Garenflo Gap, NC to Allen Gap, NC

Saturday, October 28

Hot Springs, NC to Allen Gap, NC, 14.7 miles

We get up around 7 AM, shower and head back to the Smoky Mountain Diner for breakfast. After breakfast we drop a car at Allen Gap and drive back to Hot Springs to start hiking. We finally leave Hot Springs on foot at 9:20 AM.

The first mile or so is a nice hike. Downhill through town across the river and up the river a short way. Then the fun starts. The trail turns vertical for the climb up Lover Leap. The fog has settled on the river thickly this morning, so there isn't much of a view. We slog uphill on a wet trail and reach Tanyard Gap at 11:40 AM. We pause there for lunch before heading uphill again toward Rich Mountain.

We reach the Rich Mountain Firetower spur at 1:15 PM, but Mike and Dad decide not to detour over to the tower. I walk up to the firetower and run into two Ridgerunners there who have just finished working on a section of the trail near the firetower. Together, we climb the firetower for an unbelievable panoramic view. You can see all the way to Roan Mountain in one direction and to the Smokies in the other.

I hurry back down the trail, because we still have miles to go today. Lots more fun uphill before we finally break over the top of this ridge and descend to Allen Gap. We reach Hurricane Gap at 2:00 PM, pass the memorial to Dorothy Hansen's father, and reach Spring Mountain Shelter a few minutes after 3 PM. We meet two hikers and a dog day-hiking up to the shelter. From there it is down hill to Allen Gap. We pass one southbound thru-hiker a mile past Spring Mountain. From here the trail descends nicely into Allen Gap which we finally reach at 4:35 PM.

Back to Hot Springs to pick up the car. One last supper at the Smoky Mountain Diner, and we hit the road for home.

That ends my adventures on the Appalachian Trail for this year, except for the one day-hike we take the day after Christmas. I've been extremely lucky to spend twenty-nine days on the trail this year. I've now used up most of my surplus vacation, so we'll see how well I can do in 2001. It's almost time to begin planning for the next trip next spring!