Our big activity of the day was driving to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for a very long 6.6 mile hike up a mountain!
It was a very challenging climb and the back of my legs are absolutely killing me now!
I played the good old “Rock Monster” trick on the Husband. You know, toss a rock deep into the forest, wait until it crashes through the bush, and then gasp, “Did you hear THAT? Is that a BEAR?!!?” He fell for it about four times before he caught on.
Poor Husband.
After all the talk about bears, I was a little disappointed that we didn’t see any…
Until the very end when we stumbled upon this teenager bear digging through a trash can!
The Husband was actually in the bathroom when I spotted Mr. Bear sniffing around the back of the building. I yelled, “Don’t come out – there’s a BEAR right by the door!” Gave him quite a fright but he said he knew I was being serious this time – no Rock Monsters!
Eats before, during, and after the trail hike:
A bar:
Chips and hummus (times two):
A PB sandwich (I ate it in parts) + an apple:
Salad:
Off to catch a nap and then we’re getting massages… I don’t want to go home, ever! 
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{ 108 comments… read them below or add one }
My husband and I were there in July and when we were hiking we saw a huge bear! We were too scared to take a picture of it though!
Yes I was thinking Caitlin was very brave!!
Julia
http://www.britbride.com
I’m so envious that you saw a bear – it’s so cute! From a distance of course:)
Glad you guys are having a great time and are getting some rest and rejuvenation. You deserve it!
LOL That’s hilarious that you fooled him so much:) Haha
But that’s pretty cool you saw the adolescent bear!
Enjoy the rest of your time in the cabin!
OMG I can’t believe you saw a bear!!! Out of all of the hikes I’ve been on in the Smokies I have NEVER seen a bear – I would be terrified! haha
You snapped some beautiful photos!
fun! i love hiking
thats crazy you saw the bears though..super scary!
You’re in my neck of the woods! Love the mountains!
I have a huge bear phobia that stems from a stint living in the Wyoming mountains..I hadn’t mastered the art of proper garbage storage yet (two weeks out of NYC) and I was rewarded with bears on the front porch of my not-so-sturdy cabin. We’re talking grizzlies. I have not yet recovered.
Enjoy the rest of your trip!
I live in Wyoming and have for all 26 years of my life!! There are few of us, so I have to comment when I see someone else who lived here.
Where were you? This weekend in central Wyo near Kaycee, my dad saw a mountain lion, which, in my book, instills about as much fear as a grizzly (they stalk and kill you with as much brutality) and my mom and sister saw it’s kill site — where it had killed, dragged, dismembered and eaten a deer. Gives me chills!!!
Mountain lions are also in my book o’ fear – haven’t had an encounter yet, thankfully.
I lived a good bit outside of Crowheart – technically, I squatted what appeared to be an old hunting cabin for close to a year. I’m still amazed that I survived; the thought “it will be more exciting if I have to forage and hunt for food” crossed through my mind before heading out West, so I brought a couple of bags of beans and not much else…
Ahhhh, the Wind Rivers, what a beautiful area. I spent a minute or two on your blog and your lifestyle seems so poetic and beautiful. I think you asked a question on one of your recent posts about being rooted to a certain place though — for me it’s Wyoming — my heart belongs in the Rocky Mountains … I’m my truest self here, way out in the middle of nowehere, , threat of grizzlies, mountain lions and all. (Though I’ve never squatted in a cabin for a year with only a bag of beans. That is AWESOME.
)
I am pretty sure I’ve never seen a real bear in real life, and I probably would have peed on myself.
Looks like a gorgeous hike tho!
You are rotten! Glad you are having fun! Enjoy your massages…that should feel really good now!
Looks like so much fun! Bear and all!
I’m sure you know, but there’s a blurb on Operation Beautiful in Fitness Magazine! You go, girl!
Hahaha! I love that the husband fell for your bear tricks so many times! Glad you finally got to see one!
The pictures are gorgeous so I’m guessing the real place is even more so!
I can’t believe you actually saw a bear. Very cool!
Aghghg!!!! I’ve never seen a bear before– I would be so scared!! That’s crazy!
My goodness I think I might actually die if I see a bear walking around like that!
Did you realllly see a bear??? Promise you aren’t pulling our legs? Because I LOVE hiking and am terrified of bears…
I’ve never actually seen a bear but I’m pretty sure I would have been terrified! Your photos are gorgeous. I love the one on the bridge!
I’ve never done the rock monster trick! I will add that to the list of things I must do
Interesting pictures! especially the one with the bear in the trash can – aren’t those exact trashcans supposed to be bear-proof because of the special lid they have on???
Yup and he opened it right up!
What trail did you guys do? We hiked Abram’s Falls last July 4 right when I was just starting to run and exercise more and it almost KILLED me. I honestly cried on the way back
But I felt awesome about it once it was all over!
Rainbow falls!
