One Extraordinary Day of Exploring Nature in the Smoky Mountains: June 7, 2016
I’m going to change things up a bit and show you one day in our history of exploring Gatlinburg and the Smoky Mountains. I’m thinking of doing this occasionally, so please let me know what you think! Today, we’re going back to one of the most extraordinary days we’ve ever had in the Smokies. It was a Tuesday, which was traditionally our day to get away from Gatlinburg and get in touch with nature—also known as our hike day. Little did we know how eventful it would become.
It started with breakfast at our favorite breakfast at the time, Crockett’s Breakfast Camp, when they used to be amazing, but that’s another story for another day. Bright and early we like to get started, so we finished up our hearty breakfast well before 8 and ventured into the national park.
Newfound Gap was first, but it was a quick stop. The reason? Despite the fact it was early June, we got some weird weather at that elevation. The temperature dropped like a rock down to around 40 degrees. We were all wearing short sleeves and shorts. Not at all prepared for that cold snap that seemed to come out of thin air, quite literally. We did manage to get a picture at the border sign before scurrying into our vehicle and heading to our next destination.
We were now on the North Carolina side of the Smoky Mountains, and our itinerary included a stop at Mingus Mill. There was no tour or guide at the historic mill, so we had it all to ourselves. There is a trail nearby that we took a quick stroll on, but we had no plans to hike this one, so we snapped some cool pictures and directed our attention to destination #3.
Most people that visit Gatlinburg with intentions to explore the Great Smoky Mountains National Park usually make Sugarlands Visitors Center their stop. We are those people too, but this time, we wanted to check out the Oconaluftee Visitors Center. I feel this is the better of the two. It is so beautifully picturesque, with a trail by the river, Mountain Farm, and awesome mountain views. A special emphasis is given inside to the Native American way of life, with the Cherokee Indians as the main subject. The unspeakable tragedy of the Trail of Tears was spotlighted. Most of us never learned many details of this event, and it’s importantly covered well here.
Our fourth target was Cherokee, North Carolina. We could tell it was once a popular tourist spot, but you can tell, it’s seen better days for hosting travelers. It’s still a pretty charming place to visit for some nostalgia. There may not be much here compared to Gatlinburg, but we thought it was a worthwhile drive-through.
Our final stop was the hike we had planned prior to our trip—Mingo Falls. We were excited about this one, mainly for two reasons: One, for the 161 steep steps that begin the trail. It’s only less than a half-mile in length, but it’s considered moderate for this aspect. There’s some rocky navigational stuff once you conquer the steps, but it’s definitely doable. Two, it’s one of the tallest and most dazzling in all of Southern Appalachia. It’s not technically within the national park, but that fact shouldn’t matter.
We huffed it up the steps and eventually made it to the falls. It’s too bad it wasn’t a gusher, but you can imagine the impressive splashes of wonder it brings during wetter periods. It’s a very beautiful area, and I look forward to taking the family back here to see it on an off-day from work.
I remember this day very well. In all of our hike day adventures, this one stands out as a gem in various ways. The unpredictable nature of Smoky Mountain weather gripped us at first, but the sheer embrace of the entirety of the day’s events didn’t want to let go. I’m happy I can always go back to my photos to recreate the day’s episode. It keeps me and my family head over heels in love with the Smoky Mountains.
Thank you for taking an interest in our one day in history from our visits! If you’d like to read more, please let me know about it and subscribe to not miss a single detail! I appreciate your support!