For years, I’ve been driving from my home near Raleigh, NC past the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) in Tennessee for work, but never had a chance to stop and explore.
It was very frustrating… 🙁
The Pulpit rock cairn marks the end of the Bullhead Trail.
But finally, this past summer, I was able to spend a few days hiking in the GSMNP.
It was everything I hoped it would be!
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) was the most visited national park in 2019, with over 12.5 million visitors.
That’s nearly twice as many tourists as the Grand Canyon had that same year!
The Park covers 522,419 acres in North Carolina and Tennessee, making it one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States.
It also straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain.
And as if that’s not enough to warrant a visit, the Appalachian Trail also passes through the center of the park on its route from Georgia to Maine.
Hiking on the Appalachian Trail.
Read on to learn about the park layout, history and the amazing trails that I hiked during my visit… and how you could hike them, too!
As soon as I heard about the Triple Crown hike in the Blue Ridge Mountains, I knew I had to do it!
View of the Dragon’s Tooth at the hike summit.
It’s an epic hike within easy driving distance from my home in North Carolina, do-able as a solo hiker – with reasonable precautions – even in the heat of summer.
Most importantly the summer of 2020, the Triple Crown trails and trailhead parking were just re-opened for use.
Effective June 13: The National Park Service has reopened the Appalachian National Scenic Trail in Virginia’s Blue Ridge, including the Triple Crown section of Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs.
The Triple Crown hike is actually a group of three hikes – Dragon’s Tooth, McAfee Knob, and Tinker Cliffs – that can be done individually or tackled as an overnight backpacking hike all together.
The Triple Crown trail loop is 35 miles of the best hiking in the Roanoke Valley and arguably some of the best overlooks in the entire state of Virginia.
The Tongariro Alpine Crossing, a 12 mile day hike on New Zealand’s North Island, is one of the most popular day hikes in the country.
New Zealand is where the Hobbits live!
Located inside The Tongariro National Park, the alpine crossing is part of a larger 3-4 day hike that is one of New Zealand’s Great Walks.
Tongariro National Park was made famous – like so many places in New Zealand – by it’s appearance in the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy.
The park’s alpine, volcanic scenery is the setting of Mordor, home of Mount Doom – aka Mt Ngauruhoe – the object of Frodo and Sam’s quest throughout the series.
I had the opportunity to take this trek as part of an active group trip to the North Island early this Spring.
(Fortunately, I was able to return home before travel became restricted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.)
Here’s how hiking the Tangeriro Alpine Crossing went for me, and some information that will help if you want to go try it for yourself!
Home school kids need to get outdoors in the sunshine and play – for their physical and mental health and for ours, too.
If you’ve recently become a remote worker AND a home-schooler all at once, courtesy of COVID-19, you’re probably already running short on patience.
Getting outdoors, either in your own yard or in a local park or forest, can help boost the entire family’s mood and immune system.
Footpath in Lake Crabtree County Park
Sitting still for long periods of time is hard for everyone, but it’s especially difficult for energetic young ones who may have shorter attention spans.
When children have the space and freedom to move around, they can work off their excess energy and be more focused on learning when playtime is over.
Through physical outdoor learning activities children can improve their speed, strength, stamina and motor skills, too.
Here are some ideas for incorporating outdoor time into your new at-home daily schedule, and some tips on places to go for outdoor fun where you can still avoid crowds, for social distancing purposes.
We started in Barcelona and made our way across the country to end the tour in Madrid – all in 8 days!
For me, the highlight of the tour was a short day hike in the Aragonese Pyrenees.
Gaudi house museum in Barcelona, Spain
Don’t get me wrong – the rest of the tour was great, too.
But I’m not usually a fan of big cities, even cities as beautiful as Madrid and Barcelona.
I usually like to spend my holiday time away from cities, sweating in a desert canyon, searching for ruins in a rainforest, or hiking up a steep slope to a mountain view.
To be honest, the hike in the Pyrenees was the main reason I signed up 🙂
I’d been planning another trip that cancelled at the last minute, so I decided to take a chance on a different sort of trip for me. I’m very glad I did!
