Since they are each short individually, I would need to knock out several of them in one day to get the miles I desired. This would require a lot of driving and getting in and out of the car. Nevertheless, I was up to the task. Now a number of them I had already done in years past, such as Elkmont, Cosby, Sugarlands, and Smokemont, so I had a good start. My plan this day was to hit the three paths between the visitor center and Elkmont first. So one by one I parked at each of the respective pulloffs, wandered into the woods til I found trails end or completed a loop, then came back. With all the leaves down, some of the paths were confusing. I ended up climbing a hill to find a cemetery on one of them. And the trails that weren't loops sort of just fizzled out and I was left to assume that I had reached the end. Here I am an experienced hiker and the description for these trails talk about people being able to relax and enjoy an easy walk in the woods. I was beginning to wonder.
Next up, I was going to complete the stretch of trails that connect at various points along Newfound Gap from a pulloff before the Huskey Gap Trail to another just past Campbell Overlook. There are four possible entryways leading down to a main path that parallels the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River. Some of the paths follow old road beds, pass between the locations of old settlements, and cross small footbridges. But don't let any of that fool you, because the majority of these trails are a joke. The conditions were awful because finding the actual trail was next to impossible. A trail meant for any tourist to enjoy a casual stroll was quickly becoming a chore and a dilemma. The freshly fallen leaves probably hid the path in places, but there were numerous blowdowns and creek crossings. On various occasions I thought I was following a path when in reality I was just wondering through the woods. I did my best to stick with the river and keep an out for the vehicle pulloffs up above. I did take some time to move closer to the river and admire the rushing waters brought on by the previous night's rain. The boulders, falls, and pools were large in this one particular area.