Devils Fork Gap (3,102 feet) mile 311.1 to Sam’s Gap (3,719 feet) mile 319.7 for an 8.6 mile day. We ascended 2,702 feet and descended 2,096 feet.

All in all, this was a short and slow day. We have gotten to where we can hike 15 to 16 miles a day without a problem by 5:30 or 6:00 PM. This day started our week of slack packing, thanks to Christy and Matt McDonald, Kelly’s sister and brother-in-law! It has made for some big mile day, but today was short so we could come to a good stopping point for them to pick us up.

We woke early so Kelly’s husband James could get back on the road to Charlotte. It was a beautiful start to this short hike, even though it was a wet one!

It was a beautiful, and wet short day, but the waterfalls were plentiful along this stretch, at least in the first 3 – 5 miles of the trail which followed a nice mountain stream!

The rest of the day was wet and dreary, but it got us to where it we needed to be. As we came down into the area where we were to be picked up along I-26 we saw this plaque that was set by the family that gave some of the land for this portion of the AT!