The Great Smokey Mountains are probably one of the more famous national parks behind Yellowstone and Yosemite. Known for its stunning vistas and temperate rain forest vibe this was probably one of the best trail sections we have done. The Smokies begin by passing over Fontana Dam, a major milestone on the AT. Trails were well built and maintained allowing for gentle gradients and switch-backs to climb and descend from the high peaks. The trail followed the main ridge line through the park which gave us a great view of where we had been, and where we were going. But this meant that most of the time we were on 4 foot wide knife edges between peaks, with thousand foot drops on either side. But being below the timberline, this was not as precarious as it sounds. The tall pine forest was carpeted with a thick bed of moss and loam with picturesque photos around every corner. The park has a distribution of superb sturdy little stone shelters, which unfortunately we could not make use of due to social distancing. Our six days in the Smokies started with remarkably clear weather and high spirits which were unfortunately drowned by the final two days of rain. This turned our trail into a stream, resulting in wet feet that never dried. Our time in the smokies ended with a drive to a hotel and the dissolution of our Trail Family as everyone heeded the advice of the ATC and headed into their respective quarantines across the eastern coast. A week long backpacking trip through the Smokies is definitely worth it if you are considering a trip once this pandemic ends.