas. Anyway back on the trail heading north on the A.T towards Mollies, Rocky Top, Kuwohi and other amazing sights you keep cruising on fairly level tread all the way to Camp #113. Here, the best spots are to the left up the hill on nicely placed flat spots. Choose the top one if you can. Enjoy a nice night in this pleasant cove as the sun goes down as the sun sets and the Blue Ghost Fireflies.
The Flame Azaleas are going off lower down in early June
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May be drought conditions down below, but the A.T is lush and green
After enjoying a few Ghosts doing your thing and and a great nights sleep, get up and roll out back along the Appalachian Trail. After another fairly flat run on the historic Trail, make a left following signs leading to Gregory Bald. This section of trail has a couple of long climbs that quickly drop to gap. Repeat this sequence 4 times before finally climbing to Gregory Bald and all its glory. This wide open section of Bald is big enough to have a soccer match or two on it. This is one of the few Balds that the Park Service maintains on a a fairly regular basis. Rumor has it that they stanch a lawn mower up here. It is curious idea that one might have to find where they hide in the brushy edges of this legendary Bald. At the far end is the best place to chill and take a lunch break before it goes back into the brush. Enjoy this spot under a wind swept tree before dropping down to a nice camp #13. Keep on keeping on through small but lovely Parson Bald where the sunlight creeps through the dense canopy. Start dropping down on the Wolf Ridge TR as it makes it way down to Camp #95 tucked upstream a fair bit in this quiet hollow. Bunker down to another great firefly show in the evening as you drift off to sleep.
Lovely Gregory Bald
Parson Bald
Cruising down to camp
It’s only a couple of miles back which makes the last day super short, which is honestly perfect for an off season summer trip here in the South. The trail gives way to the roadway you took up yesterday. Cross the bridges as you make your way back to the TH. Soak in the Smokies goodness for the last remaining minutes as you get closer back to your rig. I like to use this time to reminisce about all the good times the Smoky Mountains have dished out to you over the years. Start back through the Dragon with a calmness in your soul helping you counteract the mayhem of this racing corridor. Grab a burger on your way as the day slips away.
Life is good