Eventually the road hooked up with the parkway and we cruised into Gatlinburg. As excited as we were for showers and a comfortable bed, we were dreading the experience of visiting the greatest tourist trap ever created. Gatlinburg has more ways to waste an unwise tourist's money than any place I've been unlucky enough to see. Haunted houses, Ripley's believe it or nots , magic shows, carnival games and freak shows line the streets of this eyesore. At Cosby Knob we had asked two thru-hikers what the oddest thing they had seen in their month on the trail was. After some consideration, they both agreed: Gatlinburg.
We found a reasonably-priced hotel room, and took full advantage of hot showers, scrubbing off the mud that was caked onto our bodies. Gatlinburg does have a couple of restaurants worth braving the sea of tourists. For dinner we hit the Mellow Mushroom. This pizza joint is in my top 5, and also has a huge draft beer selection. In the morning we visited the Pancake Pantry for breakfast. With a line that sometimes wraps around the block, Pancake Pantry is very popular, and for good reason. They specialize in giant plate sized orders of Crepes. We split the raspberry peach Crepes.
Having satisfied our cravings, we eagerly fled Gatlinburg and returned to the National Park. We couldn't quite bring ourselves to strap the backpacks on again so soon, so we elected for a front country campsite. Elkmont campground is run on a first-come, first-served basis this time of year and we had no trouble securing a campsite. We set up our new tent and organized our gear for some day hikes. Our site provided views of both the mountains and a pleasant, babbling stream that fed the Little River.
We decided to take advantage of the proximity of the Little River trailhead and take a pleasant stroll up the Little River trail. Our hike followed the raging creek up-stream for three miles, past countless waterfalls joining the creek from both sides of the ravine. The skies were partly cloudy and the air crisp and cool, probably in the low 50's. There was something very relaxing about not being in a hurry and having time to absorb the tranquility of the forest. A few brave wildflowers were beginning to appear on the hillsides, proof that spring was actually coming.
We ate our lunch on a couple of large rocks on the riverbank, doing our best to ignore the family that decided the best way they could enjoy nature was to lob rocks into the creek.
After our hike we heated up some dehydrated Mac and cheese for dinner. The campground was less than half-full and a laid-back atmosphere permeated the place. Obviously the type of folks camping in this cold spring weather are more likely to be mellow, seeking a quiet experience in nature.
We crawled into our down sleeping bags and opened our books. Mary quipped that I looked like a happy caterpillar in my sleeping bag. Funny as the comment was, it was a true. I couldn't imagine a more comfortable place in the world. The quiet of the woods was only broken by the soft music from our neighbor's campsite: Mumford and Sons, Avette Brothers, The Civil Wars - good taste!
Shortly before we turned off our headlamps the call of a barred owl sounded through the campground. It was quickly answered from across the river, and for the next few minutes we were treated to a cacophony of hoots and howls. It sounded like they were having a party in the woods.
In the morning we slept in, avoiding the cold morning air in favor of our warm sleeping bags. When we finally crawled out of the tent we were greeted by blue skies, warming sunshine and birdsong. We cooked up some oatmeal and coffee while planning our day. We elected for the Abrams Falls trail. I had avoided this hike due to its popularity, but now seemed like a good time to try it out. The trails in higher elevations would be an absolute mess with all of that snow melt, and any trail with a noteworthy stream crossing would be out.
The hike was beautiful, but beyond crowded. In multiple places we had to stop and wait for the traffic jam in front of us to clear to proceed. The trail followed beautiful Abrams Creek for 2.5 miles, occasionally climbing a few hundred feet above the water, offering views of the low ridges west of Cades Cove. The falls themselves were impressive. A single drop of probably 20 feet, Abrams Falls carried a high volume of water, providing for an impressive water show. A sign on the riverbank warned that there have been five deaths in the falls. We ate our lunch by the falls before making the return hike.
After arriving back at the trailhead we drove back into town to a convenience store for some cold beverages and a bag of potato chips. We enjoyed hot soup with our chips and beer at our campsite. Jealous of our neighbors campfire, we decided to splurge on a bundle of wood from the camp store. The wood was dry and burned quickly, offering a chance to warm up before we hopped into our sleeping bags. Just as the fire was burning out Mary spotted a bird gliding silently beneath the trees in the campground. One of the Barred Owls we had heard the night before landed in a tree near us. I always feel thrilled when I'm lucky enough to see these mysterious creatures in the wild. The owls would continue to talk throughout the night.
We returned to our sleeping bags and our books ready for another quiet night in the forest.
