SEGMENT 1
Today’s focus will be hiking in the Smokies. Joseph discusses spring in the Smokies, which consists of great weather and fun activities. Wildflowers are the most iconic part of the Smokies in the spring, with the park containing a wider variety than any other national park. Surprisingly, car shows are a popular event in the park in the spring. Unsurprisingly though, fishing is a big source of entertainment, with fly fishing being a popular variant. Another activity is hiking, something today’s guest does for a living. Keith Garnes leads hikes for the Smoky Mountains Outdoors. He used to come to the Smokies during the summers and fell in love. Joseph and Keith trade hiking stories, noting the memorable wildlife in the park. Keith discusses the challenges he faces hiking in the Smokies. A recent problem is finding seclusion, as visitation has gone up recently. Next up is hike prep, on top of the essentials, prepping for rain is always necessary as a dry day in the Smokies can turn rainy out of nowhere.
SEGMENT 2
Discussing the NC side of the Smokies, Keith talks about his favorite hike on this side, Andrews bald. Balds are mountain summits, a good place to go and have a picnic. On the Tennessee side, Mount Le Conte is the location of Keith’s favorite hike. On these trails, snakes and bears are common sights. The snakes are easily scared off though, nothing to be scared about. Birds are also a great sight in the Smokies. When seeking solitude in the park, Laurel falls is one to avoid, or to hike early in the morning as it is one of the more popular trails. Keith goes on to discuss more trails to avoid and also mentions how many don’t venture all the way down trails, so as you go further down you find more solitude. Keith and Joseph discuss their stealth hikes.
SEGMENT 3
Joseph and Keith discuss the Appalachian trails. For many of the campgrounds in the park, visitors need permits, but some tent sites are unpermitted as they are slightly less popular. As a designated wilderness area, you are not allowed to hike with dogs on all but two trails. In the park, crime is not a worry, especially along the more popular trails. Many trails lead to old settlements and cabins, Keith discusses some of these historic sites on the Tennessee side of the park. Moving on, Keith and Joseph talk about the road to nowhere and trails to see beautiful wildflowers and waterfalls.
SEGMENT 4
Keith explains Pigeon Forge and its family-oriented nature. Pigeon Forge hosts an award-winning international festival. During Wilderness Wildlife week, seminars such as bear safety are put on.
TRANSCRIPT
00:00:39.210 –> 00:00:39.960 Joseph McElroy: howdy.
00:00:40.470 –> 00:00:45.780 Joseph McElroy: Thanks for joining us on this week’s episode of gateway to the smokies podcast.
00:00:46.740 –> 00:00:54.420 Joseph McElroy: This podcast is about America’s most visited National Park, the great smokies national park and the surrounding towns.
00:00:54.750 –> 00:01:03.960 Joseph McElroy: This area is filled with ancient natural beauty a deep storied history and a rich mountain culture that we will explore with weekly episodes.
00:01:04.650 –> 00:01:11.580 Joseph McElroy: I am Joseph Franklin mcilroy a man of the world, but also a deep roots and those mountains.
00:01:12.360 –> 00:01:19.920 Joseph McElroy: My family has lived in the great smokies for over 200 years my business is in travel, but my heart is in culture.
00:01:20.790 –> 00:01:35.460 Joseph McElroy: Today we’re talking about hiking in the smokies My guess is Keith guards who leads hikes for the wilderness wildlife week and is the hiking director for friends of pickett state park and middle Tennessee and he lives in gatlinburg.
00:01:36.210 –> 00:01:57.330 Joseph McElroy: But let’s first talk about spring in the smokies spring is one of the most popular times to visit the smoky mountains, when the last traces of winter get a smelter way the smokies offer and an idyllic and beautiful weather and greenery and a variety of fun seasonal events and activities.
00:01:58.590 –> 00:02:09.150 Joseph McElroy: The start of spring means at dollywood is back for another year of family fun and when it opens doors in mid march it kicks off the seasons, with its festival of nations.
00:02:09.600 –> 00:02:16.080 Joseph McElroy: This popular celebration brings entertainers from all around the world to the park for a series of free shows.
00:02:16.440 –> 00:02:29.490 Joseph McElroy: You can expect to see dancers, in Africa acrobats from act Africa, a traditional Ecuadorian band from the Andes mountains, a steel pan orchestra from the Caribbean and many more performers.
00:02:30.780 –> 00:02:36.870 Joseph McElroy: And of course dollywood has other things going on, through the spring, including their beloved Barbecue and bluegrass festival.
00:02:38.040 –> 00:02:54.000 Joseph McElroy: Wild flowers, are the most iconic part of the smokies in the spray the great smoky mountains National Park is home to over 1500 types of flowering plants, more than any other national park in the country.
00:02:54.630 –> 00:03:01.080 Joseph McElroy: And they these beautiful blooms are dazzling from March until do so something not to miss.
00:03:02.040 –> 00:03:12.060 Joseph McElroy: Car shows, believe it or not, are a big spring perdition in the smokies hundreds of classic car owners come to places like pigeon forge and Maggie Valley.
00:03:12.330 –> 00:03:19.470 Joseph McElroy: To show off their beautiful hot rods motorcycles and other vehicles it’s a lot of fun and even if you don’t have a.
00:03:20.070 –> 00:03:30.030 Joseph McElroy: Car Vo and it’s great to go to one of these events, because they have lots of booze doing all sorts of cultural artifacts and food and entertainment for the kids.
00:03:31.020 –> 00:03:41.010 Joseph McElroy: it’s a it’s a grand old time mag go the Maggie value festival grounds calm to find out about all the all the festivals coming in the spring, because we have a bunch of them coming there.
00:03:41.850 –> 00:03:50.820 Joseph McElroy: That are dealing with a lot of car show some art shows, and then spring is also an awesome time to come, fly fishing in the smoky mountains.
00:03:51.630 –> 00:04:07.440 Joseph McElroy: Every fish that swims the smokies regions will be very active, and that includes brown trout native trout and rainbow trout and everything else and fly fishing the smokies is there is is where as the best way to catch them so.
00:04:08.520 –> 00:04:09.120 Joseph McElroy: You.
00:04:10.290 –> 00:04:18.810 Joseph McElroy: it’s great in both Tennessee and North Carolina did you see the end you see the highest number of crowds cut all year round in the stream in this in the spring.
00:04:19.650 –> 00:04:32.940 Joseph McElroy: And cherokee is especially interesting because they offer a trophy fly fishing only section, which is where the where the where the trout is measured in pounds not inches it’s a it’s a different kind of.
00:04:33.390 –> 00:04:40.110 Joseph McElroy: way to catch it and it stocks basically the cherokee stocks, the Raven forward and the old code look the River river with.
00:04:40.470 –> 00:04:53.940 Joseph McElroy: rainbow Brown and brook trout and also golden trout and Donaldson strain rainbow trout that’s the hardest fighting rainbow trout in the world, so it’s a special treat in the spring and spring.
