Laurel Falls And Beyond

Marc and I are enjoying a few days off in Pigeon Forge.  We have done this a couple of times before, but never this exact week.  There is a car show here this week.  And there are a million people here.  Nonetheless, we are enjoying this time.  Some of the cars are really cool, evoking memories from days gone by. 

Yesterday, we decided to take a hike.  We decided on the Laurel Falls trail.  It is only 1.3 miles to falls and is a fairly easy paved trail.

With as many people as are in this town right now, it was no surprise to find the trail full of people, too.  The falls were beautiful. 

There were 50 or so people hanging out at the falls, so we kept going.  We were the only people that walked beyond the falls.  Once we passed the falls the trail was no longer paved, but groomed and still fairly easy.  We walked another 1.8 miles until our trail crossed another one.

The only sounds we heard were noise our feet made on the trail and the click-click of my camera.  It was solitude.  No one but Marc and I.  And God.  It was peaceful, serene.  Clean and crisp.  Strokes from the autumn palette  had been brushed across the trees.  Fallen trees littered the forest floor.  I was energized with each step. 

Once we reached the trail crossing, it was another 9/10 of a mile to the end of the trail.  I wanted to go on, not that we would have seen anything so different.  Marc said my legs might cramp if we went on.  So we began our descent.  I think I could have made that last leg.  But, by last night, I was glad we didn't go on.

Our hike yesterday in the Smokies was a beautiful day.

Terri