Great Smoky Mountains Post 5

Going to the park's Northeast section we decided to take rural TN route 339.  This travels along the northeast ridge outside the park.  It was rural!  We uncovered a few additional sites on the day's travel.  A covered bridge going.  Coming home we took another route which took us by Bush Brothers Bean Company.   


Covered bridge, restored and used daily



Yes we drove through it.

  

Big Creek Trail. 

Getting to this location was an adventure with the road consisting of many switchbacks.  It was great for steering with one hand!  The trailhead had a tent campground and we had a long discussion with the hosts who had the luxury of their travel trailer.  The conversation was stemmed by the South Dakota plates.  We had a good conversation on the merits of hosting.  Like many of the trails in the park Big Creek follows an old railroad bed.  This avoids real steep grades and sharp switchbacks.

Trail support with laid up rocks.  This was done with the support of CCA in the 30's. 

Another Cheryl flower pic!

Picturesque Big Creek



Mouse Creek Falls which flows into Big Creek



 

Mouse Creek Falls



Horeback riders crossing the bridge on Big Creek Trail





Middle Prong Trail.

Located in northwest area of the park, Townsend.  This trail follows a rollicking mountain stream with several cascades.

Stream view from trail

Very difficult to capture the true beauty, it was a relaxing hike with the stream at our side.

Cascading water.  So Happy!



Small Waterfall




Mother nature at work. 




Kodak Moment!!!



Just another view!





Great Smoky Mountains Post 4

This journey takes us to Oconaluftee, southern area of the park, onto the Cherokee Indian Reservation then back into the park at Bryson City, NC.  As you will see it was another overcast day but scenery was still great.



Vista view along US 441 heading SE in the park



Another view along route

Mingus Grist Mill.  3 story mill which is still in operation today. 



Water is routed to the mill to drive the equipment.





Beginning of the water path







View up-stream from Grist Mill 

This starts the walk through the Deep Creek Area.





Juney Whank Falls

 

Juney Whank Falls

Pick them up and put them down!

  

Indian Creek Falls



Cascading Stream

Tom Branch Falls



Tom Branch Falls

Spring from the mountain side feeding the stream



One of the many varieties of Mountain Laurel



Colored Bears located throughout the town of Cherokee (Indian Reservation)



On the drive home we witnessed this beautiful rainbow. 

  



Great Smoky Mountains Post 3

Today's venture took us through the park US 441 (Newfound Gap Road) to Newfound Gap and Clingmans Doom.  Clingmans Doom is the highest elevation in the park at 6643 ft.  Day was overcast so visibility was limited.  Newfound Gap divides Tennesse and North Carolina with the Appalachian Trail (AT) running through it.


View from Newfound Gap (east)



Cheryl can't resist taking pics of the flowers

Another scenic view from Newfound Gap

Beautiful wild flowers!

OH what is this Larry, new dress code??   

Larry did a VERY stupid thing on Tuesday 5/10 which resulted with visit to the emergency room.  We planned to relax around the campground, of course that means Larry doing something physical!  After running 5+ miles in the morning, he decided it would be a good day to wash part of the RV.  Things were going good with half the driver’s side complete, then lunch (uneventful), but the stepladder was not staple when starting the 2^nd half.  Bingo, before he knew it he was on the ground and with his left wrist looking “mis-aligned” plus it hurt like h___!

Result was a left distal radius fracture + a dislocated ring finger (now have a very adjustable wedding ring, since they had to cut it). It was a clean break, good news.  Larry is really taking advantage of Medicare the first year, glad we decided to go with the “Supplement”.

Not going to let a broken wrist curtail venturing into the Smokies!



The ride up to the Doom was very interesting.  This young bear decided to entertain us by posing along the road. 



View from Clingman Doom



Cheryl looking down from Clingmans Doom tower



Another view from the tower, as you can see weather was scattered clouds

Dead Pine trees are a result of the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid, non-native insect.



This was Cheryl's venture on the AT!!!





Those April showers that bring May flowers! Cut-leaved toothwort, this was a prized spring herb for the mountain people.



Great Smoky Mountains Post 2

The Smokies Cades Cove area  is located in the Northwest section of the park.  We stopped at Anthony Creek Trail Picnic area to start the day.  The trail parallels the creek and has excellent views of the water.  The cove area has a driving tour.  Cades Cove was a major farming community in the 1830's.   

Starting the hike we discovered a couple different butterflies. This beautiful one was blue shades.  



Yellow and Black!



Anthony Creek flowing through the rocks with moss covered rocks.



Very difficult to capture the true beauty of nature



This scene looking upstream

This haze over the mountains is how the Smokies got their name.

Wild Turkey

John Oliver cabin - 1820 era is the oldest log home in the cove. This cabin remained in the family until the park was established 100 years after it was built. 

This is a notched corner which held the logs together, they did not have nails!  Of course this was completed by hand with an ax.  There was no sawmills either so the logs were split and trimmed with an ax.  Space between the logs were filled with mud.



All you carpenters, door henges and latches were made from wood.



Looking down the valley from the road



Methodist Church, built for $115 in 115 days!



Missionary Baptist Chrurch - group of Baptist were expelled from the other Baptist church because they favored missionary work, 1839. 



Obiously missionary work still in process.  Bird on the paulpit trying to encouage visitors to join the church!



Another view with the mountains as the backdrop.  Also proves we are still riding together!

Deer feeding in the meadow.

Typical era barn.

Water powered Grist Mill.

Dan Lawson home (1856) - You can see the orginal home was hewn logs but additions were built with sawed lumber because the sawmills became available.