00:04:55.530 –> 00:04:59.730 Joseph McElroy: And they it’s worthwhile going there and they have they have they have a lot of different.
00:05:00.480 –> 00:05:17.940 Joseph McElroy: tournaments going on in the cherokee and the surrounding areas for fly fishing the smoke smokies and of course hiking is a huge past time in the smoky mountains, which brings me to my guest Keith Barnes our expert on hiking in the smoking is hi Keith.
00:05:18.450 –> 00:05:19.830 Keith: hello, how are you today, Joseph.
00:05:20.370 –> 00:05:26.730 Joseph McElroy: i’m doing pretty good yeah so so how did you get into hiking in the smokies.
00:05:27.690 –> 00:05:38.550 Keith: Oh, my goodness that one right off the BAT well my dad was from Cleveland Ohio and my mom was from cosby Tennessee, so I would come down and spend summers in the smokies and.
00:05:39.600 –> 00:05:56.610 Keith: It was just so different than Cleveland Okay, it was really entertaining to see the trails and the different wildlife and obviously the plant life was prolific so i’m just being here during the summers back in the from the late 60s, so I fell in love with hiking in the slums.
00:05:57.270 –> 00:06:02.310 Joseph McElroy: What was your, what do you remember your first you know height that you never left her head.
00:06:03.090 –> 00:06:10.590 Keith: Yes, I do it was in the outline section and borders flat and just an easy trail along the river and where you can.
00:06:10.890 –> 00:06:24.240 Keith: kind of leave dad mom and go over and I never forget, we saw an indigo snake of blue indigo snake, which is very rare and that kind of like set in stone my love of the outdoors and hiking spots.
00:06:24.600 –> 00:06:26.400 Joseph McElroy: Okay cool well that’s good I mean you.
00:06:27.510 –> 00:06:28.530 Joseph McElroy: know I can remember.
00:06:29.550 –> 00:06:41.970 Joseph McElroy: You know my parents taking me yeah we had a lot of hiking trails in in the in the in haywood county but there was one that would go across the mountain tops.
00:06:42.900 –> 00:06:46.800 Joseph McElroy: nearest you know I can’t i’m a hard time drawn a name but.
00:06:47.730 –> 00:06:57.570 Joseph McElroy: We would we would hike or a lot of times we’d ride horses, you know, and that was, and I can I can remember vividly this first experiences those mountains.
00:06:57.840 –> 00:07:04.110 Joseph McElroy: You know the vistas are just incredible for children, it really you know sticks in your in your memory and when you see some.
00:07:04.440 –> 00:07:18.900 Joseph McElroy: wildlife and you know just all of a sudden surprise you don’t really forget it, you remember a deer coming out the first time, when you never seen a deer and elk for the first time, and you never seen an elk it’s it’s worthwhile to create those memories for children.
00:07:20.520 –> 00:07:27.270 Joseph McElroy: So you also a motorcyclist right I forgot to mention motorcycle is a big spring time they right.
00:07:27.390 –> 00:07:43.050 Keith: right next to them a little bit with the cars, so I didn’t quite chime in right, then, but definitely motorcycle touring in the peripheral of the smoky mountains is outstanding and understand over and you’re part of the world, you have the wheel street time motorcycle museum.
00:07:43.350 –> 00:07:43.920 Joseph McElroy: Oh yeah.
00:07:44.070 –> 00:07:45.450 Keith: Like the red glare and that.
00:07:45.630 –> 00:07:48.180 Keith: That should be on every motorcyclist bucket list.
00:07:48.330 –> 00:07:54.360 Joseph McElroy: I know I totally I totally dropped the ball and forgetting about motorcycling in the mountains in the spring it’s also another big thing.
00:07:54.360 –> 00:07:54.720 So.
00:07:57.060 –> 00:08:03.930 Joseph McElroy: yeah so let’s get back to hiking so tell me what do you find challenging about hiking this smokies.
00:08:06.690 –> 00:08:09.090 Keith: Well anymore it’s fine enough seclusion.
00:08:10.620 –> 00:08:11.670 Keith: rails wisely.
00:08:12.000 –> 00:08:18.000 Keith: They, for example, November the park visitation was up 14% and.
00:08:20.640 –> 00:08:30.360 Keith: So the numbers overall are our little skewed but recently finding a trail secluded trail is an art and I have some suggestions.
00:08:30.780 –> 00:08:32.190 Joseph McElroy: I was just reading.
00:08:33.270 –> 00:08:42.480 Joseph McElroy: That this year had the most visits ever like over 12 million people, visited the smoky mountains great smoky mountain National Park.
00:08:43.110 –> 00:08:54.900 Joseph McElroy: Right this year right, and you know I don’t want to scare people off because you know we’ve had that we’ve had huge amounts of visitors, for a long, long time that’s always been the most.
00:08:55.500 –> 00:09:10.680 Joseph McElroy: visited national park and you don’t understand the scale of this park it’s just it’s it’s it’s unbelievable and there’s areas are in the in the great smokies that probably have only maybe haven’t even had somebody step on the ground there.
00:09:11.850 –> 00:09:26.490 Joseph McElroy: So it is tremendously so discovering stuff if you’re of that mind is still very much possible, but there are there are the published and popular trails that are well documented things.
00:09:27.630 –> 00:09:33.960 Joseph McElroy: That during certain peak seasons, are a little bit crowded though never overwhelmingly crowded, would you say.
00:09:34.500 –> 00:09:43.830 Keith: Yes, like, for example, if you were to go to battle falls off the Roi Ford motor nature trail at the Roi for watershed few people go 100 yards passing.
00:09:44.160 –> 00:09:53.070 Keith: And same thing with Laurel falls a popular heights so popular they had to like blacktop it so you so there’s a red flag on stroke little lords right.
00:09:53.970 –> 00:10:08.040 Keith: To Laurel you go pass it and there’s a virgin for it’s just three eighths of a mile past it and total solid team so just go a little bit to the popular points and just a little bit beyond will give you give you an experience that so worthy.
00:10:08.490 –> 00:10:16.620 Joseph McElroy: yeah because most people most of the tourists are there because they don’t they don’t they don’t go off the trails they don’t go and do any kind of.
00:10:17.010 –> 00:10:29.790 Joseph McElroy: Things past the designated areas, but you know if you do a little bit of and have a little bit of adventure and your soul, you can discover wonderful new pristine areas and that’s what I really love.
00:10:31.350 –> 00:10:36.570 Joseph McElroy: yeah so what what what preparation wisdom, do you have for us.
00:10:37.260 –> 00:10:50.070 Keith: Oh there’s a lot of printed materials on how to prepare for a hike some of them go overboard like you know flashlights which i’m not against a flashlight don’t not take one, but you know if your cell phones charge you’ve got a flashlight you know but.
00:10:50.580 –> 00:10:59.130 Keith: And also another this one’s odd but spray and the smokies all the water runs downhill and there’s there’s knacks and fly in front of your face.
