GSMNP: Done

[HooKooDooKu]

25 years ago, I hiked to Laural Falls... it was my 1st hike in GSMNP. I've been hiking in GSMNP ever since.

Today, I hiked from Laural Falls to the Townsend 'Y' to complete the requirements to become a member of the 900 Miler Club... having now hiked all the trails on the GSMNP Trail Map.

[illabelle]

Wow, Hookoo! Congratulations! What an accomplishment!

I think I've done maybe 300 miles of GSMNP. 900 miles is on my radar, but no actual plans to accomplish. This weekend we did the little 1.1 mile Spruce Mountain Trail to campsite 42 and drove the l o n g one-way Heintooga Road. First time for us to visit that area, didn't even know there was a Balsam Mountain Campground. Ventured up the Beech Gap trail and saw a bear at the Balsam Mountain junction.

So, now that you've done all of the Smokies, what's next?

[illabelle]

Oh, and now you'll have to change that little script under your name: "On my way to the 900 Miler Club"

[Emerson Bigills]

Congrats. Quite an achievement and display of tenacity.

[Hosh]

Congrats and what a beautiful place to explore

[Ashepabst]

What's next? Slickrock/Citico? Southern Sixers? Tnhiker spent a night in each of the Smokies sites...


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[George]

isn't a min of about 1150 to cover all the trails in the park?

[TNhiker]

Congratulations.....

yeah---what next?

and the kids---how many miles they sitting at?

[TNhiker]

isn't a min of about 1150 to cover all the trails in the park?

theres really no set minimum as it all depends upon routes and rides....

[TNhiker]

What's next? Slickrock/Citico? Southern Sixers? Tnhiker spent a night in each of the Smokies sites...

Yeah...

early on in the quest to do all 900--I had that far off thought of what to do once I got all the trails completed......

and i happened along a fellow on ace gap trail and when we got to talking---he said he had completed all the trails and was now going and spending a night in every backcountry site....

so i stole his idea.....

and spent a night in every site (open ones at the time---missed staying in number 11 due to some closed minded folks) including the island and other lake ones......bought a canoe specifically to do that....


and also went and hiked all the Joyce kilmer/slickrock/Citico trails and a majority of the other ones based around the skyway...

[gbolt]

That is awesome! Congrats. i wish I l.ived close enough to make it my home track, it is a beautiful place to Hike and achieve!

[HooKooDooKu]

What's Next?

Not sure.
In the past I've considered trying for what I call the 1800 Miler Club... All of the trails in both directions.
I've also tracked what campsites I've stayed at, so considered trying to camp at all of the campsites and shelters.

Kids?

I have never added up the total miles any of us have done.
What I do have is a map for each person the I simply use a sharpie to simply write over the map as a background simply logging dates and trails.

I almost filled two maps recording all the hikes I've done in GSMNP. The older boys each have about 2/3 of a map covered. The 'baby' of the family has only just started.

[Gambit McCrae]

Congrats HooKoo! Quite the accomplishment!

[PatmanTN]

Congrats!!

[Bmelee]

Congratulations! And to finish up with the river crossing at the Y is a great way to do it! I finished my map last December at Alum Cave coming down from the top Now you need to go back and hike each trail in every season, because they are all completely different and wonderful when you see them at varying times of the year (except for Jenkins Ridge and Gunter Fork in the summer, they are just plain nasty that time of year!!!)

[ScareBear]

Awesome! Congrats!

[LittleRock]

Congrats! Given the nearly infinite choice of routes, the ruggedness of the terrain, and all the NPS rules, I'd say this is a bigger accomplishment than hiking the entire AT.

[HooKooDooKu]

isn't a min of about 1150 to cover all the trails in the park?

Over the last 25 years, I covered MUCH more than just 1150 miles.

Most of my hikes have been two night camping trips, and many of the trails were done over and over. I usually just tried to make sure some part of the trip included doing a new trail.

Case-in-point:
Gregory Bald loop from Twenty-mile ranger stationI've done this loop three times and three different ways.
1. Twentymile - Long Hungary Ridge - Gregory Bald - Wolf Ridge
2. Twentymile - AT - Gregory Bald - Wolf Ridge
3. Wolf Ridge - Twentymile Loop - Long Hungary Ridge - Gregory Bald - Wolf Ridge

And that's just one example.
I've had a renewable reservation at LeConte Lodge for about 20 years. I've done the 5 primary paths to LeConte in both directions multiple times.

I'll have to sit down sometime and read thru my log and try to quantify each hike to get an estimate on the total number of miles I've done in GSMNP.

[PatmanTN]

I don't have a link but I thought I read that the average 900 miler covered about 1500 to achieve them all. As pointed out above, trails look quite different in different seasons and it's not that hard to freshen up old routes with different variations.

[PatmanTN]

Also meant to say that with my best conservative estimation I've logged over 5000 miles within the park boundaries and most of that was before I ever heard of the 900 mile club. I bet HooKoo has way more than he thinks!