Seems More Like A Road

It has been too long since our last Humdinger Hike, but we are still committed to finishing the project. The theme for our most current hike is "Seems More Like A Road". We decided on a loop hike that would begin with the short Gatlinburg Trail and later include the Twin Creeks and Old Sugarlands Trails.

Hiking Trails of the Smokies lists as highlights on the Gatlinburg Trail: lack of hills, homesites. To this I would agree and add that it is really not so much of trail as it is part of a road and what amounts to a city park walk. The "trail" begins with views of the park maintenance center on the left and the Little Pigeon River on the right.



In order to get to the Twin Creeks trailhead, we had to walk through Gatlinburg. As has been mentioned on this blog in the past, I am not the biggest fan of Gatlinburg, but at least we saw some wildlife on our way through the town.


The Twin Creeks Trail is much more of the typical trail one would find in the park. It is relatively flat and would probably make a good short hike to do with kids, especially if taken in the opposite direction that we hiked it. There are a couple of stream crossings that could present a challenge after it has rained, but overall it is an easy hike.


Hiking Trails of the Smokies states that the hardest part of hiking this trail is finding it.


If you are starting from Ogle Cabin, I would agree. There are no clear signs that mark where the trail begins. There is a path marked as a nature trail which if followed straight to the creek leads to an old mill. This short walk would be great for those who are not looking for a hike, but simply a short stroll through the woods.


We happened upon the mill by accident when we turned right instead of left upon arriving at the end of the Twin Creeks Trail. If you want to start this trail from Ogle Cabin, simply follow the nature trail until you come to the first trail to the right. The trail is just under two miles of mostly downhill travel from this direction.


Since we were traveling the other direction, our path was to lead us 3/4 of a mile up Cherokee Orchard Road to Ashley's least favorite trail in the park so far, Rainbow Falls. We easily found Old Sugarlands trailhead at the top of the hill and began the descent to Sugarlands Visitor Center. Old Sugarlands Trail is one of my favorites in this part of the park as it winds through an old settlement. You can still see signs of the days when people lived and worked in this area.


A good part of the trail follows the Little Pigeon River, but unlike the Gatlinburg Trail there are no signs of modern civilization. A friend and I once happened upon a mother bear with several cubs while walking this trail.

I am glad that we found a day to pick back up on the Humdinger Project. Our hope is to get back to more frequent hikes. If any of our readers are interested in joining us, you are always welcome!

The Pancake Project

Yesterday Ashley and I set out on our quest to discover the best pancake house near the Smokies. Since the Log Cabin Pancake House is right across the street from St. Mary's Catholic Church in Gatlinburg, we decided to invite the pastor, Fr. Joe Brando, along. He was happy to join us for our first taste of Smoky Mountain pancakes. Fr. Joe had pancakes of the cornmeal variety, while I went for you basic old fashioned, with Ashley settling for chocolate chip.


Fr. Joe warned us that we may be attempting an impossible task, due to the number of pancakes houses in the area. He likened it to trying to eat at every restaurant in New York City. This did not deter us from beginning our search for the best pancakes in the area, however, and I must say that the Log Cabin Pancake House has the best pancakes we have tasted so far. Fr. Joe also unwittingly helped us begin another recent humdinger project suggested by friends, that being an exploration of the area wedding chapels. Gatlinburg has often been called the Las Vegas of the South due to its numerous wedding chapels and the relative ease of obtaining a civil marriage license in Tennessee. Fr. Joe spoke to us about the numerous Catholic weddings that occur at St. Mary's.


It seems that in this regard, Catholics are very similar to other tourists and that many call upon St. Mary's as a place to tie the knot. Fr. Joe explained that many couples complete their preparation at home and bring their own priest for the celebration. He noted that the parish charges a 300 dollar fee for the use of the facility.

It was a beautiful day in Gatlinburg for a pancake lunch and I am glad to have our first pancake companion in Fr. Joe Brando.

Activities for me and my Gimpy Friend

Since it seems that a jump from a rock at Rainbow Falls and my lack of attention to Ashley's sprain, the two of us will be embarking on some adventures that we originally thought best to be saved for later. Our intent has been from the beginning to write not only about the 800 miles of trails we plan to hike, but also some of the points of interest surrounding the park; restaurants, attractions, and other activities that those visiting the Great Smoky Mountains might be interested in seeing, or in some cases avoiding.

Gatlinburg has never been one of my favorite places. Bill Bryson, in his book A Walk In The Woods, describes it this way:

Gatlinburg is a shock to the system from whichever angle you survey it, but never more so than when you descend upon it from a spell of moist, grubby isolation in the woods. It sits just outside the main entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and specializes in providing all those things the park does not--principally, slurpy food, motels, gift shops, and sidewalks on which to waddle and dawdle--nearly all of it is strewn along a single, astonishingly ugly main street.

This may be exactly where we are heading this week, unless of course you can help us.

Ashley is not going to be up for hiking for another few weeks, so we have decided to check out some the the extracurricular activities surrounding the park while her leg is on the mend. We already have a few ideas. There is Ripley's Aquarium which would feed Ashley's interest in sharks. There are the Forbidden Caverns, which I have seen signs for many times, but sadly have never visited since they are forbidden. There are several places that specialize in horseback tours of the Smokies. The question is, for those of you familiar with the surrounding areas of the park, where should we go? We look forward to your suggestions.