00:10:59.370 –> 00:11:09.240 Keith: That you can’t do anything about it, no amount of bug spray is going to keep those guys away, but the mosquitoes basically aren’t a big issue, so you don’t have to overdo the bug spray.
00:11:09.570 –> 00:11:17.730 Keith: What you do need to compensate for is that it could rain in any given moment, like if you’re looking at a knoxville forecasts are you going to nashville.
00:11:18.030 –> 00:11:29.730 Keith: You might mess lead into a dryer day, then you might find like cloud first and then sort of like Poncho or something to deal with rain and Ivan carry an umbrella.
00:11:29.850 –> 00:11:30.270 One that.
00:11:32.760 –> 00:11:35.970 Joseph McElroy: You just did, there was a conspiracy as a conspiratorial look.
00:11:39.270 –> 00:11:42.570 Keith: I had an umbrella in my pack, and then I looked pretty smart.
00:11:42.600 –> 00:11:43.020 Joseph McElroy: So that.
00:11:43.440 –> 00:11:55.800 Keith: that’s a tip there so and do carry a pack with items don’t think you can carry things in your hand extra water is also a big big item and snacks so common sense items go a long way and be ready for a clovers.
00:11:56.250 –> 00:11:58.920 Joseph McElroy: And what about fitness levels as their as.
00:12:00.300 –> 00:12:05.130 Joseph McElroy: Their different trails is there is there any recommendations like you know.
00:12:06.060 –> 00:12:14.250 Keith: i’ll tie that into the 12 and a half million people, you said, visited the part and that like 16% of them see it through the windshield of their car.
00:12:14.610 –> 00:12:30.990 Keith: that’s kind of a shame, so there are the one for 41 in little river road there are these quiet walkways which are little like third mile hikes several of them are Ada have a plan approved or what have you.
00:12:32.010 –> 00:12:43.470 Keith: And so you can do like a hike and various footwear, I mean i’m not trying to tell you to go hiking and flip flops, but they are level trails of my taking their mountain stream and they can match the whole family’s fitness level.
00:12:43.860 –> 00:12:50.730 Keith: And several have benches and chaos for information, so I would look for a quiet walkway while you’re driving through the park.
00:12:51.000 –> 00:13:01.440 Keith: And then people that want to find a challenging hike it’s no problem, a lot of times I look at a map and I always give myself two miles a two hours to do a mile in the park.
00:13:02.460 –> 00:13:02.580 Keith: or.
00:13:05.400 –> 00:13:09.660 Joseph McElroy: Is there is there measures of how challenging trails are.
00:13:09.930 –> 00:13:19.020 Keith: Yes, they do have they do have one perfect I was just looking at angie’s ball, one of my favorite hikes to recommend it was a 5.2 and rated moderate.
00:13:19.350 –> 00:13:36.060 Keith: So it must have they have a one to 10 scale and and to me that’s a difficult moderate trail so so whoever’s grading this is using a curve that’s pretty fixed, so I would always take what’s recommended and and maybe respected.
00:13:36.780 –> 00:13:43.560 Joseph McElroy: Alright, so when we come back we’ll talk more about hiking in the smokies and and what are your favorite trails.
00:13:46.530 –> 00:13:51.120 Keith: Radio nyc www talk radio dot nyc.
00:16:42.690 –> 00:17:02.940 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin mcilroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast with my guest Keith guards so key you know I uh i’m on the North Carolina side of the smokies, and so I will start out asking you what is your favorite North Carolina hi.
00:17:03.810 –> 00:17:09.570 Keith: Oh good one good one, it would definitely be Andrews ball, which brings up balls in the smokies.
00:17:10.110 –> 00:17:27.690 Keith: lot of the balls have grown up since the 1930s, when the park was formed and there’s two balls that they maintain to the 1930 standards and one is Andrews ball, the highest ball in the park and the other is Gregory bald which is kind of a remote ball out of kate’s cove a very.
00:17:27.750 –> 00:17:31.890 Joseph McElroy: Similar to do, can I better have just asked me, can you explain what a ball is.
00:17:32.070 –> 00:17:45.240 Keith: Thank you there’s two types of balls in the market grassy ball which these Andrews and Gregory are grassy balls and then there’s like heath balls which are like low shrubbery where they.
00:17:45.840 –> 00:17:57.480 Keith: They kind of just have one type of plant that look like a model culture from a view or model type plant life, and so the grassy balls are the ones that are encroaching.
00:17:58.290 –> 00:18:06.120 Keith: They have to go up there and pull out about every five years and clear off the growth of the forest coming on them to keep them at their historical.
00:18:06.780 –> 00:18:15.720 Keith: levels and Andrews ball being the highest baldwin park has has the only carnivorous plant in the park it’s a sundin carnivorous plant.
00:18:16.020 –> 00:18:24.450 Keith: And years ago I found where they they protected it and i’ve gone back and can’t find the silly things but there’s carnivorous plants on anthony’s ball, I can.
00:18:25.050 –> 00:18:27.180 Joseph McElroy: wow how’d you get there.
00:18:27.630 –> 00:18:32.190 Keith: Well it’s up from cleveland’s Dome which takes everybody to the highest point in the park.
00:18:33.000 –> 00:18:43.650 Keith: Which payments Dome is the highest point in Tennessee and it’s on the border, which has a height deployments Dome which is famous but from from that parking lot you go down hill.
00:18:44.250 –> 00:19:02.970 Keith: towards it and it’s a battle it’s a battle 1.7 mile hike out to it and it’s it’s about 5800 foot and has a grassy view you’re totally in North Carolina at this point, and you can look into Fontana lake and off into the North Carolina that links from there.
00:19:03.690 –> 00:19:05.820 Joseph McElroy: cool and what was the other ball he mentioned he loved.
00:19:06.180 –> 00:19:08.490 Keith: A Gregory that’s famous for the zillions.
00:19:10.050 –> 00:19:12.120 Keith: yeah so uh later in the year hike.
00:19:13.320 –> 00:19:19.860 Keith: Long trails to that one that one’s more challenging Andrews is more accessible and gregory’s more remote and they’re both.
00:19:21.150 –> 00:19:31.530 Keith: Gregory being above kate’s co have had a lot of animals graze on it back in the years some other balls are spence field and silos bald in silos balls grown over for the most part, now.
00:19:32.130 –> 00:19:36.750 Joseph McElroy: So the bulls are good place to go hike to then have a picnic on the top of the mountains right.
00:19:37.110 –> 00:19:39.180 Keith: i’ll tell you what Andrews sure is.
00:19:39.210 –> 00:19:43.260 Joseph McElroy: For sure, and how do you get to the to the Gregory bold.
00:19:43.770 –> 00:19:48.180 Keith: you’ll brennan he’s advocates cove and I think it’s Hannah Ridge, a couple other.
00:19:48.480 –> 00:19:59.580 Keith: Regions to get out to it it’s I wouldn’t recommend that for a family hike that’s for your durable people it’s like a 10 mile round trip, whereas i’m going down the answers by will only be about three and a half, so.
