The Gallivanting Ledets: Oct. 11

We found a way to enjoy the Great Smoky Mountains NP without so many people. I know our Jeeping friends would like our route. Some of the rest of you who like "the road less traveled" would like it too. However, the first part of the trip may very well have been the curviest road that we've ever been on! Cathy would have to have taken a Dramamine and then would have slept through the rest of the trip... We took Highway 32 south out of Cosby. There were 11 miles of blacktop before it turned to gravel. Those 11 miles were the curvy part. The road took us down the eastern edge of the park and into Catalochee which has several homes, churches and a school preserved. There were a lot of wild turkeys and elk hanging around the valley. We went on south from there, drove the Blue Ridge Parkway for a few miles before taking the Balsam Mountain road in a 28 mile one way loop.
Each day the colors on the trees are getting brighter. In places they were really outstanding today.

After Balsam Mountain, we ended up back in the main crowds to go back north through the park to Gatlinburg. We stopped at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center and made a quick tour of the Mountain Farm Museum. It was really neat. About half way back up the road we stopped at Clingmans Dome. It is the highest point in the park and everyone talks about the beautiful 360 degree views from the observation deck. The crowds getting to the top were crazy. We finally made our own parking place (many others already had, and we hoped that if they started giving tickets that they would run out before they got to us). The hike up to the observation deck was over half a mile up a steep hill. The views were beautiful on the way up, but by the time we got to the observation deck 80% of the view was obscured by clouds!

We're headed out to Asheville tomorrow. This has been a lovely campsite, and I think we're going to miss it!