Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Day 3 [Lakeshore Trail/Benton MacKaye Trail]

We began Day 3 with a breakfast of egg scrambles (reviews to be provided in a separate post!). As we were breaking down camp, we chatted with one of the friendly local fisherman with whom we shared the camp. He was full of fascinating knowledge: from stories about the clearing of Proctor, prior to the building of the dam, to the current black bear and wild hog activity within the park. Having stayed a bit longer than we had intended, we eventually parted ways and got started on the Lakeshore Trail.


A few minutes into the first uphill section of the hike (there would be many literal ups and downs throughout the day), we passed a couple of hikers carrying fishing poles who inquired about the creek. We informed them they weren't far off and continued on our way. We didn't know it, at that point, but those hikers would be the last people we would see for the next 27 hours!  

Most of the work was in the early part of this day. After a couple of fairly long, steep inclines, we reached a junction that was not marked particularly clearly. We headed uphill and reached another cemetery. After spending a few minutes to observe the gravestones, we continued down the path until it dead-ended into Fontana Lake. We rested for a few minutes by the lake, to have a snack and take in the scenery, before returning to the main trail. 


Wildflowers and a waterfall were among the highlights of the day. We also encountered a couple of lizards, one of which was significantly more camera-shy than the other. Toward the end of the day, the trail returned to Fontana Lake and provided some terrific views. It also raised our spirits, as it signaled we were close to our campsite for the evening. 


Upon reaching Campsite 86, we began preparations to ensure we would enjoy consecutive evenings with a campfire. We had the campsite to ourselves this evening, and we enjoyed the solitude. This evening's dinner consisted of chicken and rice dishes (taste test results provided in a separate post). After a strenuous day, we decided to follow dinner up with a morale-boosting dessert. 


Finally, for a third night in a row, we fell asleep to the sound of rushing water, mere yards from where we slept -- nature's white noise machine.  

Check out the YouTube Video! 

 

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