Interested in hiking deep into the heart of the Smokies?
You've come to the right place!
Greetings and welcome to "Smokies Stories and Glories," the online hiking journal of John Northrup. Having traversed the 900 miles of trails within the Great Smoky Mountains as of May 11, 2012, join me now as I document each new hike throughout the Appalachian Mountains. My goal here is to share my experiences with all of you, one trail at a time, in writing and through a camera lens. As an avid photographer of nature, I hope to bring the beauty of not just the Smokies, but various parks, directly to your computer screens, so please check out the numerous galleries on my new site: http://smokiesstoriesandglories.smugmug.com/. There you can browse and purchase many of my photographs over the last several years.
You can also receive regular updates about my hikes and photography by "liking" my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SmokiesStoriesandGlories .
Enjoy and happy hiking!
You can also receive regular updates about my hikes and photography by "liking" my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/SmokiesStoriesandGlories .
Enjoy and happy hiking!
2013 Hiking Stats
Total Miles: 41.5
Current Standing out of all Smokies Trails (2nd Tour): 256.7
Past Hiking Stats
2012 Total Miles (Feb. 6th - 9th, Feb. 28th - Dec. 9th): 793.0
900 Mile Club (1st Tour): Completed May 11, 2012
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
65.0 miles - 6.5 roundtrips via Alum Cave Trail to LeConte Lodge
36.4 miles - Clingmans Dome to Bone Valley to High Rocks via AT / Welch Ridge /
Hazel Creek / Bone Valley / Hazel Creek / Cold Spring Gap / Welch Ridge /
High Rocks / Welch Ridge / AT
19.8 miles - "The Tunnel to Nowhere" to High Rocks via Lakeshore /
Forney Creek / Bear Creek / Welch Ridge / High Rocks
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Grandfather Mountain via Tanawha / Daniel Boone Scout /
Cragway / Nuwati Loop (Grandfather Mountain State Park)
#2 - Clingmans Dome / AT / Welch Ridge / Jonas Creek /
Forney Creek / Forney Ridge Loop
#3 - Whiteside Mountain (Nantahala National Forest)
2011 Total Miles (Feb. 5th - 8th, March 7th - Dec. 1st): 907.8
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
50.0 miles - 5 roundtrips via Alum Cave Trail to LeConte Lodge
37.0 miles - Fontana Dam to "The Tunnel to Nowhere" via Lakeshore
plus Hazel Creek Access / Ollie Cove
30.8 miles - Cades Cove to Fontana Dam via Lead Cove / Bote Mountain / AT /
Jenkins Ridge / Hazel Creek / Lakeshore
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Mt. Cammerer via Low Gap / AT
#2 - Clingmans Dome to Elkmont via AT / Goshen Prong / Little River
#3 - Cooper Road / Cane Creek / Gold Mine / Little Bottoms /
Abrams Falls Loop
2010 Total Miles (March 9th - Nov. 24th): 1,300.0
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
50.0 miles - Tour of LeConte
23.2 miles - Clingmans Dome to High Rocks via AT / Welch Ridge / High Rocks
20.8 miles - Round Bottom to Tricorner Knob Shelter via Beech Gap /
Balsam Mountain / AT
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Mt. Cammerer via Chestnut Branch / AT / Hwy 32 Loop
#2 - Hemphill Bald via Cataloochee Divide
#3 - Spence Field / Rocky Top via Anthony Creek / Bote Mtn. / AT /
Russell Field Loop
Top 5 Favorite Smokies Destinations:
#1 - Gregory Bald (Mid June)
#2 - Mt. Cammerer (Late April, Mid October)
#3 - Spence Field / Rocky Top (Early May, Mid June, Mid October)
#4 - Hemphill Bald via Cataloochee Divide (Early June, Late July)
#5 - Shuckstack (Early May, Late October)
Current Standing out of all Smokies Trails (2nd Tour): 256.7
Past Hiking Stats
2012 Total Miles (Feb. 6th - 9th, Feb. 28th - Dec. 9th): 793.0
900 Mile Club (1st Tour): Completed May 11, 2012
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
65.0 miles - 6.5 roundtrips via Alum Cave Trail to LeConte Lodge
36.4 miles - Clingmans Dome to Bone Valley to High Rocks via AT / Welch Ridge /
Hazel Creek / Bone Valley / Hazel Creek / Cold Spring Gap / Welch Ridge /
High Rocks / Welch Ridge / AT
19.8 miles - "The Tunnel to Nowhere" to High Rocks via Lakeshore /
Forney Creek / Bear Creek / Welch Ridge / High Rocks
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Grandfather Mountain via Tanawha / Daniel Boone Scout /
Cragway / Nuwati Loop (Grandfather Mountain State Park)
#2 - Clingmans Dome / AT / Welch Ridge / Jonas Creek /
Forney Creek / Forney Ridge Loop
#3 - Whiteside Mountain (Nantahala National Forest)
2011 Total Miles (Feb. 5th - 8th, March 7th - Dec. 1st): 907.8
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
50.0 miles - 5 roundtrips via Alum Cave Trail to LeConte Lodge
37.0 miles - Fontana Dam to "The Tunnel to Nowhere" via Lakeshore
plus Hazel Creek Access / Ollie Cove
30.8 miles - Cades Cove to Fontana Dam via Lead Cove / Bote Mountain / AT /
Jenkins Ridge / Hazel Creek / Lakeshore
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Mt. Cammerer via Low Gap / AT
#2 - Clingmans Dome to Elkmont via AT / Goshen Prong / Little River
#3 - Cooper Road / Cane Creek / Gold Mine / Little Bottoms /
Abrams Falls Loop
2010 Total Miles (March 9th - Nov. 24th): 1,300.0
Top 3 Longest Hikes:
50.0 miles - Tour of LeConte
23.2 miles - Clingmans Dome to High Rocks via AT / Welch Ridge / High Rocks
20.8 miles - Round Bottom to Tricorner Knob Shelter via Beech Gap /
Balsam Mountain / AT
Top 3 Favorite Hikes:
#1 - Mt. Cammerer via Chestnut Branch / AT / Hwy 32 Loop
#2 - Hemphill Bald via Cataloochee Divide
#3 - Spence Field / Rocky Top via Anthony Creek / Bote Mtn. / AT /
Russell Field Loop
Top 5 Favorite Smokies Destinations:
#1 - Gregory Bald (Mid June)
#2 - Mt. Cammerer (Late April, Mid October)
#3 - Spence Field / Rocky Top (Early May, Mid June, Mid October)
#4 - Hemphill Bald via Cataloochee Divide (Early June, Late July)
#5 - Shuckstack (Early May, Late October)
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." ~John Muir