We have hiked on parts of this trail, but never the whole thing. Schoolhouse Gap starts near Cades Cove and ends at the Townsend Wye, so we needed two cars, or we would have a very long walk back (6 miles each way). Our friends John, Alice, Hank and Margaret were our hiking companions. The first part of the trail is also used for horses, which means it is not too steep and is wider than most trails. Once we got to Schoolhouse Gap and turned onto Chestnut top trail, it was downhill all the way. Chestnut top is renowned for its wildflowers in the spring, but it is no slouch in the fall either. The leaves were just beautiful, and it was another day of all of us saying, "Look up!" or "Over there!". I don't think we could have ordered a prettier day.
Bear den! This was a huge tree and was hollow all the way up. Perfect spot for a variety of wildlife.
The green in this picture was a very fine moss. It was so soft and looked almost like a carpet.
The Townsend Wye. This is a very popular spot in the summer, but was almost deserted today.
Oct 13. My mom came to visit us for a couple of days, and we took her to Cades Cove, one of her favorite places. We did a hike to the John Oliver cabin, about 3 miles total. A volunteer ranger was at the cabin, and he was a fountain of information about the people that once lived here. 
The view from Rich Mountain Road, looking back into the cove. This is one of my very favorite views.
