Charlie's Bunion

There is something so primordial and innately rewarding about stepping out of our electronic world of social media, cell phones, and air conditioned buildings and putting ourselves out in nature where we are reminded at a fundamental level how we are a part OF this wild kingdom called earth, rather than apart FROM it. It’s not often that we get to shed the trappings of our modern world and step out into the wild where we are truly on an even playing field with the forces of nature and the native beasts who occupy it. It’s humbling to say the least. We love hiking in bear country. It provides that constant thrill/fear mix which keeps your adrenaline flowing and your mind alert. Black bears are not overly aggressive animals, but a mother will jealously defend her young and you never want to accidentally surprise one on a trail, so we are all on high alert and doing our usual bear hike routine of making loud noises and keeping the conversation going. This hike had the added element of fog. Charlie’s Bunion is a rocky point that hangs 2000 feet above the valley floor and provides a breathtaking 270 degree vista of the Smoky Mountains. It’s actually hard to not get a little bit of vertigo while standing on that precipice feeling the depth of the chasm all around you.

To reach Charlie’s Bunion, you must park at Newfound Gap in the middle of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and hike a moderate-to-strenuous 4.5 mile one-way hike along the Appalachian Trail (AT). As you can see in the pics, this trail takes you through some absolutely beautiful temperate rainforest-like woodlands. We felt like we had stepped into another world, like Land of the Lost or something! From the eerie fog that filled the air, to the fern beds and odd plants, to the crazy sounds the birds and/or squirrels were making. It was a totally alien experience to say the least. Add to that the fact that we were there early in the morning when bears are most active and there was no sign of another human being being out there with us and we were actually pretty nervous. Finally, a couple miles into the hike, we spotted a wet shoe print on a rock. The tread marks of someone’s hiking boot were recently left on a dry rock along the trail, so we at least knew we weren’t alone. Not that we weren’t prepared to handle this hike by ourselves, we had our rescue rope, first aid kit, pocket knives, plenty of snacks and water, etc. It’s just nice to know there’s another human out there just in case.

We cannot begin to express how proud we are of our adventurous kids. Most adults have never experienced anything close to one of the hikes our kids have mastered. And our kids have done many, many of these already. They are very smart and experienced hikers and we always get comments from the hard core hikers we encounter along the way about how amazing it is that they were able to achieve these heights.

This hike ranks right up there in our top list of favorites! The Charlie’s Bunion trail is not at all as steep as the 1400 foot incline of Angel’s Landing in Zion, nor as hot and exhausting as the return trip back up the South Kaibab trail on the south rim of the Grand Canyon. It’s not even as threatening and long as the 11+ mile lava hike on the Big Island of Hawaii, where any single misstep can lead to your skin being shredded on the razor sharp hardened lava bed. However, even after having all these hikes to compare this one to, we had never before found ourselves in such an eerie, silent, and foggy world...all alone by ourselves on an unfamiliar path which at times dropped off on both sides in steep declines because the AT frequently travels right along the very top of the mountain ridge.

You wouldn’t think that tucked away on the eastern edge of Tennessee there’s be this amazing gem of a National Park, but it’s true. It’s actually the most visited National Park in America, which is why we chose to hit this trail early in the morning. Charlie’s Bunion is definitely something we recommend to all our friends and family! 9 mile round trip is not all that hard in the big picture, but be prepared and you’ll get to enjoy something few ever will.