I rarely say “no” and in the past several years decided when asked “do you want to ____”, just say “yes” and go for it. Rachel asked, “want to hike to a remote inn with only one way in and out and stay the night”, my reply is below.

5 miles into the woods we found our stay, a rustic and out of a movie, inn. The Len Foote Hike Inn sits deep in the woods of Amicalola Falls State Park near Dawsonville, GA, a hikers paradise. The day was perfect, cool temperatures (35-40 degrees C) just enough for a heavy jacket, beanie with gloves.

Prior to the hike, we indulged in the small town of Clayton, GA on Farmhouse Doughnuts, and a stop at the Wander store to visit the Christmas Yeti and seek last minute presents! We encourage everyone to spend some time in Clayton, the picturesque town is like Denver as you look up from the downtown to the mountains.

We made it to the inn after 2.5 hours and enjoyed a hot fire, hot chocolate and food! The rooms were single, bunk beds and wide enough to hang our backpacks. The common area was cozy with a supply of board games. My favorite (insert sarcasm) compost bathrooms were available, including a slight breeze up the backside, to remind you that you were roughing it.

We did an interesting tour of the grounds, discussing composting, worms and self sufficiency of the area, down to solar power. That night we met fellow hikers in the mess hall and had a really good meal. The “waste not” policy was something to take back home and implement, down to drinking from the same cup for days.

We plan to hike the longer trail (8 mikes) in the Smokies, which requires reservations 1 year in advance (we are set for November 2021). The LeConte Lodge promises to be another great adventure!