Apparently I am now on a mission to take as many random couple night trips as I can during breaks in bartending shifts. It’s not a bad mission to take on being that I’m trying to add to my portfolio as much and as often as I possibly can. This past week I went up to camp in the Smokies for the first time, and guys let me tell you…it was awesome! My girlfriend and I drove up on Monday to camp out at the Cades Cove Campground that night and then we moved to Smokemont on the other side of the park the next night.
Cades Cove is a geographically isolated valley inside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It started off as a pioneer settlement in the 18th century, and held residents right up until the formation of the Park in the early 20th century. The Cove offers great opportunities to see the wildlife of the area. On our trip we saw a LOT of deer (whats new), coyotes, a bear, and lots of turkeys. Most of the area can be explored by using the 11 mile one-way Loop Road. Along the loop you’ll find different pull offs that offer a variety of things to do, from a small hike to find a pioneer family’s cabin, to longer treks to Abrams Falls or Gregory Bald. We didn’t have enough time to do the major hikes, as I was on a mission to get as many photos as possible in the short amount of time we had at the park.
After staying out late Monday night waiting on the sunset and stars to come out on the loop road, we woke up before sunrise Tuesday morning. Now, if I did a little more research prior to going on this trip, I would have known that the loop road isn't open to vehicles until 8am, well past sunrise. So, I would have planned accordingly, and possibly rented a bike from the very well stocked campground store the night before. That being said, I didn't, so we waited and waited in a line for a while before deciding to just drive back and pack up the campsite before trying again. Once the gate was open though, most of the valley was filled with the famous Smoky Mountain fog, which lent a very interesting and sort of spooky atmosphere.
After making our morning loop we headed back out of the cove towards Gatlinburg to grab some breakfast at one of the many pancake establishments that the town has to offer. After a stop at the NOC (Nantahala Outdoor Center), we headed back over the mountains to the Smokemont Campground near Cherokee. Once we got to camp and set up everything I decided to do a little exploring while we were waiting on the sun to get a little lower in the sky. Smokemont lies right next to the Bradley Fork River and is the single greatest source of skipping stones I’ve ever known. Seriously. Don't go and be that guy moving and stacking stones in the river, that damages the habitat for different river species (Hellbenders in particular), but grab a few off the dry bank if you are so inclined.
After a forced nap in my hammock, we set off towards Clingmans Dome, the highest point in the smokies. My plan was to hike to the observation deck, get a few panoramas, and then go hangout near the parking lot until sunset. It was actually clear for the 3 or so hours we were hiking around and waiting, so I had a sense of confidence and excitement that this was going to be the best sunset shot I’ve ever gotten…But then it got darker. I look towards where the sun was supposed to be setting in half an hour, and I see a cloud coming up over the far ridge and it was starting to block out the exact spot that I was set up to shoot. The mist and fog was moving fast so I was thinking it was just going to be little cloud moving over the mountain, and it would be gone just as quickly as it appeared. But then I saw another cloud go right above my head and down into the valley below. Apparently an entire cloud system had hit the far side of the peak and was now spilling over the side, and right in front of my sunset. Rude. Thankfully I was able to get a few good shots of color in the big puffy clouds opposite of the sunset, in-between sections of mist falling off the ridge.
That night we slept next to the river. 5-Stars, would recommend.
All in all the trip was a success. Next time I know how to plan better, I’ll probably go back to Cades Cove once vacation time is over, too many loud and crying kids. I’d like to spend a few days more in the Smokies so I can hike the many trails and see more of the main attractions, but there was just too many people parked all along the side of the road. I’m not too fond of hiking trails with a lot of people, even before the pandemic, so I’ll leave those be until the off season.
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