With our adventure on Vancouver Island's West Coast Trail only a few months away, we picked the perfect day for a short practice hike in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park...high humidity, rain and clouds!

Our initial plan was to hike a 10+-mile loop but we got a late start and spent about 20 minutes in the car at the trailhead, trying to talk ourselves out of going home to a nice, dry environment. It poured!! Finally the rain slacked off and we donned our rain jackets and daypacks and hit the trail....a very muddy trail. We hiked Rabbit Creek Trail from Abrams Ranger Station to the Hannah Mountain Trail junction, about 5.4 miles round trip.

Clouds hung low at the beginning of the hike and water from the rain shower puddled on the trail.

I am actually having more fun that I appear but someone's hair is looking a bit shaggy...love that East Tennessee humidity!

John surveying the devastation from the pine beetle and the winter wind. A crew of 2 was working diligently on trail maintenance. For the most part, the trail was in great shape and we were very impressed.

Mountain laurel in bloom!