Nancy and I spent the weekend together in a small hiker town called Hot Springs. Hot Springs has a long history having been a resort town since the early 1800’s. The town got its name from its natural springs which bubble water at about 100 degrees Fahrenheit. (Originally the town was called “Warm Springs” until they decided to switch to a catchier name.) During World War One, the federal government had leased one of the hotels and converted it into an internment camp for German merchant sailors. The Germans reportedly were treated well, and some of them stayed in the area after the war.
Nancy had booked a small cottage at the last minute. She said not to expect much, but the place turned out to be pretty nice, especially for a weary hiker. It had a balcony and a back yard facing the river.
Nancy and I toured the entire town which took every bit of an hour. We ate at two of the town’s three restaurants, did my laundry, resupplied at the Dollar General, and basically bummed around. Alas, we did not actually see the springs, which appear to be located on the premises of some private resort property. All in all, we had a great time, the only downside being that the time was too short.
The weather has been great since leaving the Smokies. It has been sunny and warm for about the last eight days. With the sunny days, the birding has been great. I have been impressed with the variety and abundance of the birds. So far, I have managed to photograph four different kind of warblers. This was no small feat since these birds are pretty shy, and don’t sit still for long.
Pine Warbler
Black-and-white warbler
Black-throated Green Warbler
Yellow-rumped Warbler
The trails seem relatively empty since Hot Springs. I often hike for many hours without seeing another person. A shuttle driver told me that some people had got bummed out by the bad weather in the Smokies and had gotten off trail either temporarily or for good. After talking to some other folks on the trail, I realized that the hikers in front of me had a worse time of it with the weather. One woman told me that she caught a ride from Clingman’s Dome into Gatlinburg, then was stuck there for two days because the road was closed due to snow. Another told me that she and a group of hikers spent a day and a half “camped” in the bathrooms at Newfound Gap. They could not go into town because of the road closure and could not hike because of the weather.
My favorite mountain so far has been Big Bald. The mountain has a grassy top with 360 degree views. I had hoped to camp at the top and view the sunrise, but the timing didn’t work out. I ran out daylight (and energy) the day before and ended up camping at the base of the climb.
Sunrise from my tent
Coffee time on Big Bald Mountain
Some more flora and fauna from the trail…
Crested Dwarf Iris
Painted Lady Butterfly