It’s May 2nd and I’ve hiked 274.4 miles. I’m currently taking my second “zero” day in a cabin in Hot Springs with 10 other hikers enjoying excessive amounts of food, rest, laundry, showers, and drying out our gear in the sunny yard. Life is good!
Since you last heard from me, I hiked through the Smoky Mountains. They were incredible! As I first ascended the Smoky Mountains, the forest floors were covered in white and pink wild flowers. It was absolutely beautiful. The first two days of the Smokies were filled with a lot of climbing and sunshine.
As I reached the high ridge line, the mostly bare deciduous trees at lower elevations were no more and the forest transitioned to dense conifers. The ground was covered in orange needles and all the fallen trees were covered in bright green moss. It was beautiful and a welcomed change.
Before long, the weather turned and cold rain and wind moved in. The rangers warned us of a bad storm heading our way and a group of us made the decision to go into Gatlinburg, TN for the night. We hiked to the next road and hitched into town. Gatlinburg was a shock to our systems with all of the flashy lights, dozens of shops and restaurants, crowded sidewalks, and noisy cars. We of course gorged on cheeseburgers and then enjoyed showers that we hadn’t planned on getting since coming to town hadn’t been our original intention.
When we returned to the trail the next day, we arrived at Clingmans Dome. At 6,643 feet, it’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park’s highest point. It is the highest point in Tennessee, and the second highest point east of the Mississippi. But the weather was still not on our side. We had a view of only fog and rain from the tower. The group of us hiked quickly that day to the shelter and retreated into our tents to get warmed up in our sleeping bags.
In the Smokies there are regulations on camping and all hikers are required to stay overnight only at shelters. Hikers are not permitted to tent unless the shelter is full. The shelters in the Smokies were crowded with section hikers and it was rare that we all got spots inside of them. This made our Smoky Mountain experience extra memorable as we experienced the coldest temperatures yet on the trail. When we retrieved our food bags from the bear cables, they were covered in a thin layer of ice! We were all prepared for the cold, but we were by no means comfortable in it.
The bad weather finally passed and the sunshine returned. It was glorious! Hiking through the sunshine was the best feeling in the world and we were rewarded with the most amazing views of the hike yet. The Smoky Mountains are absolutely incredible!
We reached Newfound Gap, the North Carolina-Tennessee State border, which also offers incredible views of the mountains. It’s a popular spot for tourism and local hiking. When I arrived at the gap, the parking lot was packed of people out to enjoy the views of the Smokies on that beautiful sunny day. I was hiking with a group of about 5 others and we were all in full hiker mode- smelly and all. But people were still curious enough to approach us and ask us dozens of questions. With our big packs, trekking poles, and muddy attire we tend to stand out in public. One man in particular said to me after I confirmed to him that we were thru-hiking the AT, “Man, I’ve always wanted to do that, but I never had anyone to go with me.” This broke my heart. If I had to guess, I’d say he was in his mid sixties; which by the way, so are many other hikers out here. I said to him as he stared at our group with wistful eyes, “We all started alone. We just met each other along the trail.” He was amazed.
As I previously touched on, the hikers out here are are from all over the world, of all different ages, and all here for different reasons. The vast majority of us began as solo hikers. In fact, I’ve yet to meet a group of hikers other than section hikers or Boy Scouts. There are women out here with husbands at home, men out here with wives at home, single parents out here with children off at college, people going through divorces, singles, twenty-somethings and thirty-somethings with boyfriends and girlfriends back home, and we all started this journey solo. If you came to the shelters in the evening, you’d never know. We seem like best friends. It feels like we’ve known each other forever because we share similar experiences everyday. We have more in common with each other now than anyone else.
I hope that no matter how scary it may seem to set out on a journey alone, that being alone will never stop you from starting. I can promise you that being alone is nothing to be afraid of. Chances are that you won’t find yourself alone for long. I wish that the man I met at Newfound Gap would follow his dream and hike the AT. I hope that you will follow yours whether or not you have someone by your side when you take that first step. I can promise you that it’s worth it.
My journey has just begun and I am having the time of my life. This is an experience I wish everyone could have!
Happy trails,
Nicole
P.S. If you’re looking for a way to get out there on your own or get inspiration for your own adventure, consider volunteering with us at the Susquehannock Wildlife Society! We would love your help with everything from White turtlehead plantings to wildlife transportation!
