It turned cold, into the forties (F) last night and only got up to sixty today. Half of the campers left this morning, however, we still have six sites occupied. We stayed inside most of the day, then took a walk on the Baxter Creek Trail in the mid afternoon.
These fern fronds are in the tent campground.
This one is looking up Big Creek next to the campground.
The Baxter Creek trail head is at the bridge across Big Creek in the picnic area. I noticed that the leaves on the tree next to the bridge have those little red things on them again this year.
The trail immediately turns to follow Big Creek and goes gradually up hill. This is when we first started out.
There is a lot of rhododendron in the forest here and they are getting ready to make new leaves and buds.
I know there are dozens of different wildflowers growing along this trail. Today we only saw these white violets. Maybe more will pop out if it warms up next week.
An impressive rock wall is a short distance up the trail.
The trail is narrow and the downhill side is very steep. It would be a long fall.
We crossed two small creeks and the terrain leveled out.
Baxter Creek Trail takes a sharp left, but we followed a side path. This stack of rocks piled with junk, otherwise known as artifacts, marks the route.
Our destination was this chimney across the creek from the campground.
The couple from site three was also there. Here is the back, outside of the chimney. Note my scale model, Andy next to it.
There is no mortar. Smaller rocks are wedged between the larger ones to hold them tightly in place. Here is a closeup of the decorative pink stone
Andy pointed out this mushroom growing on a mossy log near the chimney.
On the way back down, I asked Andy to pose next to the rock wall.
The sun hit this tender new growth just right.
I couldn’t resist one more violet picture.
Dinata Misovec 
Beautiful pictures!
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Thanks!
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Looks like an interesting trail. You really gave an impression of it.
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Thank you. I met my goal then. I want to show what it is like.
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the photo of “red things on leaves” is so neat, Dinata–looks like a painting! I would ask you to forward just that photo to me….I don’t know what I will do with it, but it is so neat! thanks….jane
Sent from my iPad
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I sent you the original.
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Everything is so green!
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That is the most incredible thing about the Smoky Mountains National Park. Parts of it are a temperate rain forest. Some days I think the very air is green.
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How lovely!
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Yes, Baxter Creek Trail is one of the toughest hikes in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, six miles up a steep mountain. But the beginning section we did is a sweet walk in the woods.
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Fabulous views of Big Creek. I love the freshness and greenery of the place, not to mention that impressive rock face and amazing chimney. What is the chimney used for? Is it a barbecue site or similar?
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