Great Smoky Mountains, NC & TN

Sometimes the perfect winter PCS road trip falls apart.  We tackled a coast-to-coast move from the Naval Postgraduate School, California to Ft. Meade, Maryland.  On this trip, we decided to do a little sight seeing along the way.

The first part of the trip played out perfectly.  We stopped at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona and then headed to Dallas to spend Christmas with my family. Everything was fine.

As we wrapped up the Dallas stop and prepared to head to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, my sinuses twinged a bit.  That worried me, but I popped some sinus medication and hoped I could head off a sinus infection until we reached Maryland. (Background—I’ve had two sinus surgeries and many infections.) But I was fine. Everything was fine.

We planned to spend two days exploring Tennessee and then drive to Maryland. The day started off well as we drove through the park toward our destination, Cade’s Cove.

The Smokies

But first, let me explain why we wanted to visit the Smokies.  We weren’t alone.  Each year 12 million people agree it’s the place to go!  The Great Smoky Mountains National Park racks up the most visitors in the national park system.

The park stretches for 800 square miles through North Carolina and Tennessee.  Part of what makes the park so beloved is the astonishing plant diversity, abundance of wildlife and the cultural heritage hidden in the mountains and the valleys.

The Smokies host 1,500 different kinds of flowering plants and trees, over 200 species of birds, 60 different mammals and numerous native fish.  Visit at the right time of year and you might see black bears, elk, deer, turkeys, red foxes or bobcats. 

The tallest peak in the Smokies soars at 6,643 feet.  Formerly called Clingmans Dome, it’s now known as Kuwohi. Visitors congregate at the uber popular Overview, an observation tower, near the Kuwohi Visitor Center.  It’s a one mile hike up a steep, paved path to the observation deck.  Unfortunately, the trail closes in the winter, so we didn’t get to take in the views.

If you’re short on time like we were, there are several driving tours you can take.  That includes the Cades Cove section. Just check to make sure your route is open.

We visited during the winter, one of the quieter seasons of the year.  Advantages:  fewer people, less crowded trails or driving routes, much more peaceful adventures.  Disadvantages:  Some activities and locations close for the winter, weather can shut down your trip completely, less wildlife activity.

Because we were PCSing, we had our dog with us.  I wouldn’t call the Smokies dog-friendlly as there are just two trails in the park they are allowed to use, the Gatlinburg and Oconaluftee River trails.  They can stay in the campgrounds, visit picnic areas and walk along roads. Knowing this, we focused on the Cades Cove driving loop.

Cades Cove

The Cades Cove Loop Road took us back in time to the early 1800s when settlers came to the valley and set up farms.  We had the option to drive, walk or bike the 11-mile loop.  Along the way multiple pull offs allowed us to learn about the people who settled here. We also caught stunning glimpses of the mountains and meadows.

As we stopped at spots along the route, one of us stayed with the dog in the parking lot and the other explored the area.  Then we switched.

The Cove is very popular with lots of traffic.  Even though we were there at an “off season” time, we ran into a fair amount of people.

Our first stop was the John Oliver cabin.  Oliver, a War of 1812 veteran, settled in the area in 1818.  His wife Lucretia credited the Cherokee Indians with helping them survive the first harsh winter in Cades Cove. 

We parked and walked about .3 miles (roundtrip) to explore the cabin that remained in the Oliver family until the national park was created in 1934.

As we continued on the loop, we visited several churches.  One of the more interesting was the Missionary Baptist Church.  After getting kicked out of the Primitive Baptist Church over doctrine disagreements in 1839, several former members of the congregation started the Missionary Baptist Church.  Prior to 1915 when this white church was built, the congregation met at homes and even the Methodist Church.

We drove a bit father down the road and came to the Abrams Falls parking area.  I really wanted to hike to this waterfall, but that pesky sinus infection I mentioned roared to life.  I knew I wasn’t going to be able to make the five mile round trip to the falls.  But it was fine.  I was fine, sort of.

Despite feeling like a truck ran me over, I insisted we finish the loop drive.  So we moved on to the Cable Mill Historic Area and Visitor Center.  This area marked the half way point of the tour.  The Visitor Center had historical exhibits, a gift shop, restrooms and park maps.

The mill area didn’t disappoint!  John Cable built the water-powered grist and saw mill around 1870.  The grist mill still works and during warmer months visitors can watch as corn is ground to flour. During our cold winter visit, the water flowed slowly and icicles dripped off the wheel.

We also saw the Gregg-Cable House, smokehouse, corn crib, barn, blacksmith shop and sorghum mill. A paved path makes it easy to explore the whole complex.

By the time we finished walking, I knew I needed to see a doctor. Sinus infections can take down an adult rhinoceros in a minute. It was not fine. I was not fine.