The Great Outdoors
EMILY HILL
This September and October, trade in your closet for a duffel bag, trade your beloved king-size serta for a sleeping bag, and trade your Kenmore ceramic smooth top for a coleman camp stove.
Leaving modern conveniences behind makes for a weekend vacation gloriously free of overpriced Mickey Mouse souvenirs and cramped hotel rooms. Admittedly, there are few things that are worth exchanging for the base of a giant pine (like hot running water), except, however, the mountains in the fall.
With elevations ranging from 800 ft. to 6,600 ft., the mountain ranges of north Georgia, Tennessee and North Carolina offer some of the most spectacular weather during the fall. While we city folk swelter in the smog and exhaust of the daily Atlanta commute, the Great Smoky Mountain peaks enjoy a 10-20 degree temperature difference, from the high 60s to low 80s.
If that isn’t enough to incite you to grab your Jansport and tent spikes, the breathtaking scenery surely will. The forests burst into smoldering reds, oranges and yellows. The mountain ranges’ more than 100 species of trees—including beech, birch, buckeye, chestnut, maple, poplar and hemlock—cover the mountainsides with colors rivaling a Hawaiian sunset. With fall being the area’s driest season, fewer rainstorms ensure crystal-clear views of the spectacular drop offs and gorges.
Full of history, adventure and beauty, the mountains offer innumerable opportunities for every difficulty level, budget and time frame. Whether you want to cold-turkey the 21st century and hike with only Ramen noodles and a hammock or pack up the Suburban with the kids and the cooler, this destination caters to any need. This weekend, equipped with these tips and recommendations, trade in the industrial Atlanta cityscape for an organic Southeast mountainscape.
ESSENTIALS
- Matches & waterproof container
- Eating utensils
- First Aid Kit
- Gauze tape (MoleSkin)
- Flashlight and batteries
- Folding chairs/camp stools
- Ground cloth/tarps
- Stakes (not the eating type)
- Sunscreen
- Water bottle
- Mess kit
- Sleeping bags
- Insect Repellent
- Knife
- Maps
- Toiletries
- Toilet paper
- Trash bags
BEFORE YOU LEAVE
- Check weather
- Map out the trail
- Make campsite reservation (if applicable)
- Plan menu
- Buy non-perishable groceries
- Arrange emergency contacts/inform others your destination and return date
TIPS FOR HIKING OR CAMPING WITH KIDS
HAVE A DESTINATION: Children often become bored or unmotivated on a hike without anything to work toward. Keep kids motivated to keep on truckin’ by having an exciting waterfall, log crossing, boulder or overlook as your destination or half-way point.
BUDGET TIME: Don’t drain children with hikes that are too long or strenuous. Make sure you budget time for plenty of breaks and snacks, so you won’t be adding the weight of your 7-year-old to your pack-laden shoulders. Alice Cary, author of Parents’ Guide of Hiking and Camping, advises that children can hike the same number of miles as their age minus two. “This means the average 3-year-old can probably handle a mile with no problem,” Cary said. “And remember that guidelines aren’t always useful. Some children can’t hike so far, other can go farther.”
BE INCLUSIVE: Children want to feel like they are involved. Even the smallest member can help carry the load. Help the youngest not feel left out by giving them a small pack, even if it only holds a flashlight and water bottle.
ENSURE FIRM FOOTING: Don’t buy new shoes before the trip. New shoes have to be broken in, and on rough terrain stiff leather and new soles will inevitably lead to blisters and sores. Nothing will make a trail more miserable than blistered feet, so if the trail is difficult enough to call for children’s hiking boots, buy them at least two or three weeks in advance. Make sure they wear them to school, to the playground and around the house to break them in sufficiently.
“Treat any foot complaint seriously. Stop at once!” Cary said. Even if shoes fit properly, the distance and difficulty of the hike may lead to blisters. Try to catch blisters before they form by taping up hot spots or raw areas with athletic or gauze tape.
PREVENT GETTING LOST: The idea of a child getting lost while camping or hiking is a parent’s worst nightmare. Set boundaries at the campsite and on the trail, such as always having another family member in sight. A good precaution is to give each member of the family a whistle. The Pine Mountain Trail Association advises to teach the family to “wait for help to come to you.” An effective sequence is to, “blow three loud toots on whistle, counting to three between each toot. Repeat. Then stay quiet and listen closely for someone calling to you.”
CAMPING/HIKING PROGRAMS
For a trip that doesn’t involve mapping out trails and budgeting distances, The Great Smoky Mountain Park offers great day programs that incorporate the whole family in interesting and educational programs.
Day Hike and Stories of the Appalachian Trail
Cost: $49
Sept. 23rd
10 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Guides Joel and Kathy Zachry, who completed the 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail in 2005, have been hiking for more than 25 years. Hear stories of the crazy characters they met, storms they braved, and adventures they will never forget. On the six-mile round trip hike (moderate intensity) the guides will have you laughing and gasping at the history of their 14-state Appalachian Trail journey, while pointing out the significant animals and plants of the beautiful Smokies.
“Mystery and Magic of Monarchs”
Cost: $49
Sept. 24th
9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Experience the Monarch butterflies, migrating thousands of miles to spend winter in the mountains of Mexico, fluttering in the grassy field of Cades Cove. Instructor Wanda DeWaard, an environmental enthusiast who has worked with environmental education programs since 1974, will help you tag the butterflies to track their migration. Tagging the monarchs will help research their lifespan, how weather affects them, and their migration patterns. After carefully tagging the Monarchs, you will release them back on their journey.
