Walking Through a Sea of Tourists

May 13, 2025

I was surrounded by snoring hikers last night in the shelter and did not sleep very well as a result. I will be pitching my tent outside of the shelter from now on in the Smokies. I’ve realized that people complain a lot out on the trail and in daily life. Everyone has a different mindset and a different lense that they view the world–some more optimistic and some more pessimistic. I’ve met a handful of people that choose to focus on the negatives and have been careful to limit my time around them because on the trail it’s very important to protect your mind and your piece because it’s all a mind game. Some people choose to complain about pain, the weather, the distance to a water source, muddy trails, etc. Complaining about it doesn’t change the outcome. We still have to get up and walk every day, and choosing to see things negatively makes that feat even more difficult. I’m just glad that there is water and that I’m able to be out here each day–things could always be way worse. I’ve been enjoying trail life overall, so it’s tough to be around people who seem to not be enjoying the lifestyle.

I decided to do a shorter day today in order to slow down and bit and really savor my time in the Smokies, when it seems like everyone else is rushing to get out of the Smokies. I hiked 5 miles to Newfound Gap where… you guessed it…trail magic was waiting! A Baptist church was set up with all kinds of snacks and drinks and charging banks for hikers. I got my pictures taken with the TN and NC signs as well. I saw “Leapfrog” at the trail magic as well! After leaving the trail magic, I had to fight my way through the tourists to get back on the trail. They were stretched out across the entire trail, taking pictures of the AT signage. Once I got through, I hardly saw any tourists for the rest of the day. It seems they would rather enjoy the views from the parking lot than embark on a steep climb, haha. I walked through a fenced area into a Beech forest enclosure designed to prevent wild hogs from going in and tearing things up… but for some reason, they allow ratty thru-hikers to go through.

It was a gradual climb all the way to the shelter, and I thought about pushing another 7 miles to the next shelter but decided to stay and enjoy the grassy overlook. I ate the rest of my free burrito and journaled while looking off into the distance. Later, “Howl” (who is now going by “Alpha”) joined me, followed by “6-string,” “Poptart,” and “Thirsty Boy.” I met “Luna Moth” and her dad, who joined her for a couple of days for the Smokies. We all had a little picnic in the grass as we ate dinner together.