Waterfalls

The Great Smoky Mountains has lots of mountains to explore but there are also lots of waterfalls, historic sites, and a few restaurants to explore too.
There are a few bears at my lodging and they gave me some tips of places to visit.

Any good national park trip starts at the visitors center.

At the visitors center I learned that there are bears in the park.  

I should probably watch out for bears on this trail.  

The falls are beary pretty. 

After Laurel Falls it's time for me to see another falls.  Abram Falls in the park is a great place. It was a good hike to the falls and if I might say so myself a good place for lunch.

After the waterfalls I decided to explore other historic sites.  At Cades Cove, they have a historic mill, old buildings, and a settlement.

Millstones for grinding corn into cornmeal.

Water provides the energy for the mills. 

Amazing how a nice peaceful river can power all of these mills and machinery.

Time to explore the city.  There are bears everywhere here.  I love it.

A great museum.  Over 20,000 salt and pepper shakers on display. 

 This is overwhelming.

Who is this handsome fella?

All of this exploring takes a toll on a fox. Perhaps a light snack might help me out.

A little pancake ought to tide me over. 

Hiking with a reward

They say hiking is reward in itself.  True, but snacks and cookies sure make the hike great.  It's 90 degrees today and humid so the natural thing for a little fox to do is go hiking.

The scenery at the Great Smoky National Park is amazing.  The green really highlights my fur, don't you think?  About two miles up the trail I stopped at Alum Cave.  It's beary scenic but there is more to explore.

My goal is to get to Mt. LeConte, one of the highest mountains in the park.  As I hike higher up the weather changes . Don't worry, I am an adaptable fox.

I can see why they made this area a national park. 

At the very top of the trail was our lunch location.  Apparently, wild azaleas grow like crazy at this elevation.  I think I am little late for the full show but as you can there are a few azaleas still out.  Enough talk, let's eat lunch. 

After lunch I decided to hike down to the lodge.  My roommates mentioned that they sell hot chocolate at the lodge.  Yes, it's 90 degrees and humid but how often do you get hot chocolate in the middle of a hike?

Well, here's the lodge. Where's the hot chocolate?  The accommodations look a tad rustic but well kept.

Do any of you llamas know where the hot chocolate stand is?  

Aha! I better go to the dining room.

Yipee!  I found the hot chocolate stand. I left my pocketbook at home but my roommates stepped up to the plate and bought me a cup. 

Time for a break.  Perhaps I can catch a ride down the hill with the llamas?

Great Smoky Mountains

Good Morning Blog Pals!  Little Fox here just hanging out near the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  This park shares the border of Tennessee and North Carolina and is home to the Cherokee Indians and many homesteaders who settled in the valleys near the mountains.  There is a famous musician who grew up in the mountains.  Do you know who she is?

This park is a little different.  The way the government acquired this park was through purchasing private land.  Mainly from Timber companies but also from local residents.  There is a lot of hiking (over 800 miles of trails) and I have a map and I am ready to go.

At this spot in 1940 president Roosevelt dedicated this park.  Many of the trails, hiking shelters and roads were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps during the 1930s.  This was a program to ease the burden of families during the depression.  Kids in their early 20s and late teens could join a corp, work, and learn a new skill.  They were paid $30 a month and $25 was required to be sent home to their families. 

Here's president Roosevelt in 1940.

Here I am in 2018.

A great viewpoint.  Which state am I in?

The Appalachian Trail.  Thanks CCC for building this trail. Huh, only 1972 miles to Maine.  That seems feasible.

A wild rhododendron. 

I am on the lookout for more wildflowers. 

Trail junction.  Which way to go?

Looks like my roommates took me to the Jumpoff first. 

Not a bad view.  Next stop?  Charlies Bunion.

Beary scenic.

Time for lunch?  On the trail back home it was time to stop at the trail shelter.  On the Appalachian Trail, most thru hikers (those who hike the 2000 miles or so) often stay at the trail shelters.  The CCC built many of these buildings.

Very rustic and pretty nice accommodations.  Perhaps a snack bar would drive more traffic to this shelter?