Your pictures are so gorgeous! They are making me want an “unwind” vacation now–especially one that includes a massage
And, I love the little bear getting into the trash can, but I think I would be terrified if I were actually anywhere near it!
That is so cool you saw a bear! How fun! Enjoy your massages. I can’t wait until hubby and I go on vacay!
You guys look like you’re having such a relaxing, fun, much-needed vacation!
I’ve never played the rock monster game… you can bet there will be some monsters on my next hike though!
OMG It’s like the boy who cried wolf, but instead it’s the girl who cried bear, good thing the hubby knew you were serious this time. Eeep I would have freaked out seeing that bear.
hahah @ the rock monster trick. That is hilarious. And holy crap, I think I would crap myself if I saw a bear. That is really neat. I went to the smokey mountains as a kid, and we went white water rafting, aaaaah need to go back soon!!
Holy CRAP! What a great picture of the bear. Talk about scary, though!!
OMG!!!! The bear picture almost made me fall off my chair. I would seriously freak out. I am TERRIFIED of bears and that looks to be a fairly large, hungry one. I can’t believe your post is so calm !!!! AAAAAGH!!!!
omg I can’t believe you saw a bear- I would have been freaking out! That’s a good rock trick though
He he, I think you must have a lot of city readers.
Granted, you don’t want to mess with bears of any type, but that looks like a little brown bear, and they aren’t *too* frightening. I’ve seen quite a few in Wyoming, and from a distance, and if you’re not between a cub and a mom, you’re probably ok. It’s the grizzlies that are TERRIFYING. I never want to see one of those.
*qualifier — I don’t want to see a grizzly at close range. I’ve seen ‘em from my car in Yellowstone.
You’re giving me flashbacks to hiking on the north shore of lake superior two weeks ago. We did a similar distance and I just loved playing in the woods. Hiking is the best. No bears though
Hmmm I’m skeptical that you actually saw that bear…I feel like you are pulling our legs
Looks fantastic nonetheless.
Hahah it’s true!
I would have had a heart attack if I saw a bear. My boyfriend likes to tell me that there are bears everywhere we go. I refuse to believe him.
Did you do Rainbow Falls? My boyfriend and I had a mini-vacation to the Smokies much like you guys last August–we stayed in Pigeon Forge too and we did that hike! I think we might have even used the same rental company, judging by the way your cabin is decorated in the photos. Have fun hiking! Rainbow Falls is a beautiful one to do, if you haven’t done that one.
Yes,that was it!
Similar thing happened while we were in Colorado last Summer…no action while we were hiking, but found a bear digging through our neighbors’ trash can! I’d MUCH rather have it that way. You know they’re interested in the trash so they’re most likely less interested in you.
Hope you’re having a lovely vacation!
I love that you actually saw a bear after all the false alarms…must have thrown the hus for quite a loop! Glad you’re enjoying your vacation so far!
i would have freaked out seeing a bear!
Your place looks exactly like the cabin my husband and I stayed at a few years ago right by knoxville (kind of by dolly parton’s theme park). We LOVED it there! But I am TERRIFIED of bears. i am glad we didn’t see any! enjoy the vacay!!!
Laurie
haha, of course he fell for it – he’s british!! I would have without a doubt :p
I would be terrified if I saw a bear!! Good or you for being brave!
That sandwich looks soo good with the peanut butter oozing on that side. I also just realized I hate the word oozing so I’m not sure why I said it, gross.
Glad you are having a relaxing vacation!
I’d probably scream my face off if I saw a bear. Then, he’d eat me, and that would be that.
That bear is huge! I would have been so scared!
why do bears look so cute when they are so so dangerous?
hike and a massage sounds like an amazing day! So jealous… well except for the bear in the garbage can!
Hahaha the rock monster. I don’t know if I would have believed about the bears after the rock monsters.
Bears on the trails are awesome and reallllllllly scary. Glad you survived to tell the tale
I am SO jealous. That is my idea of a vacation, even the bears. Enjoy every second, C!
Enjoy the massages!
The only times I’ve seen bears outside of zoos has been while they’re digging in trash! At least you didn’t see Mama Bear…
I love the bear! So glad y’all are having a good time.
this is such a great vacation! i wouldn’t want to leave either!
So pretty! You deserve the R&R!
Yikes a bear?! I would have jumped out of my skin.
You and your hubby are too cute…um, I wouldn’t want to leave either!
I saw a baby bear on a hike one time and high tailed it outta there because I knew mommy bear wouldn’t be far behind haha
I’m jealous. Gotta be real!
What salad dressing do you use? Looks yum.
Where are you staying at, it sounds amazing.
Oh my goodness! I freaked out when I saw that bear PICTURE…I can’t imagine seeing it in person!
Oh my gosh, a bear! I’d be so scared. You handled it well, otherwise the Husband might have had a little accident…
It is so pretty there!
ooo vacation massages are A MUST!!! Looks like you’re having a great time!
ack! bears are scary! it looks like a beautiful hike though!
