Great Smoky Mountains National Park 1
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©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd Great Smoky Mountains National Park East Tennessee p79 Great Smoky Mountains North Carolina National Park Mountains p38 p109 Atlanta & North Georgia p134 Amy C Balfour, Kevin Raub, Regis St Louis, Greg Ward PLAN YOUR TRIP ON THE ROAD Welcome to the Great GREAT SMOKY Fontana Dam Smoky Mountains MOUNTAINS & Western National Park . 4 NATIONAL PARK . 38 North Carolina . 63 Sights & Activities . 65 Great Smoky Mountains Day Hikes . 39 National Park Map . 6 Newfound Gap Road . 39 Newfound Gap Road . 65 Great Smoky Mountains Roaring Fork Motor Cades Cove National Park’s Top 10 . .. 8 Nature Trail, & Foothills Parkway . 68 Need to Know . 14 Greenbrier Cataloochee Valley . 70 & Around Cosby . 50 What’s New . 16 Fontana Dam Cades Cove . 52 & Western If You Like . 17 Cataloochee Valley . 56 North Carolina . 71 Month by Month . 19 Additional Hikes . 58 Courses . 72 Itineraries . 22 Overnight Hikes . 59 Sleeping . 72 Outdoor Activities . 26 Newfound Gap Road . 60 Newfound Gap Road . 73 Travel with Children . 32 Around Cosby . 62 Cosby & Big Creek . 73 PERSONALPRODUCER/GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES PERSONALPRODUCER/GETTY © STAHL/500PX KIP WHITE-WATER RAFTING P31 TODD RYBURN PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY/GETTY RYBURN TODD WHITE-TAILED DEER P189 Contents UNDERSTAND Cades Cove, Cherokee Great Smoky Abrams Creek National Forest . 104 Mountains & Foothills Parkway . 76 National Park Today . 174 Cataloochee Valley NORTH CAROLINA & Balsam Mountain . 76 MOUNTAINS . 109 History . 176 Fontana Dam & Western High Country . 112 Wildlife . 185 North Carolina . 76 Blowing Rock . 112 People of the Eating . 77 Boone . 115 Smoky Mountains . 190 Asheville . 117 Forests of the EAST TENNESSEE . 79 Western Smoky Mountains . 194 Knoxville . 82 North Carolina . 127 Cherokee . 127 Pigeon Forge . 88 Bryson City . 129 Gatlinburg . 92 Pisgah Chattanooga . 97 National Forest . 130 Brevard . 131 SURVIVAL Nantahala GUIDE National Forest . 133 Clothing ATLANTA & & Equipment . 198 NORTH GEORGIA . 134 Directory A–Z . 202 Atlanta . 135 Transportation . 208 North Georgia . 154 Health & Safety . 211 Athens . 154 Dahlonega . 159 Index . 217 Amicalola Falls Map Legend . 223 State Park . 161 Blue Ridge . 162 Helen . 164 Clayton . .. 168 Tallulah Gorge SPECIAL State Park . 169 FEATURES Toccoa . 170 Outdoor Activities . 26 Travel with Children . 32 Wildlife- Watching . 188 Clothing & Equipment . 198 OGLE FARMSTEAD, NOAH Health & Safety . 211 OGLE NATURE TRAIL P48 ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 22 Itineraries TENNESSEE •# Sugarlands Visitor Center É É É Rockefeller É É •# Abrams •# Memorial •# Cades É É Falls Cove Clingmans É Dome •# Great Smoky Andrews •# Mountains Mingus Mill •# National Park Bald •# Mountain Farm Museum ÷# •# Oconaluftee River Trail NORTH CAROLINA 2 DAYS Park Highlights Exploring the Great Smoky Mountains National Park over two days gives you ample time to take in some of the park’s highlights, including historical sights, great views and pretty waterfalls. Start off at the Sugarlands Visitor Center and check out its small museum of wild- life exhibits. Next head to Cades Cove, where you can explore austere farmers’ cottages and dilapidated family cemeteries on the 11-mile driving loop surrounding the historic 19th-century mountain settlement. Cap the day with a hike to Abrams Falls, a lovely cascade that spills into a scenic natural pool. The next morning, drive to the top of the park’s highest peak, Clingmans Dome, where an observation tower offers jaw-dropping, 360-degree views of the mist-shrouded moun- tains. Before returning to your car, make a hike out to the mountain meadow of Andrews Bald for yet more magnificent views. Afterwards, drive back down and make a stop at the Rockefeller Memorial, which straddles two states. From there, head towards the Chero- kee entrance and stop at the Mingus Mill and the Mountain Farm Museum for a bit of 19th-century history. Finish with a stroll along the picturesque and easy Oconaluftee River Trail. 23 TENNESSEE Cosby Mt Cammerer É É •# Lookout Tower •# PLAN YOUR TRIP •# Little Pigeon Big Creek •#River Baskins Creek Trail É •# Little River Road •# •# Rainbow Falls É É RMt LeConte É R Charlies Bunion •# •# •# Alum Cave Bluffs Cataloochee Newfound Valley •#Foothills Parkway Gap É IT Great Smoky Oconaluftee I Mountains •# Visitor Center NERAR National Park è# Oconaluftee River Trail ÷# Deep É Creek •# Cherokee •# I •# É ES Fontana •# Lake Bryson É City NORTH CAROLINA 1 WEEK The Complete Smoky Mountains Spending a week inside one of America’s best-loved national parks gives you time to escape the crowds and explore its far-flung corners. Start with a north-to-south drive on the Foothills Parkway for an overview of the park. Next take winding Hwy 129 to Fontana Lake to kayak. On day two, head to Deep Creek to explore photogenic waterfalls. Afterwards, drive to the end of the Road to Nowhere and explore the