WE LOVE AMERICA - TENNESSEE

It was a bright morning in Knoxville, TN with the sky blue and the weather warm and inviting. We decided that we would visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. After a short transit on the freeway, we headed south to the park. We traveled through little towns like Severeville, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg. However, whatever little towns they may have once been, now they are transformed, Dr. Jekyl-like, into a long row of tourist traps. It was like driving a garish gauntlet of geegaws and lame excuses. Whatever one could think of as a way to entice tourists into spending money was visible. They have even built a life-size replica of the Titanic. (How this fits into the theme of the area is beyond me!) Gatlinburg is not quite so bad. There are a plethora of motels and restaurants, and little shops, but at least an attempt was made to represent a quaint hill town. Indeed, they have prepared for visitors with festive and fun decorations--pumpkins, scarecrows, cornstalks, and bright orange ribbons which we found nice and even pleasant.



But, as soon as you leave Gatlinburg, it is a whole new world. Gone is the commercialism and blaring demands for your money and the peace of the Great Smokey Mountains washes over you like a refreshing breeze. Near the park entrance is a loop road which became our first excursion into the Park. The road is narrow and winds up into wooded hills, past tumbling streams and sun dappled meadows to see how the original settlers of this region farmed and lived. At one place, there was a mountain cabin built the 1830s. Originally built as a one room cabin, as the family grew, another half was added with porches. You can clearly see the 2 parts when you look at the roof. We learned about the resourcefulness of the family who lived there. They had a nearby spring and funneled water to the house down a wooden flume, into a hand carved wooden sink and the water also turned a small grist mill to grind corn. They made use of all they had, in fact, the saying goes that "they used all of the pig except the squeal". The ground is rocky, hilly and how they farmed and lived was tough and creative. They had to cut their own roads and truly fend for themselves. We were impressed with the hardiness of the "hill folk".



It is a beautiful but hard location and we don't envy them.



Is this the woman of the house????

Driving through the park uncovered gorgeous vista after vista with enough of the changing fall leaves to sprinkle the hills with color and magic. In the middle of the park, a side road swings higher into the hills, twisting and turning up and up, passing ravines, steeply wooded hills and one grand portrait worthy view after the other. At last it lifted us to the highest point of the National Park, Clingman Dome, with a view fading off as far as you can see.



From on top you can clearly see why they are called the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Coming down from the Dome, we went south through the park and turned east on the winding and scenic Blue Ridge Parkway. We oohed and ahhed at almost every turn of this awesome drive which reaches into Virginia. You can't go fast, but why would you when the scenery grabs your eye and your breath catches so often.









This spectacular visit to the Great Smokey Mountains National Park was truly worth the time. This park has more yearly visitors than any other national park. If you wish to go you can also take a day and visit Dollywood, the theme park by Dolly Parton. The brochure looks like it might be fun, but you would have to endure "the gauntlet" to get there. I think that traveling this time of year is perhaps the most beautiful of all and God's hand is clearly seen as he majestically transforms this earth for another year.