So during my road-trip to Savannah and Charleston, I did a little detour to check out The Great Smoky Mountains. I love visiting National Parks and they usually turn into being some of my favorite trips. Apparently, the Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the US. I read before that sometimes Gaitlinburg and Pigeon Forge can be really touristy, so I decided to visit on the North Carolina side, which was perfect since it was more or less the route I was driving to Savannah and Charleston anyway.
I read that Cataloochee Valley had preserved historical structures that are similar to Cades Cove in Tennessee, but is more remote and less touristy. They also have a booming elk population! The drive up to Cataloochee Valley was a little harrowing in that its mainly a dirt road, driving straight up the mountain with room for just one car. Probably better to have an SUV or truck, but still manageable with a regular car. And totally worth it! It was elk mating season so they were everywhere! There was a lot of people who just pulled their trucks up and had a picnic and just watched the elk. The park rangers were making sure people didn’t get too close to the elk, but there was a cow (female elk) near the bathrooms that seemed harmless enough so I got to see it up close (and it was the only bathroom so really the only choice).
Also at Cataloochee Valley are the remains of a small rural community from the late 1800s to early 1900s. Seeing how remote it still is, I’m sure at that time there were hardly any people and they were probably very isolated from any other town over there. There was a family log cabin, a school house, chapel, and barn that were all still intact and open for visitors.
So as I mentioned, we wanted to be away from the crowds, so we rented a cute Airbnb right outside of Cherokee North Carolina. I was sooo in love with the wrap around porch, jacuzzi, and gorgeous views! And it wasn’t too far away from the Smoky Mountain entrance either.
We also did the most famous short hike, Clingman’s Dome. Unfortunately, the look-out was undergoing renovations, but the Smoky Mountains were still absolutely gorgeous! It’s unreal seeing layers and layers of mountains like that. The hike isn’t bad at all either. And part of it is next to the Appalachian Trail, which I love! There are several options for picnics in the park as well and you can even go over to the North Carolina/Tennessee border.
The North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains has interesting things like a working corn mill and a Mountain Farm Museum, which has log farmhouse, apple house, springhouse, and a blacksmith shop, all from the late 19th century.
The Smoky Mountains had been at the top of my list for so many years, so it was great seeing the park when it wasn’t so crowded and from the North Carolina side. Definitely not touristy. My family has some Cherokee Indian in our blood as well, so it was great seeing the area where the Cherokee Indians were most prevalent. Totally worth the detour during our road-trip!