Incredible Edibles and Traditional Medicinals
Cost: $49
Oct. 7th
9:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Come with an appetite to this program. Spend the day scouring the temperate rainforest, woods and fields of the Smokies for the edible treasures of the mountains. This program pairs you with instructor Ila Hatter, an interpretive naturalist, and author of wild foods cookbook Roadside Rambles, who will help you uncover the wild edibles used for natural dyes, foods and medicine by the Native Americans and early settlers. Hatter also shares the herb-lore of the medicine men and witch doctors of old who used these plants for healing. Experience exciting flavors and exotic tastes that you won’t find at the neighborhood grocery.
Animal Tracks and Traces
Cost: $29 adults/ $19 children (ages 6 - 12)
Oct. 22nd
10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Tip toe through the forest with instructor Wanda DeWaard as you track down the foot prints and hoof prints of the Smokies’ wild animals. Find clues such as bits of food, tracks, fur and nests to help learn what these animals were doing, where they were going, and when they may come back. DeWaard, M.S. of recreation and environmental education, entertains and teaches about how to identify the animal from its evidence, and hopefully leads you to some exciting discoveries.
For more information visit the Smoky Mountain Field School Web site at www.ce.utk.edu/Smoky
WATERFALL DESTINATIONS
Glen Falls, North Carolina
The Overflow Creek near Highlands North Carolina plunges down into the beautiful Blue Valley forming three waterfalls in one. The one-mile downhill trail snakes alongside the falls in a strenuous and steep decent. The payoff, however, is incredible. Vistas and lookout points along the trail allow hikers to experience the upper falls (70 ft.), middle falls (60 ft.) and lower falls (15 ft.), while opening up spectacular views of Blue Valley below.
Height: 15-70 ft.
Trail Length: 2 miles (round trip)
Difficulty: Strenuous
Laurel Falls, Tennessee
One of the most popular waterfalls of the Great Smoky Mountain Park, Laurel Falls cascades down the stair-stacked rock for 80 feet. Along the 1.3-mile trail the rush of the falls can be heard through the trees. Bisecting the falls at its halfway point, the trail ensures great views. Brain Boyd, author of Waterfalls of the Southern Appalachians, ranks Laurel Falls as one of the top five to visit in Tennessee. “The falls are beautifully framed by lunch rhododendron, and the area is in remarkably good condition considering the amount of human contact,” Boyd said. The paved trail is an easy hike that is great for children; however, be prepared to share the experience with many other hikers, as the destination is quite popular.
Height: 60 ft.
Trail Length: 2.5 miles (round trip)
Difficulty: Easy/ moderate
Rainbow Falls, North Carolina
The Horsepasture River of Gorges State Park spills over an enormous granite ledge, plunging 150 feet into the deep green pool below forming Rainbow Falls, one of the most impressive cascades of Nantahala National Forest. The water crashes onto the shoulders of the giant boulders that rise out of the pool’s basin. There you can glimpse rays of rainbows reflecting off the misty spray and a beautiful array of wildflowers lining the shore. The moderate hike that leads to the falls is two-miles round trip with the roar of the falls always within earshot.
Height: 150 ft.
Trail Length: 2 miles (round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Grotto Falls, Tennessee
Famed as the only waterfall in the Great Smoky Mountains you can hike behind, Grotto Falls peacefully cascades over a moss-covered ledge into the clear pool below. The rock behind the falls is hollowed out, creating a dark, wet cave. If you plan to hike behind the falls, make sure your boots have adequate traction, and you are prepared to get wet! The trail is only a moderately difficult hike and winds through a lush, hemlock forest.
Height: 25 ft.
Trail Length: 2.4 miles (round trip)
Difficulty: Moderate
Anna Ruby Falls, Georgia (left)
Created by the Curtis Creek and York Creek, Anna Ruby Falls is not just one waterfall, but two. Sometime nicknamed as the “twin falls”, both creeks converge and then separate, simultaneously cascading over the sheer rock face, side by side. Separated by a thick cluster of trees, the twin falls are twice as mesmerizing. Just north of Helen, the Anna Ruby Scenic Area has provided observation decks for incredible views that don’t endanger anyone’s safety. The path is paved, ideal for children, with a gift shop and ranger station at the trail head.
Height: 150 ft. & 50 ft.
Trail Length: <1mile
Difficulty: Easy
PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT
Pack it in, Pack it out. Visiting the country’s national parks comes with responsibility. In order for the parks to remain such a wonderful place to vacation and explore, campers and hikers must take care to protect the environment. Use the rule “Pack it in, pack it out”, also called “Leave no trace” camping. This involves picking up all trash, food scraps and belongings before leaving any area. Burning trash is a good strategy, but make sure it is burned entirely and the fire is out completely upon leaving. However, burning plastic products is harmful to the environment so take plastic bottles, food wrappers or Ziploc bags to a campsite trashcan or take them with you.
Leaving food remnants and debris at the campsite or on the trail is not only an eye sore, but also holds serious repercussions for wildlife. The Southeast mountain ranges are home to the black bear. A species that has a nonchalant temperament toward humans, black bears are usually not the ones to start trouble. However, when campers and hikers leave scraps of tuna, energy bars, apple cores or chocolate wrappers at campsites, the bears adeptly pick up the scent. Once a bear knows it can get food at one campsite, it will continue to search other campsites for snacks.
“Soon [bears] may associate people with easy meals and decide to appear when the campers are up and around, with the idea of chasing them away from their food,” said John Grassy, wildlife expert, author and contributor for GORP.com. “Once the bears have been de-sensitized to humans, they are more likely to approach you, and if provoked, attack. Thus, careful clean up and thoughtfulness around campsites is imperative.”
