Study Guide

A Walk in the Woods Part 1, Chapter 7

By Bill Bryson

Part 1, Chapter 7

Although Katz is a little grumpy at first, he's back to his regular, merely semi-grumpy self within a few days.
They reach the Rockies. They had expected there to be a food-filled visitors' center there, but are sad to learn that it's closed for the next few months. They'll have to keep moving.
This is actually a pretty uniquely impressive natural ecosystem—it's been dubbed "'the finest mixed mesophysic forest in the world,'" whatever that means (1.7.19).
Sadly, much of this diverse natural wildlife is dying out in record numbers. Like the Forest Service, the National Park Service is doing some serious harm to local ecosystems.
The duo has just arrived at the Birch Spring Gap Shelter. This one is particularly nasty, which is saying something—Katz ends up killing seven mice before the night is over.
They spend the next day walking ten miles in the rain to reach the next shelter. This one's a bit better—it even has a fireplace.
They spend the next few days hustling their butts off. Finally, after being soaked to their cores by near-incessant rain, the duo decides to head for the one-and-only city of Gatlinburg.