Great Smoky Mountains National Park

The weather predicted for our time in Great Smoky Mountains National Park was rain. But our plans were set and we were going to stop there for three nights on our way to visit our son and his family in North Carolina.

So when we had beautiful, mostly sunny days while in the park we were grateful. We stayed on the “peaceful side of the park”, as Townsend, TN boasts. And the cabin we rented was less than a mile from the park entrance. We liked the location. 

The GSMNP is busy, one of the most visited parks in the US. There is no entrance fee, which is unusual for a national park. There were a limited the number of people allowed in the visitor’s center so we never did get into one because of the long lines.

The park is lush green this time of year…so many shades of green. The road through the park follows the Little River and that added to the beauty. 

We did some hiking in the park…to Clingman’s Dome (the parking lot fills by 9 am) and to Laurel Falls (same deal for parking) and other smaller hikes.

One day we ate lunch in a wonderful picnic area, and drove through Cade’s Cove (an 11-mile loop through an 1800’s farming community in the park) at twilight on two different nights. 

The first night in Cade’s Cove we saw some deer, but on the second night we saw one owl and five black bear. One bear was in a tree, a mama bear with two cubs crossed the road in front of us (we were third car back) and the fifth bear was walking into the woods. The Barred Owl was sitting on a tree branch.  They were all exciting to see. 

On our last evening, as we drove out of the park back to our cabin, it started to rain.