Shenandoah National Park first opened to the public in December of 1936. It’s located in Virginia’s Blue Ridge mountains, less than a half days’ drive from home for me.
Though I’ve lived in the area for more than 20 years, I’ve never had the chance to spend much time in Shenandoah – until this past summer.
Bridge over the trout stream at Rapidan Camp
With 200,000 acres of protected land, Shenandoah National Park has some of the best hiking in Virginia – and the entire mid-Atlantic region of the US – so you can imagine how excited I was to visit!
I had a great time exploring on my own, but the park hosts a variety of trails and attractions for everyone from expert hikers to families with small children.
Where is Shenandoah National Park?
Shenandoah National Park is only 115 miles from Washington, D.C., 95 miles from Richmond VA, and 250 miles from Raleigh NC.
That’s close enough for a great long weekend or longer family vacation, without getting on an airplane!
I allowed a week for my trip – 2 days for travel, and 5 whole days to explore 🙂
The trips are remarkable not just because of the destinations or the activities, but because of the underlying vision of the company for sustainable, ecologically friendly travel.
Helicopter rescue on a G Adventures hike in the Mont Blanc area.
G Adventures Beginnings
It all began in 1990 when a very inspired young man named Bruce Poon Tip returned from a backpacking tour of Asia, determined to share his vision of how to experience travel adventures in an authentic and sustainable manner.
G Adventures has custom-made travel adventures for everyone! (Click logo to go to the G Adventure website.
By offering adventure-craving travelers an affordable small-group alternative to crowded resorts and cruises, Bruce (G Adventures CEO) changed the way people looked at their holiday time.
What started off as a one-man show in 1990 has since grown to become the world’s largest adventure travel company with more than 2,200 employees in 28 offices worldwide.Continue reading Adventures For You!
Over the years, I’ve found a few favorite tools for planning and booking travel in the US and around the world.
Most of my travel adventures have been in or close to National Parks or other incredible outdoor destinations.
View at Hanging Rock State Park
I focus on time spent in Nature, but there are also plenty of cultural and historical sights to see!
For your convenience, I’ve included links to my favorite travel companies, and some blog posts about trips I’ve taken with them.
Some of my posts contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I will receive a small payment at no additional cost to you. I do not get paid for recommendations, all opinions on this site are my own. See full Disclosure page here.
Travel Destinations USA
The average American spends 87% of their time indoors, 6% of it in a car, and just 7% of their life outdoors.
Taking the ferry away from Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile
Adventure Travel
There are a couple of companies that I rely on when I want to go on hiking/adventure trips outside of the US.
Though I’ve arranged all of the details for many trips on my own, it’s much more convenient – and usually less expensive – to have the help of an experienced team in my destination country.
They take care of getting transfers, hiking permits, lodging, renting any necessary equipment and engaging trail guides – which can be tricky, especially when traveling in a remote area.
Hiking Old Rag in Shenandoah National Park
Adventure Travel Companies
If you have multiple flights and other transfers to reach your destination, it can be really confusing – especially if you don’t know the language!
It’s good to have someone on the ground to help you navigate the potential pitfalls that come with the mechanics of getting where you want to go.
There are two companies I’ve traveled the most with for guided trips. They’re both great companies, which is why I keep going back to them!
View of the crater on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand
G Adventures
I’ve got special regard for G Adventures because I’ve taken so many wonderful trips with them. They’re very eco-friendly and always have great discounts available.
Me at Machu Picchu – can’t believe this was 15 years ago!
My first trip with G Adventures was back in 2004, to hike and see ancient sites on the Amalfi Coast in Italy, and my most recent was in 2020 (right before the pandemic) to hike the Tongariro Alpine Crossing in New Zealand.
G Adventures offers vacations for solo travelers, couples, and the whole family, too.
NOTE: After March 31, 2023, GAP no longer requires all travelers to show proof of COVID vaccines & boosters or provide a Medical exemption to travel with them on any tour, but you can find an “all vaccinated” tour if you want one.
