Great Smoky Mountains National Park: Lower Sugarland Mountain Trail

I've really been wanting to get outside and enjoy my furlough, but the weather has not been all that cooperative. Today, despite a forecast calling for rain, I decided to head over to the Smokies to go for a hike. I drove through some heavy rain just outside of Cosby, but by the time I made it to the trailhead at Fighting Creek Gap, it was merely overcast. Mine was the first car in the heavily used parking lot (this is also the trailhead for Laurel Falls).

I hit the trail with my umbrella in hand.

The rain held off for about the first mile of my hike. With all the rain we've been getting lately, everything along the trail was very green.

I got a few limited views through some breaks in the trees

and then the rain started to fall. At first it was a light rain, but then it started to rain a bit harder. I broke out the umbrella.

It was my first time hiking with an umbrella and I actually think I like using it. There were some rhododendron flowers in bloom

and a few red efts on the trail, but otherwise I kept a steady pace and tried to stay dry. After a last climb, the trail leveled out a bit and I found myself at the junction with the Huskey Gap Trail. This would be my turn around point for the hike.

It rained pretty steady for the hike back to the car. I saw two others out in the rain. I originally thought they were hikers like me, but when I got tot he parking lot I noticed a truck with University of Tennessee logos on it. I'm guessing they were students doing some type of research. While I enjoyed walking in the rain, I opted against walking another trail for the day as I had originally planned. Instead I drove home to Greeneville for lunch.