Okay, I am holding on to that rock trick and using it on my next hike with the hubs. Not quite sure it will work though since the GA mountain trails we head out on aren’t too wild. I can’t believe you saw a real one too! Eeep!!!
I love to hike
Your trip looks awesome, it makes me anxious for the 6 mile hike Jas and I have planned this weekend!
Oh, and on our last trip we thought for sure that we would see a bear. We found a path that was excluded from the other paths, and about 3 miles in there were bear tracks and I started freaking out!
Oh wow!!!!! How scary!Beautiful scenery though.
Oh oh oh, a bear. no thanks, i’d be scared shitless!
That bear would have scared the shit out of me.
Oh, I just realized that I said the exact same thing as the previous commenter. Lol.
i LOVE hikes! the miles always throw me off though… running that length wouldn’t be that difficult, but HIKING it is totally different!
that bear is so skinny.
My heart is seriously beating faster thinking about that bear.
Massages, naps, bears, OH MY! Ohmygosh I would have wigged out. Looks like a blast though!
I absolutely LOVE hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains. It’s one of my favorite things to do while I’m there. It’s so pretty! And as much as I’ve been there, I have yet to see a bear. Lucky you! I’m glad you got a good picture though!
Geez, that looks BEAUTIFUL! Although, I don’t know how I feel about bears! Scary!
Great pictures! Sounds like you’re having a good time!
A hike and a massage- sounds like the best day ever! You’re so lucky to have seen a bear, I really want to see one! Not from too close though
I can’t believe you came that close to a bear! That’s wild.
that’s a teenage bear
WOW…. i would probably completely freak out
I thought you were kidding when you posted a picture of that bear! That’s crazy that you actually saw one!
Wow, I can’t believe you saw a bear that close up! That hike followed by massages must have made for an amazing day.
i love the mountains! so jealous of your trip
OMG that actually sounds (and looks) like the best thing ever right now. It looks like a beautiful trail and sounds like something I’d love to do.
Can’t believe you saw a bear though, stuff that, that’d scare me half to death! haha
Wowzers, your in bear country! I went hiking today too. I just decided to put out a challenge for myself to hike and do yoga everyday for 7 days. I need a kick start. My hike is only 1.5 miles, but it is steep.
Looks like your having a great time!
wow! you’re a brave one…I would have been TERRIFIED had i come across a bear!!!!
There is always a danger of running into a bear while hiking where I live. I walked right past a bear that was 10 feet away from me earlier this summer.
That is amazing the bear was able to open up the garbage can. We have them all over here and I think its hilarious have a hard time opening the garbage can, but the bears can figure it out. Hopefully the bear won’t get into trouble because he has been raiding the garbage!
I just got a craving for peanut butter after looking at your sandwich…what can I say? Peanut butter does that to me!
Looks like a great hike–except for the bear, they creep me out
Looks so beautiful. I can imagine how relaxing it is.
Poor bears.
Bears eating from the trash..that’s a big problem, all over the world
Did you really see a bear? Or is this a bloggy joke! I have no idea how you took a pic! I would have been screaming and booking it in the opposite direction!
hahah yes really!
hahah yes really!
Did you really see a bear? Or is this a bloggy joke! I have no idea how you took a pic! I would have been screaming and booking it in the opposite direction!!
Sry! Not sure how to delete a duplicate!
Hilarious seeing th bear diggin thro the trash!
looks like your having a great trip, just what you needed after such a hectic schedule lately missi!! love the rock monster joke, thats hilarious!
I’ve always wanted to spot a black bear, but still haven’t. They’re hard to catch…unless they find some sort of food source like this guy did.
Gorgeous hike!
Such a beautiful trip so far! I love hiking the Smokies … and seeing the bears (from a distance). They supposedly put new locks on the dumpsters so the bears wouldn’t be able to get in, but obviously that didn’t work! Haha.
I’m glad you’re enjoying your trip!
I saw a bear when I was in New Hampshire hiking too:
http://gamereviewwiki.com/bikinibirthday/2010/07/07/new-hampshire-hikes-and-eats/
Ahh that’s so awesome you saw a bear! And that it didn’t mess with you…then that wouldn’t have been so awesome
How scary and exciting to be that close to a bear!
The hike looks intense, but the massage afterward sounds well worth it!
crazy! but that looks amazing!
Ummm seeing a bear would scare me to death! I can’t believe you were calm enough to take pictures!
What a beautiful hike! This vacation makes me smile (and makes me miss the south!)
I am so jealous that you saw a bear! I’ve seen a bunch of roadside ones this summer but only one on a trail. I love that second photo of him – so much for a bear safe garbage can..
Thanks for the peek into the Smokies; I am making the rounds of the national parks in the west but I have yet to visit one on the east coast.
I just read your post and I have to say that I live right here in East Tennessee and love the beautiful Great Smokey Muntains. My husband and I do enjoy taking advantage of all the great hiking.I’m glad you had a great time
P.S I enjoy your blog and recipes