Hiking Metcalf Bottoms

It's been a while since we've been able to coordinate a hike, so I was super excited to be able to get in one decent hike while we were in the Smoky Mountains on vacation. It doesn't help that I'm progressing along in my pregnancy, and hiking just isn't as easy as it normally is,  lol.

Due to scheduling conflicts our trip to the Smokies was a week later than normal. I was a little worried as to what the weather would be like. But, we were blessed with beautiful fall weather. It only rained once and only one day was it terribly cold. 

This is our second time hiking Metcalf Bottoms which starts out by the Little Pigeon River. Our first adventure to this beautiful hiking destination was an epic ordeal to say the least; all on account of NONE of the trails being marked! We ended up carving our own trail at one point and it took us twice as long to get to the schoolhouse, ugh!!

This time we knew where to go, even if the park services did finally put some decent trail markers!!

Y'all this hike is not for the unfit! There are some intense inclines at multiple sections. While I don't consider myself to be the most physically fit person, I'm certainly a fairly active woman and there were moments I was heaving pretty heavily. 

There are two bridges on the trail that consist of a single log and one crudely constructed rail. Yeah talk about a moment of panic when it came to my little ones crossing the bridges.

Praise the Lord none of us fell! Even though the bridges aren't all that high and the creek bed was fairly dismal, I imagine a fall from either of the bridges would leave a mark and be painful!

The trail continues on to the Walker Sister's old homestead, but both times we've been here we've only hiked to the Old Little Green Briar Schoolhouse. Maybe one day we'll actually make it to the homestead.

Perks of being a homeschool family and loving nature, my kiddos can spot little critters from a mile away!

It's hard to believe the last time we were here, little Miss Lydia was in my belly and now she's nearly two and about to be a big sister. Time passes when we blink!

Ahh the beauty of fall was all around us. One of my middle boys spent the entire return hike helping me scavenge for the perfect red leaf. 

After our hike we had a picnic and then the children and daddy went exploring the river. They find it great fun to hop along the rocks, but it never fails that a little one falls in, sigh! Thank goodness no one has ever gotten hurt and the river is shallow.

I think Fall is the perfect time to go hiking. The temperature is mild, the trees are changing, the bugs are minimal, it seems easier to breathe (verses the summer), and on and on I could go. It just always seems our schedule is so full in the fall that hiking gets put to the back burner until after the holidays. I think next year I'm going to have to rectify that and plan a few more hiking adventures in the Fall.

From what I understand there are a plethora of hiking trails in the Smoky Mountains. We've only had the privilege of hiking three different trails and one of them was wayyyyyy tooooo dangerous for my littles bitty ones! Of course sometimes you don't figure that little snippet out until you get on the trail ~ sigh, insert eye roll. I'm hoping to plan to explore some new trails the next time we go. But to be honest, this year it was good to go on a trail we already knew, especially in my very pregnant state, 😂

With Love & Hope,

Jennifer