You know how people often haven’t seen the attractions near their own homes? I have had family in Western North Carolina all of my life and had never been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We had to remedy that!
This National Park has the dubious honor of being the most visited of all the Parks. I suggest you do what we did and go in the Spring or Fall. It was still plenty crowded, but manageable.
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- Blue and green
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- Meigs Falls
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- Budding tree! Spring!
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- Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church
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- An old mill in Cades Cove
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- I didn’t know barns this shape were a thing, but they’re a thing! I saw several of them on this trip. Please note the pink flowering tree on the upper right!
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- Evening Light
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- Winter and spring in one eyeful!
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- Winter and spring in one eyeful!
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- “For the permanent enjoyment of the people.”
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- And BY the people!
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- Sixth national park with Mom & Dad in a year!
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- Yum!
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- The perfectly heart-shaped mossy rock is already lovely, but the sunlit water splashing right behind it makes it extra magical. (And look at those lush green rhododendrons!)
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- Farmhouse at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center. Look at the width of those boards! Huge trees! And that chimney! The stonework!! And that gutter! What craftsmanship!!
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- Gorgeous spring forsythia
