Bradley Fork Trail
Bradley Fork
Bradley Fork Trail is wide most of the way up the mountain and traveled often by horses and park service maintenance trucks.
Creek flowing into Bradley Fork
The intersection with Chasteen Creek Trail
Along Bradley Fork Trail
The intersection with Smokemont Loop
A footbridge across Bradley Fork
Coral mushrooms along Bradley Fork
A small cascade - Bradley Fork
Bradley Fork Trail is a pleasant walk on a wide trail with a gradual grade.
A crystal clear pool along Bradley Fork
A good place to hide.
Continuing up the Bradley Fork Trail
Nice wide bridges so the horses and trucks can cross
Another nice bridge across Bradley Fork
Bridge across Bradley Fork
Taywa Creek emptying into Bradley Fork
Looking downstream on Bradley Fork
..same view, different camera settings.
Here is the intersection with Cabin Flats Trails. Bradley Fork bears sharp right here and goes up a ridge to intersect with Hughes Ridge Trail.
The sign telling you what I just said.
I continued north along Cabin Flats Trail
One of the cool truss bridges across Bradley Fork
Inside the truss bridge - the footing was slick
Cabin Flats Trail - huge tree with a hole in the trunk. It probably grew on top of a fallen tree and when the other tree decayed this big boy stood on its roots.
One of my favorite tiny footbridges on Cabin Flats Trail. I believe it is crossing Confederate Creek?
The intersection with Dry Sluice Gap Trail. I hiked a good part of this trail this summer..it is very nice walking near the top.
Again, my obligatory trail sign picture
Backcountry campsite at the end of Cabin Flats Trail. An extremely peaceful setting. Lots of buckeyes on the ground when I visited.
Bradley Fork running next to the campsite.
Early October along the Appalachian Trail
Fall is definitely in the air at these elevations and for the first time this season I have to don a long undershirt. It feel GREAT after a sweltering hot and dry summer.
Early October along the Appalachian Trail. Although its a lousy picture, it gives you a sense of the boreal Spruce-Fir forest of the high elevation Smokies.
Giant fallen Fraser fir along the AT. Those that have visited since the 1980s know of the non-native insect infestation that killed the majority of the mature Frasers in the Park.
Cool bright yellow fungus on the rock
On my way to the Jumpoff
Early October view from the AT. Newfound Gap Road on the distant ridge.
Early October view from the AT
Early October view from the AT. Views like this are a big reason I drive 200 miles on a weekend to come visit this special place.
Ok, this was odd....trail crews cut the tree and it stuck in mid-air. Call Ripleys in Gatlinburg! :o)
I thought I would have lunch at Icewater Springs shelter. If it is 0.3 miles to the Jumpoff Trail junction from here then I'm the Queen of England. More like 0.3 yards.
Icewater Springs hiking shelter - 6000 ft above sea level.
The view from the Icewater Springs shelter
Recently renovated Icewater Springs hiking shelter, one of the most popular in the park due to its proximity to Newfound Gap.
A dark-eyed junco maybe?
Waiting for me to drop some of my lunch.
The sign pointing the way to the Jumpoff
On the Jumpoff trail. This is not an official Smokies trail so it doesn't count towards the "900 mile club".
It may not be official, but it has some of the best views in the Park.
Looking toward famous Mount LeConte from the Jumpoff
Again, Mount LeConte
Made it to the Jumpoff and immediately you understand the name...1000 foot sheer drop and a VERY skinny ridge to stand on.
The views from the Jumpoff were just spectacular on this early October day.
Looking north across Horseshoe Mountain into Tennessee
Looking east towards Charlies Bunion
See the people on Charlies Bunion
Hikers looking back at us from Charlies Bunion
The Sawteeth and Charlies Bunion from the Jumpoff
Looking south now from the Jumpoff
Looking north from the Jumpoff
Looking 1000 feet down into the Porter Creek valley from the Jumpoff
Looking west towards Mount LeConte from the Jumpoff
North into Tennessee
Another of the eastern view
And a couple shots of me to prove I've been here.
