Garenflo Gap, NC to Allen Gap, NC

Friday, October 27, 2000

Garenflo Gap to Hot Springs, NC, 6.6 miles

Three weeks later I'm on the road again to the Appalachian Trail. My brother Mike has come up for the weekend and we are planning to go back to Garenflo Gap and finish the leg to Hot Springs, NC and hike on to Allen Gap over the next two days. This time we're taking our dad with us. Mike drove up from Goldsboro last night and stayed with Dad. I meet them in Morganton for breakfast and we are off for Hot Springs in no time.

We drop a vehicle in Hot Springs at the USFS parking lot and drive toward Garenflo Gap. We pick up where we left off three weeks ago thirty minutes later. The 6.6 miles into Hot Springs is an uneventful nice hike. We stop for a few minutes at the Deer Park Mountain shelter. The hike goes quickly without a heavy pack on. We reach the hills overlooking Hot Springs by early afternoon and descend into town.

We decide to detour over to Max Patch on the way to pick up my van from Garenflo Gap. Three weeks ago when we were here the weather was cold and windy. Today it is warmer and sunny. There's also a different view than last time when fall colors flowed off of the ridges. Now three weeks later most of the leaves have fallen and it looks like winter is on the way. We hike across the top of Max Patch before returning to the car.

We drive back to Garenflo Gap and pick up my van and then head to Elmer's hostel in Hot Springs to see if there is any room for the night. Turns out he is full, so we drive down to the Alpine Court Motel and rent a room. It begins to rain an hour later. After supper at the Smoky Mountain Diner we turn in after a full afternoon.