Spruce Flats Falls at Tremont in The Great Smoky Mountains

We were fortunate enough to get to go to The Smokies for a long weekend over the July 4th holiday.  After visiting Cades Cove on July 3rd Friday morning, we decided to hike to Spruce Flats Falls at Tremont.  Spruce Flats Falls isn’t publicized in any of the National Park Service literature so if you want more details, be sure to search on the Internet.  When you get to Tremont, you won’t even see a sign telling you how to get to the falls but the nice people in the gift shop can explain how to get there.

I had read several blogs and articles that said Spruce Flats Falls was a relatively easy 1-mile hike except for the last 2/10 of a mile or so.  Let me say in no minced words, they lied.  This hike is definitely more intense than some of the moderate trails like Laurel Falls and Grotto Falls but off and on rain made this hike even that much more difficult.  But as you can see from the photo, if you don’t mind a short but difficult hike and some mud and slippery surfaces, then go for it. You won’t be disappointed.

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Summer Trip to The Smoky Mountains

Stay tuned for our first update in several months.  We have a short summer trip planned to The Smoky Mountains.  We plan to visit Cades Coves and hopefully see some bears and we will be trying at least one new restaurant on this trip so watch for that review as well.  In the meantime, here is a photo from summer 2010 of The Sinks.

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Thanksgiving In The Smoky Mountains

Typically we don’t think of visiting the Smoky Mountains during the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend but did you know it is actually one of busiest times in the area?  Lots of area restaurants are open on Thanksgiving Day and lots of people stay the weekend for visiting the Smoky Mountain National Park and for shopping on Black Friday and the following weekend.  Check out the article below for a list of all of the restaurants that are open on Thanksgiving Day.

http://www.visitmysmokies.com/blog/smoky-mountains/travel-information/thanksgiving-smokies-open/

 

 

 

 

 

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Smoky Mountain Memorial Day Visit Part 2

On our most recent Memorial Day visit, we did see a few bears but there wasn’t a lot of wildlife activity for some reason when we visited Cades Cove. The weather was decent, not too hot, not too cold but there just didn’t seem to be a lot of animals out in the open. Just to get an idea of how far away I was when I took this photo, I use a Canon 250mm zoom lens on a Canon T3i camera body, and I was zoomed in as close as I could get and still appear to be very far away from this bear. I was. I don’t shy away from getting out of the car to take pictures, but I am also aware that these are wild animals and they don’t like me so I give them plenty of room – be sure you do the same.

Also on our last trip, I was able to fish for a few minutes in the park. This has always been something I have wanted to do so I purchased a TN non-resident day license and fished the stream that runs through the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail (photo of stream is below). I was pleasantly surprised to catch an 8-inch rainbow trout on my second cast using an ultra-light spinning rod/reel with a tiny chartreuse grub and then had several other smaller fish try to grab the lure in the same hole. Unfortunately, when I moved downstream to what appeared to be larger pools of water, there weren’t any fish biting in those holes. Regardless, it was fun and now I can say I have fished in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park!

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Forbidden Caverns

Our most recent trip to the Smoky Mountains included a trip to Forbidden Caverns.  We have seen the signs to the caverns for years and decided this was one of the new things we would try on this trip.  I must admit I was pleasantly surprised.  While the cavern tour is fairly short, only about an hour, it was enjoyable and there were lots of photo opportunities.  The cavern is a bit off the beaten path outside of Sevierville but it is all paved roads and easy to find if you follow the signs.  Be sure to look for a coupon in the many coupon booklets around the area to save a dollar or two.

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Fall Leaf Colors In The Smoky Mountains

We just returned from a long weekend in the Smoky Mountains.  We had the chance to go to Cades Cove and Clingman’s Dome so we did see some decent color in some areas but was a bit disappointed there wasn’t more color, especially according to reports beforehand about how good this year would be for lots of leaf color in the Smokies.  One thing to remember about the leaves changing color in the Smokies, the higher elevations change first and the trees may even lose most of their leaves before the lower elevations see their peak leaf colors in the fall. 

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Mingus Mill

Every trip to the Smoky Mountains we make sure to visit somewhere we haven’t been before.  That could be a waterfall, a hiking trail, or even a drive through the mountains on a road we haven’t driven before.  This trip our new adventure was a drive over to the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains to Mingus Mill, which is about a half-mile north of the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.  Mingus Mill was built in 1886 and is still in operation today with ground cornmeal and other items for sale in the mill.  It is also an opportunity for some interesting photographs as well.  See the National Park Service web page for more information about Mingus Mill.

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Elk in the Smoky Mountains

As happens so many times, when you least expect to see or find something, it happens.  We had drove from Pigeon Forge across Newfound Gap to the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains to visit Mingus Mill (photos to come soon).  We had just had a conversation about how neat it would be to see elk since we had not yet seen them in the park when it happened – several elk came out of the woods just a few hundred yards away from the road.  The elk herd continues to grow and Cataloochee is still the best area to see elk but our chance encounter shows that they continue to move to other areas of the park as well.  We didn’t get to see a big bull elk but after seeing the cows and calves, we will have to make another trip over the mountains to see these magnificent animals again.  Short footnote, always stay at least 50 yards away from all elk and black bears – that is the park policy and you can be ticketed for violating that policy.  My close-ups are with a 250mm lens so I am at least a couple hundred yards away so I don’t disturb the elk in their habitat.

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