Imagine it. You've got a whole day with nothing to do. Outside, the weather is in the mid-70s, with the sun shining and the wind breezing. Could there be anything finer than whiling away the hours wandering through a national park? The answer is obvious, you no doubt suspect. There's just something about all those tall trees that makes them irresistible.
There I was visiting my beloved family in eastern Tennessee not so many weeks ago. Once I'd gotten over the shock that I actually have relatives in eastern Tennessee, it actually turned out to be a pretty fun place to visit. Not only were they situated in some of the most striking hill-country I've ever seen, my family's proximity to North Carolina proved highly valuable during late-night fireworks runs.
Only in the Carolinas can a man buy nearly a half-stick of dynamite at nearly any time of day without any sort of background check or not so much as even a frisk. God bless the land of Strom Thurmond and Jesse Helms. But, all fondness for dangerous explosives aside, I must get back to the lecture at hand.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, created in 1934, is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains and straddles the Tennessee, North Carolina border for 70 miles. The 500,000-acre park takes its name from the Cherokee people who called the area "shaconage," or "Place of Blue Smoke." As though that wasn't painfully obvious. This characteristic bluish mist, which clings to the mountainsides and fills the valleys, is certainly the park's most distinctive feature. More importantly, in the early morning hours, as the mist surrounds much of the park's hills, you can't help but notice an eerie beauty that envelopes the place.
A closer look, through the "smoke," reveals a natural wonderland filled with wildflowers, wildlife and historic treasures. One of the ever-present park rangers (one looked so much like Ranger Smith that I half expected Yogi Bear to come running out of the woods, pick-a-nick baskets in hand.) informed me that the mountains were home to more than 1,600 species of flowering plants - including 125 species of native trees - 200 species of birds, about 50 species of fish and 60 species of animals. Of course, the numbers hardly do it justice. The power of the natural setting just overwhelms you as you look around, noticing yourself surrounded by overgrown greenery, with the sounds of innumerable creatures crackling like lightning. An awesome site it is.
Crazy history buffs like me touring Great Smoky Mountains National Park will enjoy Cades Cove, where they can experience the sites and sounds of the park's frontier ancestry. After an Indian treaty transferred Cades Cove to the state of Tennessee in 1819, settlers began moving into the area.
Land was cleared. Homes, churches, and businesses were built. Farms were established and were self-sufficient, growing corn, wheat, oats and rye. You find yourself realizing just how much can actually be accomplished without television around to distract you. Still, neat as the scene was, I'll take good old '90s laziness any day. In any case though, it made for a fine story.
Apples, peaches, beans, peas and potatoes were supplemented with wild greens and berries growing in the area. Cattle grazed the grassy areas of the Cove, while white-tailed deer, bear and wild turkey (the animal, not the hooch) roamed the nearby woods.
By 1850, the population of Cades Cove peaked at 685 (it says so on the town sign), but the soil had been spent and families began moving to the newly-opened West. Many of the homesteads and churches established by these pioneers remain in the Cove today. Definitely a high point of my visit, I recommend it strongly. Although the locals dressed in period garb had an odd tendency to fall into mangled British accents, as though we weren't in eastern Tennessee, but eastern Manchester. Call it the "I, Claudius" mentality that all things historical must be British. Nothing's perfect, old chap.
Today, visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park can experience the beauty and history of the area in numerous ways. I decided to hike my way through as much of the park as I could, and the nearly 800 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails that criss-cross the park provided more than enough entertainment. Driving tours are available for those with less time on their hands, but they seem an odd waste. The TV-like feel of nature viewed through a car window somehow dampens the beauty of the surroundings. Park your car, put on some comfortable shoes, and hoof it, bub. It'll be good for you.
Following a visit to the great outdoors, the nearby town of Pigeon Forge, Tenn, provides more man-made diversions. The town is Las Vegas, country-style. That is, all the lights without the gambling and showgirls. Dozens of movie and comedy theaters pervade the town, as well as numerous upscale and budget lodging options. For those who can't suppress the old American consumer spirit, more than 200 outlet and specialty stores are more than happy to oblige. An excellent contrast to Great Smoky's natural magnificence, Pigeon Forge deserves a visit. Look it up.
I think you get the picture. Fresh air, foliage abound, pesky park rangers everywhere you look; well, two out of three ain't bad. Nature lovers, take heed. Great Smoky Mountains National Park definitely merits a trip or two. Do yourself a favor: Leave the TV at home.
