October 12 Blue Ridge Color, Crab Tree Falls, into Tennessee

 Monday, October 12

It has stopped raining and the sky is a bit brighter this morning....promising.  After breakfast we take care of some housekeeping and fill the fresh water tank.  We will head south on the Parkway this morning and target Crabtree Falls for a 3 mile or so hike.

First stop is Deerlick Overlook.  Still a good bit of fog at 3452' at 8:00.  Things are a bit clearer on the north/west side of the road.  

Crabtree Falls trail starts out nicely but quickly deteriorates. 

These stairs were built from slabs of rock.

 Lots of roots and rocks, and at some points the steep trail has become a small stream, draining the recent rains.  Really must pay attention to where you are walking, pausing every so often to look around the forest.  It smells wonderful!

The Falls are quite nice with only a few other people.  We take some pictures and get ready for the climb back out.  The numbers of hikers coming down increases as we trudge upward, which seems to be a trend that we try to take advantage of.  Anything done before 9:00 will have many fewer people.  The steepest part is near the end - or maybe it just seems that way by then!   At the top we notice this sign, which says the trail is strenuous.  

An earlier sign at the campground (nice but closed) made it sound like a walk in the park!

Back on the Parkway, the fog is still heavy in areas, but there is some nice color. 

The contrast of evergreen (spruce, I think) and the color is very nice!

It really is awesome to come around a bend and see such gorgeous color!  We weren't the only ones taking pictures here. Definitely a WOW moment.

We take a side road to Mount Mitchell, the highest spot at 6684'.  Small visitor's center with restrooms is open and in demand (most are closed!)  The small campground at Mt. Mitchell is closed too, not due to COVID, but due to bear activity!

We gradually get to lower elevations where the sun begins to break through, but there is not a lot of color here yet. Timing is everything.  We wind around a bit and finally get onto 40W which takes us past the edge of the Smokies and into Tennessee by 3:00.  From here we will continue on 40 to Nashville, where we will catch the northern start of the Natchez Trace.

Greg has to adjust from the leisurely, relatively sparse traffic of the BRP, to major freeway.  But it is relatively straight and only gently rolling hills.  Lots of woods mixed with farmland and occasional cattle and horses. 

 We opt for our old friend Wallyworld (Walmart) in a town called Carthage before we reach Nashville.  I called ahead to make sure it was ok.  Staying at Walmart is not a given any longer and many of them closer to Nashville nix overnight parking. This is due to a combination of people abusing and trashing them, and cities passing ordinances against it - mostly due to pressure from legitimate fee-charging campgrounds.  Say what you will, they are darn convenient for an overnight stop.

Apparently masks are not required in Tennessee, at least we note quite a few customers without them.  We pick up a rotisserie chicken and salad for a tasty dinner.

Around 8:00 we have some rain, which cools things off nicely for sleeping and encourages the few hot-rodders working on their cars to leave.  Quiet night.