Where there is smoke there isn't necessarily fire!

Wednesday 11/05/2011

Not where the Smokies are concerned! - the land of Blue Smoke!

Back into the picturesque Smoky Mountains National Park today. We traversed the Park from north to south, entering at Gatlinburg, Tennessee and exiting it in Cherokee, North Carolina. No bears today but lots of beautiful scenery! We made two major stops in the Park, but lingered at a few other pullovers to take in the wonderful vistas!

Firstly, Newfound Gap which lies on the Tennessee / North Carolina state line. Here you get an amazing view down the Oconaluftee Valley. Also here is the impressive rock Rockefeller Memorial which stands guard on the spot where President Franklin D Roosevelt stood in 1940 to dedicate this National Park. The Appalachian Trail also crosses here in front of the Memorial - it runs for more than 2,100 miles between Springer Mountain, Georgia and Mount Katahdin, Maine and 72 of those miles go along the spine of the Smokies.  This gap is called "newfound"because it wasn't used as a passage through the mountains until U.S. 441 was built in the 1930's.

Next we visited and explored the highest point in the Smokies - Clingman's Dome (6,643'). From the parking area the .5mile climb to the observation tower was a killer! Straight up! and at altitude! For two people whose fitness has diminished over these past 8 weeks it certainly tested us!!! lol But we made it up into the clouds and where rewarded with a 360 panoramic view over the Smokies National Park! The Appalachian Trail crosses here again just below the tower. There were some brave hikers taking a rest at the bottom of the tower - gathering strength for the next leg of their journey on the trail! Pete wanted to join them! lol

We exited the Park at Cherokee( the main town in their Reservation), the home of the Eastern band of the Cherokee nation and who call the Smoky Mountains home. The Cherokee's history in this area dates back 11,000 years. Their culture, legends, history, tradition, song, dance and ceremony are evident not only here but throughout the Smokies.

Well said and captures the essence of the Smokies!

This is why the mountains are smokey blue.

The Chimney Tops

The state line at Newfound Gap

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Walking the Appalachian Trail -well 10 meters of the 2150 miles. Does that qualify for a tick off the bucket list?

View of the Oconaluftee Valley

The road to Cherokee wending its way up the Oconaluftee Valley 

The Rockefeller Memorial

Plaque on the Memorial

The spring blooms on this lovely tree
These trees were all through this area of the park - look amazing amongst the
variegated greens of the other trees.

Arriving at the parking area at Clingman's Dome -
was sad to see the devastation that the insect, the balsam woolly adelgid,
from Europe is causing to the Spruce-Fir Trees.
They are having some success treating the trees with insecticidal soap.  

Interesting the three interpretations
Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

The Spruce-Fir thrive on the top of the Smokies

The healthy and sick Spruce-Fir's

The observation tower

Looking out to the north. Very cloudy today. The cloud was drifting by the tower when we first arrived.
Hikers below resting before they continue on the Appalachian Trail  

The cloud drifting by!
Again the mix of alive, dead and struggling trees.
The explanation follows :-

The views across the top of the Smokies

The road leading up the mountain to Clingman's Dome

The steep ascent! We were two puffing billies!

A glimpse of the observation tower as we drove up the mountain road

View from the Oconaluftee Overlook

View of Deep Creek Valley

Back into the woods after descending the Mountains

The road follows the Oconaluftee River through the valley

Arriving at Cherokee
They keep their native language alive - it is on a lot of  the signage in Cherokee and in the National Park  
Click to enlarge

The  Oconaluftee River runs through Cherokee  

A fisherman trying his luck.

Some of the touristy shops in Cherokee