00:19:59.640 –> 00:20:03.570 Joseph McElroy: So that’s when I take my my twins on i’m a two and a half year old.
00:20:03.570 –> 00:20:05.490 Keith: twins yeah yeah.
00:20:06.210 –> 00:20:06.960 Keith: picnic basket.
00:20:07.800 –> 00:20:09.510 Joseph McElroy: basket and gelei on a blanket a.
00:20:09.510 –> 00:20:10.470 Keith: backpack do you got.
00:20:11.460 –> 00:20:16.650 Joseph McElroy: I probably have to put one of those carry things on there and they’re not quite ready for a mile walk.
00:20:17.250 –> 00:20:24.180 Keith: yeah it’s it’s worth it, though in that out the altitude of that will get you going down to 5800 feet, so you know.
00:20:24.240 –> 00:20:36.210 Joseph McElroy: yeah cool so we talked about the north Carolina side, I give fer fer fer time to the tennessee’s i’d, what is your favorite types on the Tennessee side.
00:20:36.570 –> 00:20:39.420 Keith: Well, you know what mount look con is perhaps the most.
00:20:40.140 –> 00:20:48.330 Keith: Famous mountain in the East, I know that’s hard to say but statistically it’s the highest mountain above its base in the East because bow mitchell’s higher.
00:20:48.600 –> 00:20:58.110 Keith: But it’s not lower so so what kind of has a lot of accolades and to me the best all around trail in the state of Tennessee is alum Cape trail.
00:20:58.620 –> 00:21:08.970 Keith: which has several name features along it like it goes along the river styx, which is a great start goes to arch lock which the smokies for all its grander only has one.
00:21:09.420 –> 00:21:18.240 Keith: arch on a trail, and then the trail passes through it in fact the trails forever improve the steps through it it’s really we’re seeing if you haven’t seen a few years.
00:21:18.690 –> 00:21:27.390 Keith: And then it goes up to like inspiration point and then alum cave and then passers gracie pulpit and then you have the satellite mean has all this.
00:21:28.170 –> 00:21:35.940 Keith: history of hiking points along the double steps they took out the double steps of trails forever, but I still call it that you go.
00:21:36.300 –> 00:21:46.350 Keith: Cross a grassy slide and then below the cliff tops in the end up on because it’s the shortest child Telecom, which has a year lodge on top of it that’s a season, a lodge.
00:21:46.980 –> 00:21:57.090 Keith: And they have a winner caretaker that takes care of the lodge during the offseason which adds a glamour job now with the Internet and cell phone lots from on top of the time.
00:21:57.870 –> 00:22:09.660 Joseph McElroy: What you know you when you when you’re when you’re hiking these trails and I mentioned a little bit you see wildlife, what is the most besides, you know the standard rabbits and the Romans and things like that, what is the most common.
00:22:11.190 –> 00:22:14.880 Joseph McElroy: Bigger animals, you might see alone these trails.
00:22:15.000 –> 00:22:20.940 Keith: What from limited gatlinburg i’ve got a whole section on my phone called snakes and bears.
00:22:22.770 –> 00:22:39.180 Keith: bears can be living even up high because they’ll go up high perfect, sometimes even close close Gregory because there’s like cherry trees and things that are growing so much a blackberries along the side of the trail and they’re just just like going on in for dinner.
00:22:39.660 –> 00:22:46.110 Keith: Brain what so they’ll go up high during the summer and then come down low are there a problem with the little cabins.
00:22:46.740 –> 00:22:57.660 Keith: You know, during the the field shoulder seasons, I should say, but here’s a definitely it I you don’t see a lot of snakes eat scare them off pretty well, so I wouldn’t want to have anybody feared about a snake.
00:22:58.860 –> 00:23:00.030 Keith: birds are going to see.
00:23:00.480 –> 00:23:05.970 Keith: The Balkans, the locals call Cox and so good burning and the party with the.
00:23:06.660 –> 00:23:16.830 Joseph McElroy: Will burnings everything now in the mountains, I got I think they got more species in mountains and sort of a geographic area that anywhere in the world right close to it.
00:23:17.250 –> 00:23:22.740 Keith: Yes, it’s a smokies are a biosphere reserve it’s really a claim highly.
00:23:22.770 –> 00:23:26.130 Joseph McElroy: How do you see do you get to see the elk often on the trails.
00:23:26.280 –> 00:23:28.140 Keith: that’s a North Carolina site they.
00:23:29.820 –> 00:23:36.300 Keith: give you they haven’t we don’t quite have the cattle lucci type environment as much.
00:23:36.480 –> 00:23:39.000 Keith: yeah well so know that you got you.
00:23:39.570 –> 00:23:42.480 Joseph McElroy: Definitely on those one another time we’ll.
00:23:42.540 –> 00:23:52.380 Joseph McElroy: Get in depth into the some of the specific trail, so we have some really good wildlife, like the elk on the North Carolina so I imagine Tennessee has its own flavor that.
00:23:53.700 –> 00:24:04.710 Joseph McElroy: You know, when I was growing up, he you know you’d see Fox and you know and and mountain mountain lens, what are the bobcats you see.
00:24:04.770 –> 00:24:05.640 Keith: Oh yes, yes.
00:24:05.700 –> 00:24:06.870 Joseph McElroy: they’ll see those yeah.
00:24:08.250 –> 00:24:08.880 Keith: I love.
00:24:09.720 –> 00:24:15.690 Keith: watching my yeah i’ve got the fox stories, but no and look man this bobcats if they don’t want you to see him that.
00:24:17.100 –> 00:24:19.110 Keith: you’re lucky to see those I know.
00:24:20.130 –> 00:24:24.810 Joseph McElroy: Well, you do, you mentioned that the kids get a little bit crowded.
00:24:25.980 –> 00:24:37.440 Joseph McElroy: So you know, and while we want to emphasize it doesn’t get so crowded that you can’t go to any of these trails why don’t you just tell us which ones, to avoid if we’re wanting to just be like buyers, though.
00:24:38.430 –> 00:24:56.910 Keith: You know Laurel falls is a great destination, that has like I say that they paved it it’s you so much, so I would avoid that one or try it early in the morning, you know I mean people go to pancake pantry in the morning, and you can freeze on a trail if you’re at 7am or you know.
00:24:57.060 –> 00:24:58.440 Keith: So there are ways around it.
00:24:59.100 –> 00:25:15.210 Keith: And like I say there’s different types of trails where the trial ends at a destination or it goes beyond it in Laurel faults goes on up to code mountain and the trail leads a proud behind just past the waterfall so that’s another way bridal falls can be.
00:25:16.260 –> 00:25:22.380 Keith: busy, which is on the warrior forum know motor nature trail on another trial at The con brushing mountain.
00:25:22.830 –> 00:25:31.260 Keith: And, once again, if you go past rattle falls itself and try to get up to brush mountain or go beyond it at all you’ll find solid team.
