Great Smoky Mountains National Park

When I first booked this trip, I was really excited to check out the most visited National Park in the U.S. and to hopefully see a little fall color change of the trees.  A few days before I was to leave for the trip, I started to wonder if I should change my plans as there have been wildfires in the area and I did not know how much that would affect the air quality, plus voluntarily being in the path of a fire is never a good idea.  It turns out I had nothing to worry about as the skies have been clear blue and beautiful during my time here. 

I arrived at the southern entrance through Cherokee territory and weaved my way through the park up to Pigeon Forge, Tennessee where I would make my home for a couple of nights.  There were lots of winding roads with S turns and beautiful tree canopies raining falling leaves onto my car.  There are lots of areas to pull off the road and take in the view safely while giving other cars a chance to pass by and I took advantage of many of them.  I am not exactly sure how many photos I took over the last two days but it was a lot as it seemed every new vista was even more scenic than the last.  Part of the reason I always take so many pictures when trying to capture the beauty of an area is that no matter how beautiful the picture of the area is, it can never compare to seeing the view in person.

On my way up to Pigeon Forge, I decided to stop at Clingmans Dome for a short .5 mile hike to the highest point in Smoky Mountain National Park.  At 6,643 feet you get a beautiful 360 degree view of the area and I was lucky to have a clear day for a full view all around me.  The hike is paved the entire way but it is a steep climb and the high altitude had me winded while going up but they have several benches along the way to rest and let your heart stop pounding from the effort for a few minutes.  Bring your water and take your time enjoying the view at the top.  It was worth the effort.

I woke up early on Wednesday morning to get to the park before dawn and make the loop through Cades Cove to look for animals while the sun was still making its way up.  The early call time made it a success!  I saw lots of dear grazing in the open areas and walking along the side of the road.  There was an early morning fog that created a haze over the mountains and cleared as the minutes marched on.  Cades Cove has an 11 mile loop that you drive through with multiple pull offs at scenic vistas and areas you can pull off to view the wildlife including some wild turkeys I saw but had to walk a little off the path to get a better view.  Cades Cove also has several buildings including old homes and churches that show off some of the history of the area and paint a picture of the life of someone who lived in the area in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

 Beautiful Autumn morning in the Smokys

 Young buck

 This doe was hanging out right alongside the road.

 In love with the bursts of color

 Wild turkey

 Primitive Baptist Church and Cemetery in Cades Cove

 The view was so pretty that I had to pull over and take a picture.

After my two tours of the Cades Cove loop (to catch anything I missed the first go around), I made my way back towards the Sugarland Visitor's Center near Gatlinburg, stopping at Laurel Falls for an "easy" 1.3 mile hike to the falls.  I quote easy because I'm not sure that I agree with that assessment.  Easy to me would be barely breaking a sweat if you are in shape and moderately difficult if you are out of shape.  Maybe I'm in the last category and am in denial at this point.  The hike was worth it though.  Fall is such a magical time, especially for someone from Florida who rarely sees trees changing colors or gets to hear the crunch of leaves under her feet.  The falls themselves were pretty but not overly special however the journey through the trees and overlooking the mountains with bright bursts of colors was definitely worth the hike.

 The first level of the waterfall.

The view on the hike to the waterfall

When I started planning this road trip, my stop in the Smoky Mountains was really just a plan to kill a few days before meeting my friend in Asheville but I am so happy I decided to make this place a part of my destination.  I can understand why it is the most visited National Park in the U.S., it's easily accessible, entrance to the park is free, and it's beauty reasserts itself at every turn of the road. My only disappointment was that I only saw one bear (which the Smokys are famous for) and it was from far away.  Fall is probably not the best time of year to spot the bears so I guess that means I'll just have to make a return trip.

The only bear I saw.  That small black spot in the middle of the frame.

So I bought this bear ear warmer so I could see a bear every time I look in the mirror.  😄