The last week in December we were out exploring with my daughter and granddaughter. The day was a little cold but nice and sunny. We first went to Mingo Falls as it is an easy walk and a spectacular waterfall. After some photos we decided to move on to other sights. More specifically, we wanted to see if we could locate the elk that live in this region.

The first time Saskia and I saw the elk we were speechless. They are large and gentle looking, but the rangers assure us they can be quite dangerous under certain conditions. They frequently travel in herds, and depending on the season, there will be bulls, cows and calfs traveling together. There is a population of around 140 living in the Cherokee and Great Smoky Mountain National Park area. At this time they are protected and you may not hunt them. The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission has proposed lifting this fifteen year old ban which will open them to being hunted.

We headed to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The elk frequent the field there to graze. We did not see them so we ventured north on US 441 to see what we could find, looking for nothing in particular but open to adventure.

A few miles past the visitor center we noticed a pull off with several parked cars. We stopped to check it out. The Oconaluftee River flows beside the road and we noticed a bridge leading to a trailhead. A marker sign named several trails accessible from here with the first being Kephart Prong (prong means a bend in the river). This trail is at Mount Kephart which is named after Horace Kephart, a writer and historian who lived in the area for many years. We decided to take the trail, uncertain how a six-year old would handle it. She, by-the-way, did excellent.

The trail is about ten to fifteen feet in width and has an elevation gain of around 450 feet per mile. The hike is a little over 4 miles round trip and we set off at a leisurely pace. The trail follows the river and the sound from it is almost bewitching. It is like the ringing of a bell or gong during a meditation session. The vortices of sound, as the water follows the riverbed, flowing around, over and through rocks and fallen branches, provides a constant centering effect. It is as if the energy of the water, intertwine with the energy of my being to produce a vibrant awareness of a “now,” which always exists but in an opaque state due to the constant distractions of daily life.

A short distance up the trail we see evidence of a structure long gone. The first thing we notice is a stone fireplace. It is odd to be in the middle of the woods and see this, however it is somewhat common around here and we have seen a few isolated fireplaces in the middle of a forest during our travels. As we look around we notice parts of the foundation structure and a few yards away the remnants of a hand water pump. Unusual thought is the absence of any type of marker or kiosk providing information about the area. Retuning home I consulted Google and found this is all that remains of the former Civilian Conservation Corps Camp. This was a government project in existence from 1933-42.

We continue along the trail, noticing the beautiful rock formations and the ever-changing scenery. Erin generally walked ahead with Saskia, which allowed Heather and I to spend a little time together. While I cannot remember one thing we talked about I do know that the time we spent falls into a place in my memory bank labeled precious.

The trail had several foot bridges crossing the river and each was interesting. The bridges are logs that have been cut on one side to provide a flat surface that is about 14 inches wide. There are wood branch uprights that hold a wood branch handrails. The bridges had a fair amount of moss covering them and were a bit damp as there had been a lot of rain. I paid close attention to my crossing as slipping would have put me in the cold, rushing water.

We covered about three-quarters of the way up and then turned around and headed back. it was getting late and dark comes early in the winter mountains.

About a week later Saskia and I went back and hiked the trail to the shelter where other trails fork off. The day was beautiful and the hike was nice. Again I noticed how the sound of the running water has such a soothing effect on my being and the silence of the forest settles in my mind. Moving forward I will cary this with me in all I do.