Need suggestions - easy section in SNP

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

As most of you know, I lost my mother in late September. We are planning to take my Dad - age 85 and with a questionable hip - on some day hikes in the SNP this spring. I'd really like for him to get to see some wildlife and maybe a waterfall. While he is in remarkably good shape for 85, he does have a hip that is probably arthritic (he's as stubborn as she-dino and won't let the doc do a CT or MRI). The hip goes out on him sometimes so I don't want to be so far from a road that we couldn't get him out safely.

Any suggestions for good sections or areas welcomed.

[Lone Wolf]

Big Creek. oops. wrong park

[Hikerhead]

The Limberlost Trail near Skyland is about a 2 mile level loop hike with a wide pea graveled bed especially made for people with disabilities. The Whiteoak Canyon trail trails cuts thru the loop and the first water fall is about 1/4 mile or so down hill from the eastern part of the loop.

[Lone Wolf]

go to Skyland, park, walk up Stony Man, come back and eat at the lodge

[wallace]

You can access the Dark Hallows Falls via a fire road. It is much less steap than the Dark Hallows Falls Trail. The falls are the closest falls to the Drive. To find the fire road, park at the gap parking lot which is the first parking lot north of Dark Hallows Falls Trail parking lot and cross the drive. The trail/road is marked. This is all by Big Meadows Lodge/Wayside/campground.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Thanks for these ideas (including the one in the GSMNP ) We may try all of these - and Dad would love lunch at the lodge.

[GoldenBear]

http://www.snpbooks.org/Merchant2/me...ategory_Code=H

You'll find several hiking guides for SNP, with adequate descriptions of locations, distances, difficulty levels, and what you'll see. Amongst the hikes of less than two miles to waterfalls are the ones to Lands Run (Mile Marker 9.2) and Dark Hollow Falls (MM 50.7)

Whether you'll see "wildlife" depends on your definition. Deer are so common they are becoming a nuisance. I've also seen turtles, rabbits, and turkeys. Bears are a matter of dumb luck -- I've seen none at all on most of my trips, but I've also had six encounters in 40 hours, including one time I bumped a bear who ran out in front of my car (no damage to either).

[wallace]

One other thing your dad may enjoy. The rangers run car trips down to Hoover's camp. It is a caravan that goes down in the morning. I don't know if they run it in the spring or what days, but they run it during the summer. It leaves from Big Meadows and you have to sign up for it at the Visitor's center. Once you get down to the camp, the ranger unlocks the facility and gives a tour and talks about the era.

[hammock engineer]

There was a couple people from that area at the hammock campout this weekend. The way they talked they spent a ton of time hiking in the area. You might want to try asking it over there.

The AT at least is the easiest and nicest graded part of the whole trail. Most of the shelters are .5 or so from the roads. I thought the bird's nest day use shelters were really cool. Some of the best ccc stone structures I saw on the whole AT.

[Rain Man]

Dino,

If you'd like SNP maps and guide book, but don't want to lay out the money for a single hike with your dad, I'll gladly mail you mine, the ones Grass and I used last summer, as long as you promise to get them back to me.

RainMan

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[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

Thanks to everyone for the advice and to RainMan for his most generous offer.