We had a fabulous time on this hike. Our tour guide, Hailey, was an environmental science major and was extremely knowledgeable about the forrest. She gave a variety of interesting facts both about the history of the park, it's early settlers and their families and a ton of information about plant life, ecosystems and life cycles. It was a rainy day and Hailey was quick to offer safety information concerning lightening strikes and offer to let us reschedule if we chose. We chose to proceed in the rain and had a great time. The hike was not strenuous in the least due to frequent stops to talk about interesting history and plant facts. There is one narrow area in the trail that can be slippery and quite a fall if your footing is not secure. Hailey was great to insure we were all able to navigate it well and were comfortable with each aspect of the trail, stream bed crossing and were staying hydrated. Only downside of the day was towards the end of the trail, thunder rolled and we had to make the decision to turn around before seeing the final cascade. Again, Hailey was awesome about making the right call and keeping safety first. This was the best activity we did on our entire vacation. I would do it again in a heartbeat, only next time it will be a longer trek.
Our guide, Haley, was fantastic. She was fun and extremely knowledgeable. The hike was just challenging enough to be an adventure but easy enough for young kids.. The history of this national park is unique and interesting of which Haley was well versed, and the beauty of it breathtaking. I highly recommend it!
We booked this tour in advance and it was confirmed pretty quickly. When we showed up, Nokey, our tour guide, gave us the run-down of what to expect. We'd expected a group of 5-6, but it ended up being just my husband and I we thought this was awesome, because it was our 2nd anniversary and a private hike was the best way to kick it off.
We aren't hikers, and this unmarked trail was easy for us. We kept up with Nokey just fine and enjoyed the rock hops, crawling under trees, and using the walking sticks that he provided for us. He even brought snacks, in case we needed them! We saw a ton of waterfalls, and because it was the two of us we didn't need breaks, he took us to a couple sites that they sometimes don't get to on the booked hike. He offered to take photos of us in front of the falls, and let us spend as much time as we wanted or needed at each one. The Smokies are truly beautiful and this was the best way for us to experience them.
Nokey is incredibly well-versed in the nature-life and history in the Smokies. We ate edible Sauerwood leaves, smelled wild ginger root when he identified them, and savored the wintergreen oil in twigs from Black Birch trees. He showed us dozens of plants and fungi we would have never known to look for, and we really learned a lot throughout the entire 2.5 hour hike. It was a fantastic experience, and we're so lucky to have had Nokey guiding us along. We'll definitely be booking with A Walk in the Woods each trip we make to Gatlinburg!