A Weekend in the Smokies
On the way to Smokies
Seeing the Great Smoky Mountains was my old dream. I often
browsed online resources, looking at images of the place and jotting
itineraries of my visit. And then, I found an opportunity to bring
these plans to life.
My schedule for the coming weekend was open. Not enough for any
thorough exploration, but still enough for an exciting tour of the
most famous places.
I left home on a Friday afternoon, and by late evening covered
most of the distance.
Exhausted, I stopped at a roadside motel for
the night. In the morning,
I was on the road again, approaching my
first destination - the Cataloochee Valley.
The gravel road to this remote area is narrow, with some steep
drop-offs and no guardrails. Fortunately, I came across just a few
oncoming cars and enjoyed the ride all the way.
Road to Cataloochee
The name Cataloochee, derived from a Cherokee phrase meaning
“wave upon wave of mountains”. Views from the valley overlook indeed
make this impression.
Cataloochee Mountains
As soon as I drove into the valley, I came across a minor
traffic jam. The cause turned out to be a black bear picking berries
from roadside bushes.
Black Bear, the First Encounter
I had my lunch by the Rough Creek, not far away from the
Caldwell House.
Rough Fork
Caldwell House
A couple of hours later, I was driving through Gatlinburg
toward the most popular areas of the Great Smoky Mountains. This
place, packed with tourists and various attractions, was a
surprising contrast to the peaceful Cataloochee.
Gatlinburg
After a brief stop at the Sugarlands Visitor Center, I turned
to the Fighting Creek Gap Road toward the Cades Cove.
Little River
The road here is paved, with many pullouts and parking lots,
giving opportunities to stretch legs and enjoy the peaceful scenery.
Mountain Tunnel
By the late afternoon, I arrived at the Cades Cove. It is a
popular destination with historic structures, a visitor center, and
walking trails.
Cades Cove
Views here are great, but the traffic made my experience less
enjoyable. The one-way, single-lane road through the valley was a
subject of frequent traffic jams due to tourists stopping in the
middle of the lane to take a better look at the wildlife. Forced to
wait for other people to resume their tour, I was trying to capture
the cause of the delay from my driver's seat.
Wildlife of the Valley
By the time I've got to the Cades Cove Visitor Center, a new plan
was ready. To escape the traffic, my way out from the valley would be via a narrow and
minimally maintained gravel road. But before getting on that trail,
I made one more stop to stretch my legs and see some historic
structures.
Henry Whitehead House
Parsons Branch Road turned out to be not only an exciting
adventure but an opportunity to see another black bear that was
leisurely walking in the same direction as me. Unaware of a human presence or
not being disturbed by a car behind, the animal remained on the
road. A couple of minutes later, the bear disappeared behind the
corner, and by the time I've got there, the trail was empty.
Black Bear walking the Parsons Branch Road
I slowed down more, looking around and into the forest in an
attempt to spot the bear. Suddenly I noticed a movement in the
shadow of trees, stopped, and recognized my acquaintance.
Lurking in the Forest Shadow
The rest of the way was an uneventful but enjoyable experience.
I made a couple of stops to listen to the forest and take a closer
look at the Parsons Branch - a mountain stream flowing alongside
the road.
Down the Parsons Branch Road
Not long before the sunset, I emerged from the forest and
stopped by Cheoah Lake to enjoy a thick blanket of fog above the
water. I'm not sure why it is called a lake. It looked like a river
to me.
Cheoah Lake
By dusk, I arrived at the Fontana Dam. I stopped at the picnic
area, had my evening meal, and departed toward the Cherokee for the
night.
Fontana Lake
Next morning...
The Smoky Mountains are called so for a reason. Nobody
described it better than Horace Kephart: "The dreamy blue haze that
ever hovers over the mountains softens all outlines, lends a
mirage-like effect of the great distance to objects that are but a
few miles off, while those farther removed grow more and more
intangible until finally the skyline blends with the sky itself."
These are Smokies!
Big parking lot, magnificent views, and North Carolina -
Tennessee State line make the Newfound Gap Parking Area a popular
stop for many people. And this crosswalk - it is the Appalachian
Trail!
North Carolina - Tennessee State Line
An elevated overlook nearby provides excellent views of the
mountains to the North.
US 441 - Newfound Gap Road
The light was spectacular in the morning, and I'm sure it
is no less magnificent in the evening.
View from Newfound Gap Road Parking Area to the North
My next stop was at Clingmans Dome. I arrived there soon
after the sunrise, escaped crowds, and had the observation tower all
to myself. Clouds covered mountains to the horizon, with only a few
peaks visible here and there.
At the Clingmans Dome
Upon coming back from the highest point in the park back to the car, I realized
that my adventure was almost over. The rest of the day would be
spent on the road, back to my home. I left the park in Tennessee,
drove through Gatlinburg, and found myself in another tourist
hotspot: Pigeon Forge.
Driving through Pigeon Forge
A few miles down the road, the entertainment establishments
became less frequent, billboards and advertisements more scarce, and
with that, my weekend-long adventure ended.
The Journey Comes to the End