00:25:31.560 –> 00:25:37.470 Keith: And that’s the trouble that they take the llamas up the mantle conference season, so it has its own little tourist.
00:25:38.130 –> 00:25:50.580 Keith: You know people like to take pictures of the llamas and they actually pass underneath bravo falls trail so they’re all those and proud for that they used to do every Monday Wednesday and Friday when the season is open on the pot.
00:25:51.180 –> 00:25:56.760 Joseph McElroy: My kids would love that work their current favorite is a llama llama red pajamas book.
00:26:01.710 –> 00:26:05.580 Joseph McElroy: I mean you mentioned briefly some about step spelled pipes, what does that mean.
00:26:06.030 –> 00:26:12.510 Keith: ooh Okay, the first off all the heights I recommend staying on trails i’m not trying to get anybody to go off trip.
00:26:13.200 –> 00:26:27.300 Keith: That said, that caveat there’s a trail very there’s three watersheds come off the more cycle of con and one is waiting for that I spoke with a lot about and the other one concrete but there’s the middle of called baskin pre.
00:26:27.750 –> 00:26:38.790 Keith: And, and if you go towards the Rainbow false trailhead just passed there before you get on the warning for motor nature trail there’s a way to go to baskin pre falls.
00:26:39.240 –> 00:26:55.320 Keith: And it is absolutely gorgeous it is no sun hits the bottom of it, it looks like your IRB has been Moss all around it’s been a 45 footer and is kind of in a box Canyon so it’s very photogenic in few people would be there and it’s actually a lovely height.
00:26:56.010 –> 00:26:59.400 Joseph McElroy: wow cool is there is there more of these sort of so so pikes.
00:26:59.790 –> 00:27:10.890 Keith: yeah i’m operates growth which is getting away from a waterfall but it’s man manager and ball trail, and it is a some of the largest virgin forest.
00:27:11.130 –> 00:27:17.460 Keith: area on the Tennessee side used to be an Indian PowerPoint where Indians would go and worship there because the trees were.
00:27:18.180 –> 00:27:34.710 Keith: So gigantic and is situated in like special like triangles and such so it’s a it’s a loop that’s off of an easy travel up to that point so all brights bro definitely Google that one and try to find it it’s it’s a worthy destination.
00:27:35.460 –> 00:27:43.290 Joseph McElroy: I don’t know any official North Carolina side still caught spell hikes but I know some private still hikes and you’re not.
00:27:43.290 –> 00:27:45.900 Joseph McElroy: supposed to go on that are really fantastic yeah.
00:27:46.170 –> 00:27:56.130 Joseph McElroy: Somebody can call me up and find out about it, but I promise i’ll get in North Carolina guy on here and talking about it or girl, for that matter, to talk about it, they will have you both on here to have a competition.
00:27:56.760 –> 00:28:02.010 Keith: Right okay well I can’t divulge our secret hikes like that, because I have to live with these people.
00:28:04.740 –> 00:28:06.810 Keith: These stealth about this stealth so.
00:28:06.840 –> 00:28:11.610 Joseph McElroy: Okay, so we come back we’ll talk about some of the more well known trails like the appalachian trail.
00:28:12.660 –> 00:28:13.560 Joseph McElroy: Talk to you soon.
00:31:04.380 –> 00:31:16.620 Joseph McElroy: hey it’s Joseph mcilroy from the gateway to the smokies podcast back with my guest keep bar or gardens talking about hiking in the smokies so key.
00:31:17.760 –> 00:31:31.350 Joseph McElroy: You know, you know there’s some long trails ago go through the smokies I think the Benton mackay trail the mountains, to the sea trail, but I guess the granddaddy is the appalachian trail, what do you know about these trails worth walk walking on.
00:31:32.070 –> 00:31:41.880 Keith: Oh yes, appalachian trail travels about 69 miles through the park from Fontana damn all the way to davenport gap with.
00:31:42.450 –> 00:31:51.660 Keith: Oh gosh newfound gap kind of the midpoint were for the hikers take breaks and then shuttle down to gatlinburg or cherokee you know for restock and.
00:31:52.230 –> 00:32:06.120 Keith: Definitely there’s a lot of accidents affect the cleamons Dome one of the most famous points observation points in the park is on the appalachian trail and there’s several shelters along it that that the appalachian thru hikers and call them.
00:32:07.350 –> 00:32:18.840 Keith: Now navigate to to journey through the park they’re usually about five miles apart, often hikers will skip one and do about 10 miles a day through the park and the.
00:32:19.590 –> 00:32:35.250 Keith: easiest one to actually look at is a month Collins shelter, which is on the cleamons don’t road it’s like only like three quarters of a mile off the roads in kind of like pop in there and check it out, you ever wanted to see a shelter, the rest of them are pretty remote, though.
00:32:36.150 –> 00:32:40.920 Joseph McElroy: So those are good for people that want to sort of have a camping experience and do some hiking right.
00:32:41.340 –> 00:32:49.560 Keith: They are permitted though you get a permit so so they’re kind of like spontaneous is a little difficult but definitely there.
00:32:50.610 –> 00:32:59.820 Keith: You know, like you could hit the boy scout camp or group that’s going through or you know you never know what you’re going to find a shelter and it’s always an adventure in itself.
00:32:59.940 –> 00:33:06.120 Joseph McElroy: There are other back woods camps good campgrounds right that people go through or all of them permitted.
00:33:06.600 –> 00:33:23.640 Keith: You don’t want a lot of you know, good good question on that some of the 10 sites are unpermitted because they’re just so so unpopular are not over overly us, but even the more popular 10 sites have a permit system just just because if they’re overcrowded they hurt the ecosystem.
00:33:24.210 –> 00:33:27.360 Joseph McElroy: Alright cool well it’s you know.
00:33:29.670 –> 00:33:39.420 Joseph McElroy: it’s that’s for people that though i’m way past that time of doing that Heikki but I used to do it now your kids in the family and all that sort of stuff.
00:33:41.700 –> 00:33:46.170 Joseph McElroy: You know I would I do remember that you can’t take your dog on the trail, why is that.
00:33:47.460 –> 00:33:58.260 Keith: Well, the smokies are a designated wilderness area, and so, in fact, that’s a big deterrent on hiking the at there’s people making their livelihood by.
00:33:58.830 –> 00:34:06.540 Keith: Keeping people’s dogs and driving them to one in the park from the other, because the thru hikers often will hike with dogs and cannot take them through the park.
00:34:06.810 –> 00:34:16.920 Keith: A lot of tourists will bring their dog with them and not realize until they get to a trailhead there’s two trails that they do allow dogs on and they’re they’re kind of like.
00:34:18.000 –> 00:34:24.060 Keith: The gatlinburg trail, which is a great kids trail, and you can walk a dog and even take a bicycle on on that trail.
00:34:24.360 –> 00:34:31.200 Keith: And then the kind of left the trail over on the North Carolina side has a section out of cherokee that they allow dogs on.
