NC Appalachian Trail - Section 2 - Derrick Knob Shelter to Russell Field Shelter

Date	Distance	Time	Elevation Gain	Average Moving Time	Year to Date Miles
4/23/62022	9.3 miles	7 hours 50 minutes	1,799'	1.7 mph	277.4

Parking: 

• 1 car at Clingman's Dome Visitor Center, 1 car at Fontana Dam Road

Maps:

• FarOut app (Guthook)
• GaiGps app
• National Geographic Great Smoky Mountain National Park West

Directions:

• Hike southbound on the AT from Derrick Knob Shelter.to Russell Field Shelter

We had a hot day today, so those climbs were tough. We ended up having the ridge runner change our permit from Mollies Ridge Shelter to Russell Field Shelter. There was no escaping the sun, as the trees haven't leafed out. We saw many sunburned thru hikers. Another day with great views and lots of wildflowers. This AT section is so pretty! We crossed over the summit of Rocky Top. 

Wish that I was on ole rocky top
Down in the Tennessee hills
Ain't no smoggy smoke on rocky top
Ain't no telephone bills

Once there was a girl on rocky top
Half bear the other half cat
Wild as a mink, sweet as soda pop
I still dream about that

Rocky top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ole rocky top
Rocky top Tennessee, rocky top Tennessee

Once two strangers climbed on rocky top
Lookin' for a moonshine still
Strangers ain't come back from rocky top
Guess they never will

Corn won't grow at all on rocky top
Dirt's too rocky by far
That's why all the folks on rocky top
Get their corn from a jar

Rocky top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ole rocky top
Rocky top Tennessee, rocky top Tennessee

Now I've had years of cramped up city life
Trapped like a duck in a pen
Now all I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again

Rocky top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me
Good ole rocky top
Rocky top Tennessee, rocky top Tennessee

Rocky top Tennessee, rocky top Tennessee
Yeah rocky top Tennesee eee eee eee

When we got to Russell Field Shelter, there were really limited tent sites. Some tents were 3 feet apart. Luckily, we found a spot in the woods where the 5 of us could tent together, away from everyone else. It worked out well. We had a long day planned for day 3, so we wanted to wake up at 5:30 am to pack up. We were away from everyone else, which made us feel less guilty about making noise in the morning. We had crazy strong wind at night. Luckily our little spot in the woods protected us from the wind, but I was concerned about trees crashing down on us during the night. We did check around to make sure there were no widow makers, but the trees haven't leafed out yet, so I'm not sure I'd recognize a dead tree. Again, it was around 50 degrees at night, and I was able to stay warm most of the night. I think being out of the wind at ground level helped tremendously.