National park number sixteen did not disappoint. The Great Smoky Mountains put on a spectacular show for me and my friend Kristi, who I picked up from the airport. Super grateful to have a friend from home join me for this leg of the trip!
The first day we drove to Cades Cove and were in awe of the green jungle we entered. After weeks in the desert, and weeks in the arid western mountains, the lush forest thriving around us was a welcome site. The road in winds along the base of the mountains with trees towering above you. The coverage is so thick, the sun barely reaches the ground. Just dots of light here and there, rays occasionally breaking through the canopy to remind you that it is still daylight. Spectacular.
A few miles in, we hit traffic. Strange. We slowly crept forward on the park road, groups of cars sporadically passed by in the opposite direction. Eventually we came to a cluster of cars parked on both sides, people milling about. Then we spotted what they had spotted. A black bear high up in the tree! So cool! We paused long enough to to capture some low quality photos and then continued on, not wanting to hold up traffic or pester the wild creature too much.
Down in Cades Cove we drove around the loop, stopping at various historic sites along the way. The Park preserves nearly 600 white settlement sites scattered across the land. Cades Cove holds 18 of the most well kept buildings. We stopped at the John Oliver house and marveled at how so many people could live in a one room dwelling, only the attic serving as a separate space. We wandered through Baptist and Methodist churches and cemeteries, noting the common surnames of past white inhabitants. We learned about farming and the village offerings, and then headed back to our campsite.
Along the way back, we spotted five more black bears! At one point, a mama bear was crawling backwards down a tree, her three cubs behind her. An adorable site from afar, not one to get to close to or comfortable with. Keep the wild wild. But our trip was off to a great start!
We camped at Cades Cove Campground that evening and started out early on our loop hike the next morning. We were able to walk to the trailhead right from the campground, a special treat! Up we went!
The trail was beautiful, trekking through dense forest. Several stream crossings along our way. Many little lizards, some rainbow steamed others round and orange, along the way. A snail or two as well. Lots of little surprises! Unfortunately, there were almost no mountain views though! We had picked this hike specifically for that, at the park volunteer’s recommendation. Either we missed them (unlikely but possible) or the leave coverage was so thick they were hidden! We even hiked an extra two miles in hopes of seeing the vista, but no luck. The hike of lost views. We did summit four peaks and complete over 13 miles and have good conversation and company, so all was not lost. Just the views. We rewarded ourselves with ice cream at the camp store for all our hard effort! Yum.
The following day we opted for a shorter hike, although I don’t think it was any easier! We drove over to the Motor Fork Nature Trail Road for the Rainbow Falls hike. On the way to the trailhead we had our first excitement of the day, a black bear in the bush! Munching on some leaves on the side of the road, the bear was blocking our route to the trailhead. We contemplated what to do, but ultimately decided to pass quickly feeling like the stopped cars were providing enough of a barrier. So that’s what we did and we were lucky in our success.
The trail then wove along the creek until it began to switchback into the mountain, through the forest. Several small waterfalls greeted us along the way, a nice break in the scenery. I did keep hoping that “this wasn’t it” each time we passed a tiny flow. I didn’t want to repeat our disappointment from the lost views hike.
Disappointed we were not! Rainbow falls is beautiful, the tallest single flow cascade in the park. After the crowds left, we were able to enjoy the magnificent display of power in relative peace. A nice reward for a tough hike!
Back at the car later, bear gone, we enjoyed lunch and decided we had had enough hiking for the day. Instead we’d complete the scenic road and head into town for the afternoon. Sounded easy enough, like a good idea. Well, I ended up earning two new driving badges.
First, the Motor Fork Nature Trail is a narrow, windy, one way road. That’s fine. What’s not fine is when people are so desperate to complete a hike that they totally disregard all parking signs, safety, and consideration for others. All was fine on the road until we came to the Grotto Falls trail area. Cars had squeezed themselves into every possible nook and cranny, making the narrow road barely passable. Cars behind me, no where to pull over, no option to turn around, I took a deep breath and continued forward. Slowly. At a crawl. I had to lean my head out the window several times to check how much room I had on the side of Sunny, often mere inches. Pulling in the side mirrors helped make us a little skinnier, but not much. For at least a mile, I carefully inched forward, praying every moment that I didn’t bump a car along the way. The stress!
I did make it out that, and what a big sigh I released then! I don’t think I’ve ever done anything so nerve racking in my life! Kristi was a great passenger, silent and still, congratulating me when we made it out. Phew! My advice, if you want to do this hike, do it at sunrise or in the dark. Haha
Out of the park finally, and without incident, we went to the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Gatlinburg, a unique side trip! The attraction has over 20,000 salt and pepper shaker sets in all colors, shapes and themes! There are vegetables, pigs, gold ones, nuns, scrambled eggs, movie themed, anything you can think of. We perused the shelves, admiring and laughing, impressed by the variety in the collection!
Then we headed out, deciding we wanted some hard cider, which I where I earned my second driving badge of the day. In the heart of Gatlinburg, the streets were crawling with people. Crowds flowed up and down each side of the road like a major parade was coming through. I drove carefully, the road itself fine. Then I had to make a right hand turn to find parking. The crosswalk was a never ending stream of humans. Eventually a man stopped his family to try to let me through, but each time I began to creep forward, someone stepped off the curb, or around the man, and in front of Sunny. Ahhh! It’s a miracle I didn’t hit anyone, and eventually I did turn. But I told Kristi to find another Cidery, outside of town, because I was not going back to deal with that! Never mind the thoughts about COVID rushing through my head. No thank you!
So we did find a place about 40 minutes away, and worth the drive for the tranquility of it all! We enjoyed a tasting at Wileily Cidery with a Mountain View, sat on the porch to enjoy a drink, and then headed back, taking the long route to avoid Gatlinburg. Oh, the rollercoaster of emotions that day!
The next day was a well needed rest day, for both our bodies and emotions. A slow morning at the campsite and a peaceful drive to our new site, a rest in the hammock by the creek, all did the body and soul good!
For our last full day together in the Great Smoky Mountains, we went all in! Kristi and I got up in the dark, drove to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park, and watched the sunrise. We finally saw the magnificent layers of mountains the area is known for, the sky painted in glowing pinks and oranges, making up for all the view missed on our first hike. It was chilly and breezy on the tower, but so worth the view. The mountains, hues of blue, seemed to go on forever, stretching into the distance.
Next we went to the trail, hiking up to Alum Cave and then Mount LeConte. The trail was strenuous, climbing nearly 3,000 feet up. The path wet from rain and well supplied streams, the flora and fauna kept us distracted. And as we climbed, views graced our view once again. Each time I had to pause and breath, it didn’t seem real.
At the top we opted for an extra 0.2 miles to the Cliff Tops, and worth the effort it was! A Rocky steep path brought us to more wonderful views that we enjoyed while eating lunch. It was hard to pull ourselves away, but go down we must. We felt fulfilled though, it had definitely made up for everything we didn’t see that first hike.
Our last morning together it rained. We did a short walk near the creek, turning around when we realized we just kept climbing, and enjoyed the “Th Sinks” at near the parking lot. I earned driving badge number three that day, parking in a tight spot! I’m an expert now. Haha
I dropped Kristi off at the airport early in the afternoon, grateful for her company the last few days. So glad she made the trip out! Then I headed to see family again in North Carolina, bringing my trip almost full circle. Staring my last week where I ended my first week of the trip. Where have 10 weeks gone! Wow. Almost home.
Tonelli's Travels 