00:34:31.500 –> 00:34:44.760 Keith: And what’s good about both those are long rivers to where the dog can get in the stream a bit and all that, so there is one area but it’s very minute in the Grand scheme of the back country adventures, you can do none with your dog.
00:34:45.870 –> 00:34:48.030 Joseph McElroy: Why would they not like dogs in the trophy yeah.
00:34:48.150 –> 00:34:52.170 Keith: it’s a it’s a wilderness designation and they would just like Brett.
00:34:53.220 –> 00:34:59.280 Keith: First off you wouldn’t want to be below cliff talks with a 500 foot drop off and a handrail.
00:35:00.300 –> 00:35:16.140 Keith: In me, you know someone who just on safe but that eat ecology, you know the the the scat let’s say would not be you know would mess, with the system in the park it’s a real this made for coyotes and foxes and bears and not dogs aren’t native.
00:35:17.730 –> 00:35:25.740 Joseph McElroy: So you know people come in there, do they have to be concerned about their safety every now the crime of the things are problem is that.
00:35:27.360 –> 00:35:38.130 Keith: Not not a problem with common sense, like they say that you know not leave the person the front of the car, you know I mean there might be some break ins and all that, and in fact that’s the.
00:35:38.910 –> 00:35:58.230 Keith: The park having to designate law enforcement does take away from the back country money to spend on trails and upkeep but but no, I would not worry about crime in the park, if you are have common sense, with it, especially the more popular trail ads have safety in numbers.
00:35:59.940 –> 00:36:15.030 Joseph McElroy: So let’s change the subject you know I don’t think a lot of people know the love these trails go to old settlements old cabins elk one I think is one right, what do you have on the Tennessee side and that regard.
00:36:15.420 –> 00:36:23.490 Keith: Well, definitely mentioned outman which you can almost dead again oh shouted at and then another big big cultural thing kind of.
00:36:23.880 –> 00:36:40.620 Keith: In the case, so to speak, is the the old CCC era where they had a civilian conservation corps set up and they built a lot of the roadways In fact the stonework you see along some of the bridges in the park are hard to replicate today in the.
00:36:42.090 –> 00:36:54.390 Keith: kitchen cabinets of that too, for the social benefit of the country back during the depression so there’s a lot of that history in can hike along old cemeteries, like the greenbrier section of park.
00:36:55.020 –> 00:37:08.610 Keith: The minibar preservation society will give you a map in the all the all the cemeteries are very, very fascinated some people are into that there’s books dedicated to it and but elements, the biggest one where it’s an old.
00:37:09.810 –> 00:37:10.890 Keith: Oh gosh hard to explain.
00:37:12.990 –> 00:37:20.640 Keith: But it’s gone now they’re restoring some buildings and they let me in the rest of the kind of move in the history.
00:37:21.000 –> 00:37:26.130 Joseph McElroy: of you know, North Carolina has some good good settlements and old buildings to that they have on the park right.
00:37:27.180 –> 00:37:28.230 Keith: Yes, yes.
00:37:28.380 –> 00:37:31.290 Joseph McElroy: yeah like go it kind of left he has a village right.
00:37:32.070 –> 00:37:43.860 Keith: Right right the Indian village, it covers that culture, in fact, the contrast of should was visitor Center where the kind of left, he is shibboleths does one of the plant life and the the biosphere.
00:37:44.370 –> 00:37:51.030 Keith: era of the park and then kind of lefty it carries the Indian cultural heritage in some of that type of history for the park.
00:37:52.020 –> 00:38:00.600 Joseph McElroy: cool and then it’s kind of Gucci valley that has that old that old settlement to there’s a good some good hikes up there right.
00:38:01.050 –> 00:38:03.330 Keith: Yes, yes, that that’s over in your one SEC.
00:38:03.330 –> 00:38:06.720 Joseph McElroy: Oh, I know a little bit about that it’s a purchase now.
00:38:06.810 –> 00:38:13.830 Keith: i’ve not done purchase knob yet, and I want to go stand the metal Arc and go hike up there i’m gonna i’m gonna do that this year.
00:38:14.310 –> 00:38:16.560 Joseph McElroy: Well, you should you know it’s a 500 acre.
00:38:17.790 –> 00:38:29.700 Joseph McElroy: handcrafted mountain retreat the smokies yeah I really it’s it’s not too far from Maggie Valley, we send people there over all the time it’s got it’s like 5000 feet, is a pretty tall place.
00:38:29.820 –> 00:38:36.930 Joseph McElroy: right and it was it’s it’s fairly recent to be part of the National Park, it was donated in 2000.
00:38:38.640 –> 00:38:50.970 Joseph McElroy: And you know what’s great I liked it, you know I like it, because it’s family friendly you know they got the appalachian Highlands science learning Center there and they have like I don’t know thousands of students come there for a year.
00:38:52.380 –> 00:39:04.170 Joseph McElroy: And, and you know when you’re talking about wild flowers it’s a great place to see all the wild flowers and stuff in the mountains and family family friendly environment so anyway.
00:39:06.600 –> 00:39:08.220 Keith: It has a good webcam.
00:39:08.490 –> 00:39:09.720 Joseph McElroy: And as a good webcam.
00:39:12.570 –> 00:39:21.120 Joseph McElroy: So do you know I bet you know about the road to nowhere i’ve talked about it a couple times here is a you know about, but it’s not a talking head saw.
00:39:23.190 –> 00:39:24.840 Keith: wanted to clarify that for everyone.
00:39:25.500 –> 00:39:42.450 Keith: Definitely, the road and nowhere is is kind of like I guess is the Federal Government promised the state of North Carolina a tourism road in somehow the plug got pulled on it so they’ve got a bridge and a road and it just takes you somewhere and then it that’s.
00:39:42.600 –> 00:39:45.510 Joseph McElroy: What it ends of the trail right it’s a great hiking trail right.
00:39:45.540 –> 00:39:49.710 Keith: Right right, and you can travel it out of the bryson city area, the park.
00:39:50.910 –> 00:39:59.190 Joseph McElroy: So so we’ve talked about wild flowers, so why don’t we tell everybody, what are the best wildfire hikes and when when when would they peek this year.
00:39:59.580 –> 00:40:07.200 Keith: Oh good one for one thing, one of my most recommended heights for wild flowers of borders flat and ramsey’s.
00:40:07.560 –> 00:40:15.180 Keith: prong and ramsey’s cascade it’s going to have some bridge work this year so check ahead on that you might not be able to hike the ramsey’s cascade.
00:40:15.510 –> 00:40:23.400 Keith: For during the peak wildflower season Okay, but some alternatives are the little river trail, and my.
00:40:23.790 –> 00:40:32.370 Keith: Beautiful it’s like an old road bed, where you can walk side by side with people along the mountain stream and there’s several really good trail for trump trillions on that one.
00:40:32.700 –> 00:40:41.580 Keith: And there’s also middle prong of the little river, not the little pigeon but the middle brung that little river other tree month section of the park has.
