The Smokies

You can see why they call it The Smokies

I just finished my 3 day trip in Great Smoky Mountains NP, the most visited park in the country.  It was more crowded then I expected (and much more than any of the last few parks) but that didn't make it any less enjoyable.  The whole time I was amazed at how green the park was, much more so than the forests we have out west.  Since the trees are just starting to turn colors, the slopes were dominated by green hardwoods.

The old Mill in Cades Cove

On my first full day in the park I took the drive over the ridge and stopped at the highest peak in the park, Clingman's Dome.  Unfortunately, the top was covered in clouds, so no great views, but what I could see was nice, and I got a couple hikes in (one to the top and one to a nearby baren peak, Andrew's Bald).  Then I took a driving tour through Cades Cove, one of the most popular areas in the park.  Between the animals (deer, turkeys, coyotes) and the lush forests, as well as a visit to a historic mill site, I could see why the area was so popular.  I even got a visit from a bear in the campground that night.

GREEN!

Yesterday, I headed out to the eastern side of the park, which is much less crowded.  The Cades Cove area was crawling with people even though it was a weekday during non-peak season, and I was itching to get out on my own.  I explored some of this area and stopped at Greenbriar for lunch before camping in the Cosby Campground.  There were only a handful of people here and it was a pretty (and green) area, so I took the opportunity to relax.

I'm now continuing on to the next park, Mammoth Cave in Kentucky.  I'm really heading west now, and am starting to see the end on the distant horizon.  While I'm looking forward to being home, part of me wishes I could keep doing this forever.