Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and North Carolina have lured people into its mists and mysteries for centuries. The Cherokee described these mountains as “shaconage,” meaning “blue, like smoke.”
When commercial logging threatened the forests, Congress authorized the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in 1926. The park, established in 1934, is among the first national parks formed partially from private lands. The original charter specified that there would never be an admission charge and that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park would always be protected for the enjoyment of all the people for generations to come.
We have taken that promise to heart. More than one million people visited this stunning park when it opened. Now, nearly ten million visitors flock to the park each year. That has spawned development around the park and crawling traffic jams during peak seasons and nearly every weekend.
Yet most of the park is managed as wilderness and you can escape the car caravans by hiking on a park trail. Once out of the car, even for a short distance, you’re transported directly into the sights, smells, sounds and textures of the majestic forest. Maybe it’s the warmth of the sun’s rays filtering through an opening in the canopy. Maybe it’s the sound of waterfalls that wash over you when you close your eyes. It might be the rough touch of sliding your hand down the trunk of a massive, 100 year old hemlock. Or perhaps it’s the moist aroma of rich earth when you inhale deeply.
Each of these sensations add to the visual feast that are the Smokies. Perhaps Kenneth Harris, in his book How to Make a Living as a Painter (Watson-Guptill Publications: New York, 1954) says it best when describing this region:
“The mountains are as they always were—alive with dogwood, flame azalea, laurel, and rhododendron in the spring; heavy with the lush green of deep forest in the summer, or hazy with the strange blue mist that gives them their name; ablaze with color through the long Indian summer that comes in October; and white in winter with snow which makes clear the noble and rugged architecture of their ridges and ravines.”
Like most national parks, you won’t be able to really know Great Smoky Mountains based on a short visit.
Choosing which slices to focus on now and which ones to save for another time will make for a more relaxed experience. On a springtime weekend visit, for example, my wife and I chose an iconic drive, some hikes (including an exceptional waterfall trail) and some tourist time in nearby Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to fill our limited time. Though we hoped to explore more of the park by car, we found out quickly that twisting mountain roads are meant to enjoy at a slower pace. They’ll be other seasons and paths to explore.
“Meals On Wheels” proclaims a gift shop tee shirt in the Cades Cove Visitor Center.
The shirt sports an image of a bear chasing a bicyclist on the famous Cades Cove loop road in the park. Though bear (and deer) sightings are not unusual along the popular 11-mile route, the only “wildlife” we encountered was a cluster of horses behind a fence and some wild turkeys. If you spot some wildlife, find a pullout to let traffic pass before snapping a photo. Traffic can back up quickly without a hint about what attraction lies ahead. You can rent bicycles to navigate the narrow, one-way paved road that circles Cades Cove. Because cars share the road, too, the park designates special bicyclist and pedestrian-only hours on the loop road in summer.
A “cove,” in Smoky Mountain vernacular, is a relatively flat valley between mountains or ridges.
Cades Cove claims its fame from some of the most inspiring natural and cultural treasures that the Southern Appalachian Mountains have to offer. There is a rare blend of wild country and human history here not found in many other national parks. To get the most of your jaunt in the cove, buy an inexpensive tour guide before starting out. Here you’ll find numbered references that match interpretive signs along the route. If you just drive the road, count on two to four hours, depending on seasonal traffic. We planned on more time, parking the car to hike the 5-mile round trip trail to Abrams Falls, for example. We also packed a picnic lunch to enjoy in a peaceful spot along the way. We made it a point to linger at historic structures, like the John Oliver cabin nestled up slope in the woods with a broad vista of the valley and distant mountains to the south. Other historic highlights were the old churches and cemeteries. My favorite was the Missionary Baptist Church with its cemetery, outhouse and views from the trees.
Laurel Falls Trail
Though we took our time on the park roads, stopping at overlooks and walking short distances to bask in the sounds and sights of forest streams, we particularly enjoyed the hike up to Laurel Falls. The trailhead parking area is about four miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center along Little River Road. Laurel Falls is a photogenic 85-foot waterfall. The hike uphill is moderate with some steep drop-offs beside the trail. Plan on at least two hours for the 2.5-mile round trip hike, especially if kids are along. On our spring outing, the leaves hadn’t filled out yet, affording glimpses of mountains through the young leaves.
IF YOU GO
General Park Info: 865-436-1200; www.nps.gov/grsm
Backcountry Info: 865-436-1297; www.smokiespermits.nps.gov
To order maps and guides: 865-436-7318 x226; www.SmokiesInformation.org
Once in the park, pick up a copy of the seasonal Smokies Guide, the official newspaper of the park. It’s full of tips and tidbits about what you can see and do during your visit.