Gregory Ridge (5.0) & Bald (5.3) + 3 mi. Parson Branch Rd

When Lowell Reid and I did Hannah Mtn I saw the trail terminus for Gregory Bald; after looking at the map I put it down as a possible Friday hike. Bill Broome, one of the two individuals that I have been contacting re planning hikes, suggested doing it as a Wed. hike but yet on Tues. so we could get an early start in Cades Cove. It was not until today that I realized why a number of individuals were interested in doing this hike; the azaleas at Gregory Bald were truly fantastic.

We met at Food Lyon at 7:00 to get a jump on the heat; 5 of us were planning to do the Gregory Ridge & Bald loop plus 3 mi. of Parson Branch Rd; 7 others who were going to do an in and out went in two cars. My riders were Anne, Amy & Tom, and Hope—Bob met us in the Cades Cove Loop. The Cades Cove Loop was ultra slow even at this hour. It was ~9:30 that the 13 of us got started.

On the way up Gregory Ridge Bill Broome led and he and I discussed future hikes and decided to meet at Panera the next day. The pictures speak for the beauty of this Bald. On the way down the six of us sort of got split up; when we reached Parson Branch Rd Bob & Anne waited for Amy & Tom as Hope and I went to my car to ice a knee and an ankle (Hope, a very strong hiker and a new one to me, had turned her ankle.)