A few weeks ago the family and I decided to go for a hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We set our destination as Clingman’s Dome and drove off towards the park. As we made progress through the park, the weather became foggy and slightly rainy.
Arriving at our destination, we were met with a gate stating that Clingman’s Dome was not open during this time of the year. Since we drove this far and made all the necessary backpacking arrangements, we decided to take an adjacent trail, Forney Ridge.
The weather was cool, and the air was thick, but we slowly made our way down the rock steps to the trail. The foggy weather and light rain made the atmosphere eerie. As we continued on the trail it became clear to me that my wife and I were in better shape than our children (only in their late teens and early twenties). This was a surprise to us both and made us push even harder to see if we could wear them out. Indeed,we did, we had to make multiple stops for them to rest and walk at an excruciatingly slow pace just for them to keep up. I should make note that this is the first time my wife and I have ever gone hiking since we have known one another so we are by no means experienced hikers.
I do wish that the weather was clearer so we could have enjoyed the view from Andrew’s Bald, but I still say it was worth it to put the children to shame. Along the way, I managed to snap a few photos of our hike with my iPhone.
My Portfolio 
Looks like such a beautiful trail, especially with the fog amongst the pines!
Thank you! It was very beautiful indeed.