AT Day 31: Cherokee NF to Black Bear Resort

Daily Miles: 17.8, Total Miles: 420.2

Just as I was drifting off to sleep last night, four ATVs came roaring through our campsite between myself and Patriarch. The idiots just missing the front guyline of my tent. They actually had to drive down the AT to get access to this primitive road. To add insult to injury, they all yelled “wake up” as they came by.

The thunder, lightning and heavy rain started about 5am and it finally lightened up a bit by 8am. I discovered I had a sizeable pool of water collected at the bottom of my tent. I took the opportunity to shake it out, pack up and leave during a lull but it wasn’t over yet. Rained off and on for several hours and stayed cool all day long.

Up and down all day but on a lower scale than days past. Passed by some nice waterfalls, Mountaineer Falls and Hardcore Cascades. A few good vistas of the rolling Tennessee mountains in the Cherokee National Forest. Only a few SOBOs seen all day.

I got down to Dennis Cove Road about 5pm knowing that the Black Bear Hostel was right up the road. A day hiker asked me if I needed a ride and that’s all it took. Black Bear had a rustic cabin available and I gladly took it. Bought a few snacks and laid out my wet gear. I put a little space heater to good use with temps in the low 30’s expected tonight.