The Great Smoky Mountains, one park near me that truthfully I haven't played around in much. From Nashville it is about a 4.5 ish hour drive depending on good old traffic. Once again in true Taryn fashion, I decided once waking up that I was going to explore the area as the hike is one I'd had on my radar for a while now. With my backpack always packed, I grabbed my boots and headed out.
The drive itself is SUPER easy to navigate. If there is one thing I have learned though, it is that do not always go off of All Trails in terms of location maps. A helpful tool for me has been to Google search where to park, or the actual trailhead. After one too many times of being told, "You're here" yet being in someone's field or middle of nowhere it is a life saver. You can also use the NPS website to find the hikes desired and typically they have key things to know! This is also a great resource to check current weather conditions ahead of time. For the trailhead you want to navigate towards the Sugarlands Visitor Center, once you pass that you want to follow the sign for Newfound Gap which will be about 13 miles further, and plenty of winding turns. The parking lot itself needed is on the left, and easy to see! There are bathroom, an overlook, and a fun photo spot due to the NC/TN border meeting! PS this is a great spot to see the sunset too!
Okay now the nitty gritty key things to know about Charlies Bunion
(ESPECIALLY if you're new to hiking).
DOWNLOAD the map beforehand. Service is basically non existent.
Trailhead is not labeled at first. It starts next to the bathrooms, and on the sign you can see part of the AT listed. As you follow this though, you will see Charlies Bunion start to appear.
USE the bathroom, or you might hate your life later.
The white trail markers are your bible, and it is marked VERY well.
Total distance- 8 miles. It is out and back, meaning 4 miles in then 4 miles back.
Total elevation peaks 6000 ft. Lowest my watch pegged was 5000 ft.
Total time- 3+ hours. I took 3 hours 25 minutes with my backpack. This could easily take someone 4-6 given rests, stops for the view, fitness levels.
Weather conditions can dictate how hard it becomes, I do not recommend this in Winter for someone who is not used to hiking long hikes in "harsh" weather conditions.
Bring at least 1 liter of water + snacks. I took my 1st Phorm protein bar as it's easy to grab, and keeps me fueled.
When you pass the shelter there is roughly 1.3 miles left to hike, & I must say the view at the top is totally worth it. The trail itself is well maintained, but with Winter/colder weather ice is a given. Now while Vanilla Ice is a fan, not all of us are here for some Ice Ice Baby moments. Keep in mind too, that as the elevation changes so does the temperature. This is where I HIGHLY suggest you do not embark on this adventure unless you have the following.
Hiking boots. I use the Merrell brand and LOVE them.
Microspikes for your shoes. These saved me 100%. BEST investment.
Lightweight jacket. The Patagonia Nano Puff is a go to for me.
Easy base layers in case you do get hot. I wore Lululemon leggings, & often grab the Swiftly Tech Tees due to ventilation.
Ability to get there early enough to not be stuck in the dark heading back.
Everything about this hike was fun, challenging, and stunning rolled into one. For me personally this trail was the hardest given total distance, elevation, 50 degree temperature, plus my backpack with ice beneath me. If anything though it taught me that I can do hard things. About 2 miles in I started wondering if I could do this, more so because I arrived at 1 pm and the sunset is about 5 pm. I am not a fan of hiking in the dark unless I know the trail beforehand. The view is well worth the 8 mile (Cue Eminem) round trip trek, and if you're adventurous enough you can sit on the peak of Charlies Bunion like I did. However, this will entail a bit of a scramble and you should use caution.
Solo travel, hiking, and all the in between has been such a freeing experience for me. Quite personally it is also the greatest trust building exercise. Not only that, but being on the trail allows the mind to just be truly present. I get asked a lot about how I do these hikes alone. There isn't a rule book or anything I am going off of, and I hope that by sharing these tips/learning curves it enables you to take the chance as well. The biggest thing is to start small, know your limits, and get in tune with your body. Over time, once you start the rest will become easier. The Smokies were definitely smoky due to clouds that day, but I'd easily do this again. In fact, I probably will as Mount LeConte is on my list I just ran out of daylight.
-Taryn
@taryn_annette
Tips for health/fitness can be found here.
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