Some shots on the return trip from the Jumpoff
Mid-October in the Smokies
Mid-October in the Smokies high country
Mid-October in the Smokies high country - a nice day with the family
M and T pose at a Smokies overlook
Dad and the boys
Our album cover shot
The colors were awesome
We took a stroll down Thomas Divide Trail
Taking a stroll down Thomas Divide Trail
Thomas Divide Trail
Fall was in full swing at this elevation
T with a leaf the size of his head
As Zeppelin would say..."...leaves are falling all around..."
...so we've got to ramble on...
Fall along the Thomas Divide Trail
T had slipped on the acorns one millisecond before this picture was snapped
N and his acorns
T and his acorn collection
M collects some fine leaves
The family :o)
A beautiful crisp and sunny day
Dan was already his plotting his return to conquer this beautiful trail.
Fall in the Smokies
Fall in the Smokies -- it doesn't get any better than this.
Returning a week later for another walk - this time to do 10+ miles on the Thomas Divide Trail
Returning a week later for another walk
A storm dumped lots of rain overnight and the clouds were just lifting
Back to the spot where the family had explored Thomas Divide Trail one week earlier. Fall had advanced a lot since last week.
I was back to tackle the Thomas Divide Trail
Getting started on my way
More leaves had called it quits for the year
Clingmans Dome from the Thomas Divide Trail
Fall along the Thomas Divide Trail - a downed tree hosting lots of new growth
The clouds sank back on the ridge just as I reached the intersection with Kanati Fork Trail
The clouds sank back on the ridge just as I reached the intersection with Kanati Fork Trail. I had hiked Kanati Fork Trail earlier in the Summer.
The intersection with Kanati Fork Trail
Continuing on the Thomas Divide Trail
I loved this picture -- God telling me to keep walking.
Continuing on the Thomas Divide Trail - approaching the intersection with the Sunkota Ridge Trail
Intersection with Sunkota Ridge Trail
Intersection with the Newton Bald Trail
Backcountry campsite 52 -- on the Newton Bald Trail
Intersection with Mingus Creek Trail and Newton Bald Trail
The return trip along Thomas Divide Trail
The return trip along Thomas Divide Trail - with colors like this it must be a sugar maple?
From a highway overlook after my walk..a look at the Smokie spine. Higher elevations are starting to be past peak of color -- winter will be here soon
You can clearly see the elevation range of the Spruce-Fir forest now that the leaves are off most of the deciduous trees at high elevations
Higher elevations are starting to be past peak of color -- winter will be here soon
Cherokee in late Fall - this is the Oconaluftee River flowing into town.
Oconaluftee Visitor Center and Farm Museum - just outside Cherokee
Oconaluftee Visitor Center - just outside Cherokee
Ravensford area viewed from the Blue Ridge Parkway
From the Blue Ridge Parkway
Late fall in Cherokee
Late fall in Cherokee - looking down "seasonal row" - all the neighbors have closed up for the winter and headed south
Another weekend, another hike...this time in the southwest Smokies. My route will be along the AT to Shuckstack tower. This is Fontana Dam.
Crossing Fontana Dam
Crossing Fontana Dam. The late season colors are still awesome at these low elevations.
Crossing Fontana Dam. Officially I'm on the Appalachian Trail although right now its a sidewalk across the dam.
Entering the Smokies along the AT
The back side of Fontana Dam
Nice colors along the trail
The AT just after entering the Park
Getting ready to start the grueling uphill climb
Backcountry campsite spring conditions are the worst they've had in years after a few years of persistent drought. (Zoom in to read the spring report - upper right button)
Views along the AT on the way to Shuckstack - wow, look at the those reds and browns from the late changing oaks.
Shuckstack Tower
A view from below the tower
I had lunch beneath the tower and contemplated whether I'd go to the top. This chimney is the remains of the old ranger cabin that used to be up here.
Well...I didn't make it to the top, but I got a few good shots part of the way up.
Looking north toward Clingmans Dome. I love the contrast of the reds and yellows. I assume the reds are oaks and the yellows maybe poplars or beech along river banks?
Views on the return trip from Shuckstack
