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  1. #21
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    yeah.....

    i did a google map cause it will take longer than 3 hours from ATL to gatlinburg.....


    i live in knoxville and drive to ATL a bunch------i always plan on 4 hours with a stop for food and restroom..........

  2. #22
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    so......

    and assuming everything is on time (which it wont) and getting checked out with car doesnt take long-----OP stops for food and be right at knoxville REI at 10 am......

  3. #23
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    In response to some recommendations above for the Goshen Prong Trail and campsite 23 ...

    We were there earlier this month. Much of the trail is open and clear (mainly in the woods), but where it gets sunlight, you'll find the trail overgrown with weeds. These weeds are often over your head and often include stinging nettle and/or briers (these briers are not nearly so thorny as the wild blackberries that come up in my yard, but they still have thorns). While fighting through a bunch of this stuff in shorts and short sleeves, I considered bringing leather gloves and a serious knife on future summertime trips to lesser used trails in the Smokies.

    The AT gets tons of traffic and a good bit of maintenance. On these less popular trails, YOU ARE the maintainer. Come prepared!

  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu View Post
    I've come up with an alternate suggestion for you... CS#23.

    Park your car at the Little River Trail trail head in the Elkmont campground and get a shuttle to Clingman's Dome parking lot.

    Hike up and see the view from the Clingman's Dome Observation Tower.
    Hike the AT west/south towards Goshen Prong Trail where additional mountain vistas will greet you (weather permitting).
    Hike down Goshen Prong and camp at CS#23 located near the confluence of several mountain streams.
    Continue down Goshen Prong and Little River Trail where you'll hike along the creek and see a few of the lesser known water falls and cascades.

    This hike gives you the opportunity to see parts of the GSMNP at all elevations, only takes one night, and is almost all down hill (so you should be able to make better time than if you were climbing the 2,500' to 3,500' required to reach the top of LeConte).
    Thanks, we've decided on this route!
    Already reserved CS 23 and we've contacted a firm to get the shuttle.

    Because we drop our friend of at gatlinburg, we're looking to do a supply (food, knife, rope to hang up food) run at Rei Knoxville I think...

    Thanks so much for all your help, I'll post here to keep you updated

  5. #25
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    this would be our hike : https://goo.gl/maps/mTYp9aqxmq22

    And we're probably gonna get supplies at http://gsmoutfitters.com/ because of it's better opening hours and it's closer to Gatlinburg

  6. #26
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    You won't need rope to hang food---every campsite in the park has cables to do this....

  7. #27
    Registered User gollwoods's Avatar
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    Hmm. The route map opened with the start at the observation tower. Not from parking area, it won't be necessary to climb up and back down of course like it shows. The A T is directly to the right from the base of the ramp

    Sent from my HTC6525LVW using Tapatalk

  8. #28
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by gollwoods View Post
    Hmm. The route map opened with the start at the observation tower. Not from parking area, it won't be necessary to climb up and back down of course like it shows. The A T is directly to the right from the base of the ramp
    Yea... the map doesn't show the AT and the trail to the observation tower as being connected... but they are.
    However, I can warn you (from personal experience) that the way the trail turns/spirals around the tower can be a little disorienting. When you do get on the AT, you have to make sure you are heading west and not east. I've made that mistake, but soon realized I was going the wrong way because it was early morning and I realized I was walking towards the rising sun. You'll be there closer to noon where the sun's orientation isn't going to help as much to make sure you are going the right direction.

  9. #29
    GSMNP 900 Miler
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    Quote Originally Posted by sectial View Post
    this would be our hike : https://goo.gl/maps/mTYp9aqxmq22
    Your hike map shows the final destination to be the Elkmont Campground Kiosk.
    Actually, parking for hikers is over by the trailheads (where Little River Trail and Jakes Creek Trail come into Elkmont). However, to get there, you will follow that side road your trip shows between the Little River Trail and the Kiosk.

    Quote Originally Posted by sectial View Post
    And we're probably gonna get supplies at http://gsmoutfitters.com/ because of it's better opening hours and it's closer to Gatlinburg
    Can't give you any feed back on the outfitter itself, I've never been there. But it's location (3275 Wears Valley Rd as listed on the website) seems to be a location that might slow you down... given that you need to go into Gatlinburg to drop off your friend.
    From what I can make out using Google Maps (and assuming you don't have traffic problems) it's about a half hour from Gatlinburg to the outfitter, and another half hour from the outfitter to the trail head.

    Perhaps you've already thought of this... but in case you have not... you will save some time if you head strait to the outfitter on 321, meet the shuttle at the trail head, and have the shuttle drop your friend off in Gatlinburg on your way to Clingman's Dome.

  10. #30
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    I would contact that outfitter to make sure it has all the gear ya need....

    Seems like a small place and may not stock a lot..


    it would suck to get there and not have said items....

  11. #31
    Registered User Venchka's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sectial View Post
    Thanks, we've decided on this route!
    Already reserved CS 23 and we've contacted a firm to get the shuttle.

    Because we drop our friend of at gatlinburg, we're looking to do a supply (food, knife, rope to hang up food) run at Rei Knoxville I think...

    Thanks so much for all your help, I'll post here to keep you updated
    The Little River Trading Company in Marryville, TN will have everything you need, save driving and time AND delightful refreshments onsite.
    A really nice place.
    http://www.littlerivertradingco.com/products/
    Wayne


    Old. Slow. "Smarter than the average bear."
    Eddie Valiant: "That lame-brain freeway idea could only be cooked up by a toon."
    https://wayne-ayearwithbigfootandbubba.blogspot.com
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