On the way to Gatlinburg we stopped in Sevierville, TN for a rental car so we would be able to travel inside The Smoky Mountains National Park and were then soon to our campsite. If you’re in the neighborhood stop in at LaConte Resort RV Park. Nice, clean campground with very nice owners some old time cabins, a trolley stop just outside the property that for $0.50 one way will take you to and from Gatlinburg, and-ready for it?-on property treehouse accommodations for rent!
Gatlinburg is a tourist heaven…Ripley’s and an aquarium and mini-golf and alpine “ski-lift” rides and an alpine sled and zip lines, and moonshine tasting and pancake restaurants…and just a few miles from Pigeon Forge—which is more of the same only more of the same and bigger. Did I mention the pancake restaurants? You’ll see. But through town you must go to get to one of the “main entrances” to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park from the Tennessee-side of the world. The Sugarbush Visitor Center is worth a stop before you figure out where you’re going.
Day 1 – a 2.6 mile round trip trail hike to Grotto Falls. Now the map and all of the guide books call this a moderate hike….NOT! Don’t get me wrong it’s a gorgeous hike, but it is over rough terrain and averages, I’m guessing, a 4-6 degree grade for 1.4 miles up and then the1.4 miles down. There are plenty of places along the way to stop, catch your breath, rest sore muscles, and admire the view. Excellent when you get there, a pool of very cool water in which to soak your weary feet before your descent. More than 1 of the visitors on-site accidentally (?) fell in. A great treat is to be able to walk behind the falls and, if so inclined, take a picture.
A short drive up to Newfound Gap and at almost a mile high you can put one foot in North Carolina and the other in Tennessee!
Time to call it a day and cool down and refresh in the campground pool, but not until we asked at the Visitors Center where to hope to see wildlife the next day. Without missing a beat the Ranger clearly stated: “Cade’s Cove early in the day-give yourself 5 hours.”
Day 2 – So up we were before the dawn and off to Cade’s Cove (no traffic through Gatlinburg-go figure), and once there be sure to leisurely, and I mean at 5 miles an hour or less, drive the Cade’s Cove loop. If you ever wonder why this National Forest got its name, find an open field before dawn and take a goodly amount of time to look across at the foothills and mountains and watch the mist rise off the field like smoke rising from an ancient wellspring to bring its wonder for you to view! Add a herd of deer, stags and doe alike and it’s an awesome sight.
We were watching a herd of deer, and I heard a rumbling across the road in the woods behind us-BEAR? While we were watching to catch a glimpse of whatever was really in the brush a bear decided to rush through the underbrush close enough to startle the lovely and talented Ms Garrison, who did the 1 thing you’re not supposed to do-run away. I just stood there so who’s the stupid one? Guess we were lucky that we weren’t a bear’s breakfast as things quickly quieted and we lost sight of the critter.
Continuing on the loop we did see a lone bear and on a couple of occasions a momma with cubs, we watched cubs wrestling, and couldn’t miss a wild turkey in the roadway.
We took a little hike a short way into the forest along a well-worn path, and considered our trip into the Park a success.
TOMORROW’S THE ECLIPSE!
August 19 and 20, 2017
Aimless Wanderings 