Smokey Mountains

7.23.12 Smokey Mountains

A rooster crowing over and over is how we started this day. I guess it’s time to get up and find something to do; today the road would take us from Cherokee to Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and back all through the Smokey Mountain Nation Park.

As you enter the park there is a welcome center that was not yet open at 7:30am, but what was ready was the mist in the air and the dew on the ground, as we turned the very first curve once we entered the park, we saw a herd of Elk in a field to our right, we pulled over and watched them for a few minutes. There were about 50 in the park in 2000 and now there about 125.

Off again we went. After a few miles we could hear the sound of a stream running, the same stream our feet were in the day before, just several miles upstream. We got out and I took some photos as Diane wandered around, she found a path to the stream, she read a sign that said “5 7inch Trout/Bass and 20 Redeye with a NC or TN License, No bait”

About ten miles later of curving uphill roads we came to a sign that read “Left 7 miles to Clingmans Dome”. I had been there last summer so I knew it was worth the 14 miles round trip, as we drove up we saw a couple taking photos of flowers, and then the rain started coming down very light. As we got closer the clouds got thicker and thicker. When we first got out of the car you could barely see the hills, but just a few minutes later, there it was. You could now see 10 maybe 20 miles, with rolling hills, the clouds in and around them, this is why they are called the Smokey Mountains. Below is my first attempt at Panoramic Photography where you combine several photos. Some people might start with a couple photos but I decided why not 6, and this is what I created from the Dome.

On the way down heading towards Gatlinburg we came across another valley and I tried my second Panoramic with 3 shots this time.

When you are exiting the park heading north it dumps you right into the main street of Gatlinburg. We saw families walking with matching neon shirts, dragging their tired kids through T-shirt shops, souvenirs shops and every other cheesy tourist trap things you can think of, with names like, Ripley’s believe it or not, Fanny Farckles, Cotter’s Dukes of Hazard Museum, House of Illusion, and a Black Light Miniature Golf course. The we get to Pigeon Forge just a 7mile drive, where you can go to Dollywood, or see more attractions like a huge Dinosaur, Jurassic Boat Ride, a Dragon and a Mermaid next to each other, or many other just as impressive, cheesy, money pits.

 After seeing all of this, we needed to get back to the Park, and finally back to the cabin, so a slower drive back with a lot more traffic then the way there this morning, we made our way the 35 miles of breathtaking country in about an hour.  So here we are with the night ahead of us, most likely some swimming, or feet in the stream, it’s just time to kick back and relax!