Kelly Parker, right, with friends, left, to right,Angie Arnold, Denal Crawley and Kim Gatewoood who enjoy camping and then participating in the Cades Cove Loop Lope. (Photos by Kelly Parker)
Kelly Parker says four “middle-aged ladies” decided in 2019 to make it a girls weekend of camping at Cades Cove in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Townsend, Tenn., in 2019 and also complete the Cades Cove Loop Lope 5K (3.1 miles), the only run totally inside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, on Nov. 9.
“This year will make six years that some combination of us four ladies have returned to the Loop Lope. We are just middle-aged ladies that enjoy exercising together and we decided to come to one of the most beautiful places on earth and complete the 5K section of the race,” said Parker. “Angie Arnold runs most of the race. The rest of us just walk it. We really do not have a running background at all.”
Even though the event is always the second weekend in November when the weather can be cool or even cold, Parker and her friends camp in tents.
“We set up our tents on Friday afternoon. On Saturday we usually pick a trail that we have not hiked and hike that morning,” she said. “Then we come back and ride the Cove, sit by the campfire, cook supper, make s’mores and relax.
“On Sunday we do the 5K and pack up to come home. I have made it for the last six years with some of the other three ladies.”
The group usually hikes at least two or three times per year. They recently did an overnight backpack hike/camp to the Grayson Highlands State Park in Virginia.
“We hiked to see the wild ponies,” she said. “To us it is awesome to just unplug for the weekend. No phones, husbands, kids… just enjoying our friendships. We are nurses and business people who need that chance to unplug occasionally.
“Three years ago it was so cold when we woke up that our sleeping bags were frozen to the sides of our tents!”
That was the year when the races were nearly cancelled because of the cold temperatures and snow that created icy conditions before park officials gave the okay about four hours before the race was scheduled to start for it to be held.
One advantage they do have is that they can just walk to the race starting line from the campground and don’t have to ride a shuttle bus 10 miles to the start or pay for a parking pass at Cades Cove.
“We hope to keep coming to the Cove for many years to come!” she said. “We love walking/running the loop. Its beauty, uniqueness, and tranquility bring us so much peace and just remind us just how grateful we are to be able to experience God’s handiwork.”
Cades Cove 5K
Photos by Kelly Parker
