Our Big Fall Adventure

October is finally here which means it's time for our ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad!  Jeff used some vacation time so that we could have a long weekend together. We arrived at the mountain house on Tuesday night with hiking on our mind. Fortunately the Great Smoky Mountains opened back up (after the government shut-down) on Wednesday morning at 8:00 am. By nine we were on the trail!

Our hike for the day was Alum Cave Bluff. My personal goal was to reach Arch Rock and let the guys go on up to the Bluff. The weather was cool and damp, but great for hiking. We all made it and it was all spectacular!  At 4,000+ feet in elevation, the leaves had turned and the colors were breathtaking.  Check it out. 

It took us a while to hike the trail because we kept stopping every few feet to take another photo!

We finally did make it to Arch Rock. What a sight. The trail goes up right through that huge rock. I would hate to be the one who had to drill that hole!

At this point, I turned around and started back down the trail and let the guys continue on. The trail to Arch Rock was 1.4 miles with a change in elevation of 400 feet. The rest of the trail from Arch Rock to Alum Cave Bluffs is .9 mile with a change in elevation of 800 feet. I guess you can figure out why I turned around. Anyway, I took a leisurely stroll back to the car and waited for the guys to return. They said it was well worth the extra mile, but I probably wouldn't have enjoyed the climb. They did get some photos to share. 

After our hike we had lunch on the porch at Paul's Family Restaurant and then headed for Harrah's. 

The plan was to spend the night in Cherokee so we wouldn't have to get up quite so early to get to Bryson City for our 9:00 am train. We rested up and then had a fabulous dinner at Brio Tuscan Grill. Mama Mia, was it good!  I had Lobster Bisque and Mediterranean Shrimp. 

After dinner we headed down to the casino to try our luck. I was the big winner (85 cents) on nickel slots. We left early because none of us could stomach all that smoke. We headed up for bed so we could rise and shine for our train ride. No photos allowed on the casino floor, but the lobby area was magnificent!  That fuzzy photo shows rain falling. 

On Thursday we spent the day traveling from Bryson City to the Nantahala Outdoor Center by train. It was very cool and rainy and we were in an open car (so I could take photos), but we dressed appropriately and stayed relatively dry and warm. 

After a long wet day, we headed back to the hacienda to dry out, warm up, and wait for our weekend company. We look forward to more fun adventures soon. 

Bah Humbug!

Needless to say, I am very unhappy that Great Smoky Mountain Park is closed. I'm not writing to make a political statement, take sides or place blame. I'm just very disappointed in all the politicians in Washington. They are clueless about the impact this is having on the good, hard-working people who pay their salaries. Well, that's enough of that. 

I'm really writing to say that there are still a lot of fun things to do in the Smokies in October in spite of the park closure so if you were planning to come, don't cancel your trip! Here are a few ideas. 

You want to see fall colors? How about a helicopter tour?  You might enjoy riding the tram or chair lift in Gatlinburg. The views are spectacular!   If those sound too daring, you can still drive through the park and stop at the overlooks that are still open. Or you can drive through Wears Valley, the Gatlinburg Craft Loop, or any number of back roads and see fall beauty and mountain views. For an extra treat, rent a jeep for your drive. 

If you're into activities and entertainment, there are a ton of things to see and do that happen in October. The entire area is decorated for fall and it's fun to walk or drive along the parkway. 

Ober Gatlinburg is having their Oktoberfest and there's lots of German food, beer, and music. The Convention Center is having their Fall Craft sale during October. Dollywood is having their Fall Harvest Festival which includes crafts and Gospel Music shows. The flea markets are open for business every weekend. You can drive over to Bryson City (32 miles from Gatlinburg) and take a train ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad. 

If the weather is nice and you want to get outside for a picnic, you can still do that. Mynatt Park in Gatlinburg is a great place to play outside and it's conveniently located just off the Parkway in Gatlinburg. The Gatlinburg Visitors Center (between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg) is still open so you can get help and buy souvenirs there. 

Or if you just like to relax you can rent a cabin, sit back and enjoy the view!  For more information go to:

www.mypigeonforge.com   or   www.gatlinburg.com

Come to the Smokies!  You'll have a good time.