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    Vacation » Hiking » Hiking the Rich Mountain Loop Trail

    Hiking the Rich Mountain Loop Trail

    Posted: 06/18/2011 | Last updated: 08/17/2015 by Erin 5 Comments
    Post may contain affiliate links via Amazon Associates or other programs. (Disclosure)

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    A few weeks ago, we headed back to the Smokies and tackled another hiking trail.  This time, the Rich Mountain Loop was the one on our radar.  The trail is 8.5 miles with an elevation gain of 1,736 feet.  Since it makes one big loop, there's no backtracking and you get new scenery for most of the trek!

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Scrambled egg sammich.  The perfect pre-hike breakfast following a long day and night of work and less than 5 hours of sleep!

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    The locals understand that the 11-mile Cades Cove Loop can be a wonderful drive, or a cuss-word-inducing trek through traffic hell.  Rich Mountain Loop appealed to us because the trailhead starts just before you get to the one-way section of the loop.  So in other words, when we finished we could GETTHEHECKOUTOFTHERE!

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Trailhead.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    This is a popular trail for horseback riders.  We saw these tracks all over the place!

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    There's nothing terribly fancy waiting for you at the end of this trail.  It's just a nice little stroll through the woods.  Ok, so it's not really a stroll since the first 4.2 miles is a steep climb, but you get the idea.   We started early enough to avoid the hottest parts of the day, but the heavy shade was much appreciated.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    There are quite a few other trails that could have caused us to get rather lost, but we learned quickly to "stay to the right!"

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Fallen tree across the trail #1 of 459

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    After awhile you end up right behind one of Cades Coves popular stops.. the John Oliver cabin.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    I like that sign!  The trail, it be thisaway!

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Fallen tree across the trail #2 of 459

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Fallen tree #... holy heck, this thing counts for #4-50 of 459.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Told ya it was shady.  Too bad shade doesn't cut through the humidity.  I had sweat running down my... well, let's just say I was rather sweaty.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Well, what do we have here?

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Hello, pretty lady!  She was munchin' peacefully on some shrubbery and let us get pretty darn close to her before frolicking off into the woods.  It's a good thing it was just a deer and not a black bear, otherwise I would have needed a new pair of underpants.   I prefer seeing bears from the safety of a vehicle, thankyouverymuch.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    There wasn't a ton of color on the trail, but we did find a few things in bloom.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Flame azaleas with butterflies! 

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    There are a few places where the trail opens up for views of Townsend, but it was a bit too hazy to see much.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Ahh, finally!!  Halfway through, the trail leveled off at the top, and that means.. lunch!  We found a patch of flat rocks in the middle of the trail and sat ourselves down right in the middle of it.  We only saw a few other hikers the whole day, so we figured no one would mind. 

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    My usual trail lunch is a fluffernutter, and Matt usually goes for roast beef.  Those cookies on the right are none other than Grandma's peanut butter.  Remember those?  From elementary school?  Yellow package?  Yeah.. we got a little nostalgic and picked them up for lunch.  Matt got greedy and took a bite before I had a chance to take a photo.

    Rich Mountain Loop Hiking Trail - Cades Cove in Smoky Mountains
    Downhill, oh yeah!

    Another trail conquered!

    Related posts:

    1. Hiking the Rich Mountain Loop - In Snow!
    2. Hiking Little Bottoms Trail - Crazy Tornado Damage!
    3. Hiking the Lumber Ridge Trail
    4. 2011 Hiking Round-Up
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    About Erin

    Erin is a mom of two human babies and two fur-covered babies. She loves comfy clothes, eats too much peanut butter, and watches excessive amounts of Netflix. Make her day and toss her a like on Facebook or follow her on Instagram. Post may contain affiliate links including those via the Amazon Associates program

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dan

      July 12, 2014 at 9:53 pm

      You are a stunning woman!

      Reply
    2. Remi

      June 20, 2011 at 12:38 pm

      Nom nom breakfast sammich!

      Reply
    3. Susan

      June 20, 2011 at 11:41 am

      Love the last picture, I want to be there right now!

      Reply

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