wild scenery beyond the tunnel. Al- ternatively, ride the old-fashioned Great Smoky Mountains Railroad. End with a meal and microbrew at Nantahala Brewing Company in Bryson City. Day three starts in Cherokee at the excellent Museum of the Cherokee Indian. Con- tinue into the park and stop in the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, which has exhibitions on the early settlers. Afterwards, visit the Mountain Farm Museum for the log struc- tures. End with a stroll along the Oconaluftee River Trail. On day four, hit the trails for the rewarding hike up to Alum Cave Bluffs. If you’ve arranged far in advance, spend the night at the lodge atop Mt LeConte. If not, descend for a drive along the Little River Road. For your fifth day, hike to popular Rainbow Falls or the less crowded Baskins Creek Trail. Afterwards drive to Cataloochee Valley to explore historic structures and look for elk. On day six, hike up Big Creek, one of the loveliest streams in the Smokies. Great pic- nic spots overlook rushing falls, massive boulders and deep pools. Afterwards, raft the Little Pigeon River. On your last day, make one last mountaintop hike and get a taste of the legendary Appa- lachian Trail. Head to Cosby, where you can climb to the Mt Cammerer Lookout Tower, or further on to Newfound Gap, for the hike to the rocky outcropping of Charlies Bunion. 24 RICKBERK/GETTY IMAGES © IMAGES RICKBERK/GETTY PLAN YOUR TRIP IT I NERAR I ES THERON STRIPLING III/SHUTTERSTOCK © III/SHUTTERSTOCK STRIPLING THERON Top: Newfound Gap Road (Hwy 441; p58) Bottom: Alum Cave Bluffs trail (p39) 25 25 TENNESSEE PLAN YOUR TRIP É Pigeon River •# Gatlinburg •# •# Roaring Fork Metcalf Laurel Motor Nature Trail Bottoms É Falls •# •# •# •# Rainbow •# Grotto Falls The •# Falls É Sinks Elkmont Historic District IT Cades Cove •# I NERAR É É Great Smoky Mountains I •# Gregory National Park ES Bald ÷# NORTH CAROLINA 4 DAYS Northern Explorer The north side of the park has some of the Great Smoky Mountains’ most famous sites, with picturesque drives, rushing rivers, enchanting hikes and settler-era homesteads. Go early to Cades Cove for the best chance to spy wildlife. If it’s Wednesday or Sat- urday hop on a bike and cycle the loop road, which closes to traffic before 10am. Alter- natively, spend the day making the challenging hike up Gregory Bald for a stunning panorama. On day two, follow the scenic park road west, stopping for waterfall views at The Sinks, and picnicking at Metcalf Bottoms. Afterwards, stroll the abandoned resort village at Elkmont Historic District. In the late afternoon, hike up to Laurel Falls, one of the park’s most popular waterfalls. The next day head off for another great waterfall hike, either Rainbow Falls or the less challenging Grotto Falls. Afterwards, enjoy the beautiful scenery and historic at- tractions along the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. For your last day, head out for some waterside adventure. The Pigeon River is a fan- tastic spot for white-water rafting. Cap the day with souvenir shopping in Gatlinburg, followed by a meal of mountain trout in the atmospheric Peddler Steakhouse. ©Lonely Planet Publications Pty Ltd 215 Behind the Scenes SEND US YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from travelers – your comments keep us on our toes and help make our books better. Our well-traveled team reads every word on what you loved or loathed about this book. Although we cannot reply individually to your submissions, we always guarantee that your feed- back goes straight to the appropriate authors, in time for the next edition. Each person who sends us information is thanked in the next edition – the most useful submissions are rewarded with a selection of digital PDF chapters. Visit lonelyplanet.com/contact to submit your updates and suggestions or to ask for help. Our award-winning website also features inspirational travel stories, news and discussions. Note: We may edit, reproduce and incorporate your comments in Lonely Planet products such as guidebooks, websites and digital products, so let us know if you don’t want your comments reproduced or your name acknowledged. For a copy of our privacy policy visit lonelyplanet.com/ privacy. WRITER THANKS Regis St Louis Amy C Balfour Many thanks to Trisha Ping for inviting me on board, and to Amy Balfour for sharing tips. I’m grateful Thank you to Tennessee locals Melissa Peeler and for the insight shared by the many park rangers, Lauren Batte for joining me on this adventure for a backpackers and AT through-hikers I met along the few days and sharing their expertise. Thanks also to way. Special thanks to my wife Cassandra and our Katie Lane, Teddy Colocotronis, Scooter Colocotronis, daughters Magdalena and Genevieve who joined me Stephanie Baker Jones, Chad Graddy, Jim Hester, for frosty nights of camping and some magnificent Deborah Stacy Gebhardt, Jimmy Surface, Marjorie hikes throughout the park. Joyce, Buck the Cataloochee camp host, the Cades Cove campfire and moonshine crew, and Lane and Greg Ward Beth Lastinger – Pilot Cove hosts extraordinaire.