Sunday, we needed to complete the only hike for #mst40hike that Alex is unable to do. Heading west from Maggie Valley, we entered Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. There was only appeared to be one elk in the field and we weren't going to stop initially, but then realized there were two - a mother with her nursing baby. So we made a stop to view the baby elk that still had spots, like a fawn.
Then we drove up to the parking lot at Clingmans Dome to do the first MST hike without Alex, since dogs aren't allowed.
Despite bright sun down in the valley, it was very foggy at the top with no views so we got right on the combined MST/Appalachian Trail.
The high elevation forest was really beautiful in the fog.
We followed the combined trail for several miles in the fog with only a few sprinkles here and there.
Some mountain woodsorrel was blooming among the ferns.
We crossed over the summit of Mount Collins and hiked as far as the Fork Ridge Trailhead, where the MST splits from the AT to complete hike 1 and then started making our way back. Sandy spotted a bird's nest with some babies.
We also saw a cool mushroom on the hike back too.
Although it rained a little, the skies cleared by the time we made it back to the summit.
So we stopped at Clingmans for a couple pictures before returning to the car. With the clearing weather, it had gotten really crowded up here.
Driving back down US-441, we made a quick stop at Cliff Branch Falls.
It's a small roadside waterfall, but worth a quick stop after the recent rains.
Then we continued back to Maggie Valley. BearWaters had been really good and close to the hotel, so we stopped there for dinner again and got burgers. Then we headed back to the hotel to start getting packed up.
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