00:40:42.210 –> 00:40:58.380 Keith: Excellent destinations for like spruce flat falls is there that in that area and and then the porters like done going up to linville cascade and leadville falls is a betrayal for water waterfalls and wildflower.
00:40:59.520 –> 00:41:06.630 Joseph McElroy: cool yeah and I mentioned in the north Carolina side is the is the purchase knob is a great place for.
00:41:08.040 –> 00:41:11.790 Joseph McElroy: What are the best waterfall hikes or near the top three or something like that.
00:41:12.120 –> 00:41:14.640 Keith: Okay um you know what not rainbow.
00:41:15.840 –> 00:41:18.330 Keith: everybody gets their tail kicked going to rainbow so.
00:41:18.330 –> 00:41:21.450 Keith: Give that one up, I mean you know it’s it’s nice but.
00:41:22.890 –> 00:41:36.180 Keith: let’s see the aforementioned spruce flat falls out of treatment is is short hike in a very worthy falls trial ends there so it’s just an in and out or out and back type about trail.
00:41:37.050 –> 00:41:43.860 Keith: The another abrams abrams falls, which is an cates co aprons is the largest.
00:41:44.190 –> 00:41:54.210 Keith: watershed in in the smokies that is entirely protected and what I mean by that is when it flows out of the park he goes on to Tennessee valley authority land and then flows into.
00:41:54.810 –> 00:42:05.400 Keith: Like chill how he recalled and chill housing and so anyways that’s where they introduced the elk are not the all the orders orders are the ones that swim right so.
00:42:06.180 –> 00:42:07.830 Keith: They are so therefore they could.
00:42:07.890 –> 00:42:16.260 Keith: Like they ventured out of the park they wouldn’t hit the hunter hunting zone, so to speak, so abrams is is definitely recommend a waterfall and.
00:42:17.100 –> 00:42:34.260 Keith: Smaller one that needs good volume, as far as rain and such to support it is him wallow falls out of cosby in that’s a steel pipe to not many people hike that particularly trail it’s on games mountain trail out of the cosmic campground area.
00:42:35.340 –> 00:42:40.260 Joseph McElroy: cool and you know I we talked about spring but waterfalls is a great as great.
00:42:41.280 –> 00:42:43.140 Joseph McElroy: Those are some good winter hikes are.
00:42:44.430 –> 00:42:55.260 Keith: Very much so, in fact, the lower elevation one thing about the park is that a lot of times when it snows that newfound gap about 5000 foot you can’t drive to the higher elevation heights.
00:42:55.650 –> 00:43:05.250 Keith: In so you have to use the low country and a lot of the good falls are at a low level, you know elevation wise, I mean and so.
00:43:06.090 –> 00:43:16.380 Keith: let’s see what one would I recommend, on that there’s a men’s falls that actually leads out of the saints area that goes up from there and it’s.
00:43:16.740 –> 00:43:27.210 Keith: Once you leave the sinks parking area which is popular with swimmers and everything you find a destination waterfall with with it’s also a stealth falls but that’d be a good winter, when there.
00:43:27.900 –> 00:43:31.650 Joseph McElroy: yeah and I guess you’re supposed to wear Spikes when you’re watching those mountains right.
00:43:31.860 –> 00:43:34.260 Keith: crampons that you take portable crampons.
00:43:34.710 –> 00:43:38.910 Keith: If you get a pipe like there’ll be is just for sections of the trail.
00:43:39.060 –> 00:43:52.200 Keith: yeah you get the kind of like slip on your foot walk 30 foot with them take them off, and if you need more ice apparatuses and that it’s probably a really brutal day.
00:43:52.560 –> 00:43:55.980 Joseph McElroy: So obviously people with big Spikes and also with you know.
00:43:56.310 –> 00:44:01.980 Joseph McElroy: Basically ski Poles thinking that they’re going to have to go through the tunnel or something like that.
00:44:02.250 –> 00:44:06.540 Keith: But he’s in for that, but you know not see your average height of that’s yeah.
00:44:06.600 –> 00:44:11.250 Joseph McElroy: I used to I used to this hike in the winter would just good old boots and that was about it.
00:44:13.560 –> 00:44:21.480 Joseph McElroy: You can you can figure out how to get it’s not it’s not so bad, the mountain the smokies you can figure it out, except real high elevation, then you gotta do it so stuff.
00:44:21.930 –> 00:44:22.140 Keith: Like.
00:44:22.170 –> 00:44:28.080 Joseph McElroy: All right, when we come back i’m going to ask you, can you explain pigeon forge oh.
00:44:29.430 –> 00:44:31.320 Keith: Okay okay sounds good.
00:46:49.980 –> 00:47:04.890 Joseph McElroy: howdy this is Joseph Franklin mcilroy back with the gateway to the smokies podcast with my guest Keith guards hiking expert and smoking so before the break I said you’d come back and you tell me, can you explain pigeon forge.
00:47:06.270 –> 00:47:15.990 Keith: Oh yes, let me try that one i’m pigeon forge first off i’m coming to you from pigeon forge in the financial district, which means i’m in an.
00:47:17.340 –> 00:47:32.820 Keith: Insurance Office complex Okay, but anyways I got my pigeon forge blame here, and if you think about pigeon forge being on this planet, not to put Las Vegas out of business, you get the idea, and what I mean by that is.
00:47:33.540 –> 00:47:42.840 Keith: compare and contrast Las Vegas with pigeon forge pigeon forge is a family friendly area with all kinds of things, and what I like about it, for example, there’s.
00:47:43.230 –> 00:47:54.090 Keith: indoor so to be near here there’s gravity coasters there’s miniature golf all the car shows been talking about everything to bring the family close.
00:47:54.360 –> 00:48:11.430 Keith: To where they can venture into the smokies and kind of turn our next generation on to the preservation of a national park provides and so definitely, if you like, Las Vegas has the pillars and panic at the disco pigeon forge has Dolly parton.
00:48:11.700 –> 00:48:12.090 Joseph McElroy: So we’re.
00:48:12.390 –> 00:48:21.330 Keith: All we’re all on this planet for a reason and pigeon forge is definitely family oriented and i’m proud to be part of it, one thing also bought.
00:48:21.780 –> 00:48:38.340 Keith: pigeon forge they do a very worthy international destination of for a festival it’s called a wilderness wildlife week and every year it’s been on for since 1991 and it has its won the best.
00:48:40.440 –> 00:48:55.950 Keith: international event by the International festivals and events association in 2016 and 17 so people can travel from around the world, or even New York City flying and muggy Tyson shuttle over to pigeon forge and they have a.
00:48:56.370 –> 00:49:04.320 Keith: bunch of workshops, seminars and classes that are all for free and I lead a height doing it i’ve led hikes.
00:49:04.650 –> 00:49:12.870 Keith: To Andrews ball to baskin creek falls that we spoke up and then while falls and Albright sproxil all for trails we’ve talked about.