Intrepid Travel provides expert group leaders and take care of all of the necessary permits and transfers for all of their trips, including entrance to any National parks abroad.
I’ve hiked the Isle of Skye in Scotland and cycled in Tuscany with this company, and much more. They were great!
They also offer some really good discounts on Last Minute travel.
NOTE: After March 31, 2023, Intrepid no longer requires all travelers to show proof of COVID vaccines & boosters or provide a Medical exemption to travel with them on any tour.
Hiking in Northern Spain.
Travel Resources
For me, the most stressful part of a trip is getting to my destination and getting back home.
With flight cancellations, close connections, and carry-on rules changing for each flight, just navigating the airlines is enough to make you stay at home!
Returning to Puerto Natales from Torres del Paine.
Getting in the TSA Pre-Checkline for flights in the US can help smooth the process.
Just go to their site, fill out the form, pay the fee and bring your ID to a quick in-person meeting and you’ll get your TSA Pre-check account number.
With TSA Pre-Checkyou won’t have to remove your shoes or unpack your laptop while going through airport Security – this is very important if time is tight and you’re wearing hiking boots!
A Guide To Enjoying National Parks
I write a lot about the individual hikes I’ve taken in the wonderful National Parks across America, but pretty much leave the descriptions of the parks themselves to the Park websites.
Wayside previews of the park on the way into Bryce Canyon National Park
A friend from the National Parks shared this Guide with me recently, and I thought I would pass it on to you!
The US is home to 62 national parks, and I’ve visited a bunch of them. But if you want to read about them ALL go here:
Yellowstone became the world’s first national park in 1872, and the rest followed, up to New River Gorge National Park, which was dedicated less than a decade ago.
Dark Hollow Falls in Shenandoah National Park
Other Helpful Travel Sites
The Ledge trail at Pilot Mountain
The resources below help me keep everything organized with detailed itineraries, and usually provide some good discounts, too:
Travelocity– I use them mainly for researching and booking flights. This is great because you can see flight options from many different airlines and from different airports. If you book rental car and lodging along with your flights, you can get some really good deals.
Crystal Travel – Some great discount flights and other travel deals.
Booking.com– Great for booking hotel rooms and comparison shopping. The more you book with them, the better deals you get. Also, most bookings are cancellable and don’t require a deposit.
Cozycozy.com– Look for a room with Cozycozy for your next hiking trip – they’re sure to have a place near the trail that suits you!
City Pass – Discount Activity Passes for specific destination cities, you get great discounts on multiple local attractions!
Sightseeing Pass – Sightseeing Passes give you access to activities and services for a discount. Passes are available for: New York City, New Orleans, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Philadelphia, Nashville, Orlando, Miami, Key West, and more!
Trail marker on the Pacific Crest Trail near Big Bear CA
Are you looking for gifts for hikers or other outdoors types, but don’t have the cash to spring for pricey gear and gadgets?
And maybe you waited a little too long to brainstorm something creative and epic?
Don’t worry – sometimes the gifts they’ll really appreciate are the simpler, less expensive things. Practical gifts are easy to find when you’re short on time, too.
I’ve made a short list of ten practical hiking gifts or inexpensive cool gadgets for hiking that would be welcome gifts for the outdoorsy people on your list.
It’s been more than a year since I returned from hiking in Patagonia, spending a week on the W trek in Torres del Paine National Park.
I wrote a very short “I’m baack!” kind of post right after the trip, but now I’m finally getting around to sharing more details.
Hiking the W Trek in Patagonia
Frankly, this is partly just an excuse to post more amazing Patagonia photos!
Be warned, this is an extremely long post, but it’s jam-packed full of useful information:
Different options for getting to Patagonia,
Torres del Paine hiking info,
What you’ll need to bring for the W Trek, and
A day by day description of my trip.
This is all really good info for you if you’re thinking about a similar trip. Anyway….about the place:
Patagonia, Chile is at the southernmost tip of South America, very close to Antarctica. Torres del Paine National Park is located on the eastern edge of the continent.
Patagonia, Chile is at the southernmost tip of South America, very close to Antarctica.