Great Smoky Mountain National Park Hikes
chimney TOPS
Following the 2016 Chimney Tops 2 fire we only could hike 1.75 miles and the last 0.25 miles was closed due to damage. We hiked in the rain and the distant views were socked in but the river and greenery around us was beautiful and distracted us while we hiked the steady incline containing 600 man made steps to the gate where we couldn’t hike anymore.
Abrams FALLS
In the middle of driving the 11 mile one way Cades Cove loop is a trail for Abram Falls. The 5 mile out and back trail runs along Abrams Creek and turns around at the 35-ft Abrams Falls. The hike varies in elevation, inclining and declining out and back making it a perfect morning hike still leaving us energized to making it to Clingmans in the afternoon!
clingmans DOME
Third time was the charm for this one, our first time attempting US 441 was closed going through the whole park, and the next attempt we drove to the clingmans dome road and found it was closed. Finally our last day at the cabin it was clear skys and after the Cades cove drive and falls hike we decided to send it back into the heart of the smokies. Driving most of the accent, and starting the 0.5mi hike at a parking lot at the top of the range was….different. But it did make the constant, steep, and paved hike up 332 feet at a 13% grade to the 6,644 foot summit observation tower a quick one. Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Smoky Mountains and in the state of Tennessee.
Highlight was seeing a elderly women hike it with a walker!
TUCKALEECHEE CAVERNS
A short 1.25 mile guided tour brought us from 80 to 300 feet underground seeing only 6% of the cavern. This cavern tour brought us under the smokies and is one of the most popular tours in the east. It was perfect for our last morning in the National park as it was 10 minutes from our cabin and raining that morning! My favorite part was the creek running through the whole cave around all the formations.