Soon after leaving the Smokies the trail follows a stream with some cool waterfalls that empty out into the Pigeon River. At one point while climbing down some rocks to get the shot, I stepped on what I thought was leaves on top of a rock but it was leaves on top of nothing and my leg slipped down a hole. I got a cut on my shin but was otherwise unscathed. The bridge across the river is white blazed and the path then cuts under Interstate 40 with the loud hustle and bustle of cars zipping along and trucks rumbling as they engine brake.
We stopped at Standing Bear Hostel to say hi to some of the crew and I needed a few snacks in order to make it to Hot Springs without going hungry. It is an old-time feeling compound with a few small cabins built over a stream and one guy was playing a banjo which added some authenticity to the feeling. An old bearded man who looked like a textbook definition of an Appalachian miner was running the register, which involved you writing down your goods and their prices (honor system) on an envelope and then paying in cash which he added to a big gangster roll in his overalls. There was also a hostel cat roaming around and wasn't afraid to hop out in the middle of the stream.
Resupply at Standing Bear Hostel
Standing Bear's guardian cat prowling in the stream
A bit further up the trail is a big FAA radar tower perched on top of Snowbird Mountain which had a very secure fence to keep hikers and wildlife away. The clouds were also doing pretty looking things.
FAA Tower...hopefully not frying my brain from standing so close
We camped down in a valley at Groundhog Creek Shelter which had the world's tiniest privy in the middle of camp. If you are taller than 5'6" you can't stand upright and the walls were only about 30" above the ground so it felt like you were on display haha. The next morning we reached Max Patch which used to be an old cattle field on top of a hill and it offered some truly amazing views. I would've loved to catch a sunrise or sunset up there, or at least hang out for a few hours but we were planning to throw up some 20 mile days in order to make it to Hot Springs before 1030am on Saturday so Alex could pick up a package from the post office. Most of the rest of the day was a descent from Bluff Mountain and into the French Broad River Valley where the town of Hot Springs resides.
Max Patch
Traimily picture on top of Max Patch
Switchbacks coming down Bluff Mountain
I found a nice shirt in the hiker box so I could look like not-hiker-trash for my Grandma who came to meet me for lunch
We had a slow and lethargic pace hiking out of Hot Springs and only made it about 13 miles before everyone stopped to set up camp. I felt like I had some more gas in the tank so I pushed on solo planning to do another 1-2 miles until the next water source. I overshot it and wound up at a road which had tons of tenters and road noise which I wanted no part of so I went a bit further. I then entered a rhododendron forest which is not a hammockable place so I put on my headlamp and kept hiking in the dark. The trail then went up a mountainside which was too steep on either side to camp so I pushed on. Finally at 10pm and after four bonus miles I found a nice spot and set up camp. It was super windy and the tall swaying poplar trees that I was hanging from rocked me to sleep. The next day was foggy, windy, and rainy as I went over the Firescald Knob and hit the 300 mile point. This section was packed with rock scrambles, whited out overlooks, windy exposed ridges, and moss covered boulders which made it my favorite section of the trail so far.
The sun came put and zapped away all of the fog and clouds around 4pm which helped dry me out before I reached camp at the Flint Mountain Shelter. The whole gang was there and even Stick caught up after deciding not to stay at the shelter shelter miles back which had old grouchy men who wouldn't move to let hikers in out of the rain to eat lunch. While brushing my teeth I found this gluttonous snail who has been putting in work munching on a leaf.
Snail munching on a leaf outside of Flint Mountain Shelter
The next day had another cool waterfall that I passed in the morning and soon after I found a butterfly that held still long for me to take a shot.
Finally got a photo of a butterfly