00:49:13.140 –> 00:49:29.610 Keith: i’ve led heights to for free and shuttle you haven’t lived until you get a get a pigeon forge trolley and ride with your backpack to trailhead it just get shuttled there they pick you up it’s really luxurious which want me to focus on a few of the seminars and classes, that they have.
00:49:30.180 –> 00:49:32.130 Joseph McElroy: A couple of give us a shout outs right now.
00:49:32.730 –> 00:49:35.220 Joseph McElroy: This is not a promoted bumblebees.
00:49:36.420 –> 00:49:37.260 Keith: This right here.
00:49:37.350 –> 00:49:45.180 Keith: Is I mean this is all covered within the the event of wilderness wildlife we like camera basics carving fly fishing.
00:49:46.020 –> 00:49:54.660 Keith: Bear safety, you know that out to be required before you rent a cabin so and then they’ve got the great smoky mountain heritage.
00:49:55.080 –> 00:50:10.110 Keith: wildflower of these are all people, giving seminars, or having boost to to sell you a guidebooks and such and and so and birds and butterflies okay now notice pigeon forge a they left the bees out of it.
00:50:12.810 –> 00:50:31.590 Keith: that’s all and they have it now in the ramsey hotel and Convention Center so you could actually stay there, and have all these free events in it’s an underrated mountain old time music event to they always have some old time mountain music plan during the festival or during the event.
00:50:32.310 –> 00:50:34.260 Joseph McElroy: cool and you said, the dates were again.
00:50:34.710 –> 00:50:39.540 Keith: On you know it for next year it’s going to be January 25 to the 29th and.
00:50:41.250 –> 00:50:57.120 Keith: cool they moved it to the winter again and the mind pigeon forge.com is the one stop shop to like look up for all these car events and to to look ahead at the wilderness wildlife week and consider attending.
00:50:57.840 –> 00:51:03.120 Joseph McElroy: And then, if people want to reach you what would you how would, how would they go about that.
00:51:07.260 –> 00:51:09.270 Joseph McElroy: Your faith, you have a Facebook page or linkedin.
00:51:09.570 –> 00:51:11.550 Keith: For I do instagram I do instagram.
00:51:13.080 –> 00:51:13.860 Keith: And I will it.
00:51:14.160 –> 00:51:28.620 Keith: Right off the BAT say that a lot of i’ve got a cabin up in the big South fork area of Tennessee and Kentucky and pickett state Park, so I lot of my pictures of arches and natural bridges that are in that area I think it’s on heralded.
00:51:29.400 –> 00:51:34.770 Keith: Are underrated I should say and courses out of the scope of the smokies so.
00:51:35.280 –> 00:51:42.360 Keith: Look, for that one much, but so anyways I my instagram account I guess K gardens.
00:51:42.870 –> 00:51:58.050 Keith: instagram but I really don’t monetize a hiking I think that, like all the flavor and last week gave several great recommendations on using guided heights in the area in whitewater rafting you know the peripheral things to do, outside of the park.
00:51:58.980 –> 00:52:06.060 Keith: and also the zip lining so there’s a lot of things to do and but i’m not the guy to monetize it.
00:52:06.510 –> 00:52:16.590 Joseph McElroy: By the authentic so I appreciate your time and i’m giving now do some sponsorship stuff and then talk about what’s happening next week, oh.
00:52:17.730 –> 00:52:23.730 Joseph McElroy: I want you to you know if you want to find out more What about what’s happened to our podcast go to gateway to the smokies Doc fun.
00:52:24.690 –> 00:52:35.100 Joseph McElroy: it’s a new site, so there might be some hiccups we have all the pot, we have all the podcasts on there other articles, you can subscribe to a newsletter which will be coming out to give you.
00:52:35.640 –> 00:52:43.530 Joseph McElroy: updates on the podcast and the upcoming guests and things of interest to the audience again is gateway to the smokies calm.
00:52:44.010 –> 00:52:53.910 Joseph McElroy: Now I want you to imagine a page a place evocative of motor cortex of the past, yet modern and vibrant within chic appalachian feel.
00:52:54.480 –> 00:53:00.690 Joseph McElroy: a place for adventure and for relaxation imagine a place where you can fish them out inheritance trout stream.
00:53:01.170 –> 00:53:12.300 Joseph McElroy: grill it on the on the catch on the fire and eat accompanied by fine wine or craft beers imagine a place of the old time music and world cultural sounds.
00:53:12.630 –> 00:53:19.560 Joseph McElroy: there’s no other place like the middle Arc motel and Maggie valley North Carolina on the edge of the great smoky mountains National Park.
00:53:20.130 –> 00:53:31.350 Joseph McElroy: We are the starting point for all of your adventures and serenity that these mountains have to venture your smoky mountain adventure starts with where you stay the middle Arc motel.com.
00:53:32.880 –> 00:53:42.480 Joseph McElroy: Also, I own I own a site called smoky adventures COM and its goal is to provide as much information pertaining to the smoky mountains as possible.
00:53:42.870 –> 00:53:54.120 Joseph McElroy: While presenting that information in the best possible way it strives to give users, a positive experience of finding outdoor adventures lodgings attractions and events in around the smoky mountains.
00:53:54.630 –> 00:54:08.670 Joseph McElroy: And not only covers the great smoky mountains National Park, but also communities like gatlinburg pigeon forward sybil towns in cherokee where’s valley Maggie valley and brightest and city, as well as the big towns like asheville and national.
00:54:09.360 –> 00:54:22.800 Joseph McElroy: We have my hiking trails lots of hiking trails maps information about the most popular trails and waterfalls interactive trailhead map detailed hiking trails sections information about multi day hikes.
00:54:23.370 –> 00:54:38.820 Joseph McElroy: And you can find all that it’s smokies adventure calm I this podcast is part of where traveler comms podcast series, and I have developed the SEC, the the the regional.
00:54:41.040 –> 00:54:47.040 Joseph McElroy: Publishing part of that call where travel COM slash great smoky mountains with dashes between the words.
00:54:48.060 –> 00:54:56.220 Joseph McElroy: It world traveler where travelers the world’s premier name and travel publishing for magazines and books to maps and comprehensive digital competent content.
00:54:56.520 –> 00:55:10.770 Joseph McElroy: Where travelers gives travelers everything they need from a local perspective each year 246 million travelers trust were trial or up to date information on where to go and what to see in nearly 100 location destinations worldwide.
00:55:12.930 –> 00:55:26.220 Joseph McElroy: And then, finally, I want you to know that we’re on the talk radio dot nyc network we it’s a network of a lot of great podcasts, I think, right after ours is rediscovering New York from.
00:55:27.060 –> 00:55:37.500 Joseph McElroy: Six seven to eight it’s live on Tuesdays from seven to eight like this one’s live on, and then you can also define it on iTunes and other networks.
00:55:39.540 –> 00:55:58.650 Joseph McElroy: So don’t forget and then come back next week where our podcasts will feature another cultural and adventure in the mountains of smoky mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina, or rather the smoky mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee i’ll see you later bye.
