Inner US Loop - Fall 2014

[Pmount]

Tuesday, October 7
Start: Elkmont campground, Great Smoky Mountain NP
Finish: Davidson River campground (USFS), Brevard, NC

Rained most of the night, slept (or tried to) with a persistent 'tip tap' on the roof. Cleared enough in the AM to fix breakfast in camp. Drove east through Great Smoky Mountains NP on US 441. No bear jams as we drove through the park. Drove up to Clingman's Dome even though the cloud cover was significant. I think only once out of the 5 times I have been there has it been clear.


View at Clingman's Dome (or not)

We arrived in Cherokee, NC by 11AM. We noticed quite a bit of activity in the area which we later learned were people getting ready for the Cherokee Indian Fair and their parade. We got through town before the main road was closed for the parade.

Two passport stamps had always eluded my husband, both on the east side of Great Smoky Mtns NP. We decided to go to both sites; Deep Creek and Cataloochee. Getting to Deep Creek, through Bryson City (S US 19) was easy and pretty. Bryson City has a lot to offer tourists, lots of restaurants, shops and the Smoky Mountain Railroad. It seemed to be a little less 'touristy' than Pigeon Forge, Gatlinburg or Cherokee. The drive into Deep Creek was pretty, and we found a back, gravel road out of the area that took us back to US 19 heading north.

Getting to Cataloochee was another story! After driving through Maggie Valley (US 19) you turn east on US 276 (a nice four-lane, divided road), almost to I-40. The 10 miles down into the valley starts out paved, a 2 lane road, then it becomes gravel, a 1 lane road and finally back to paved road. Once in the valley there are old buildings to view and elk in the meadows. To get the passport stamp you need to find a park service volunteer that is part of the Elk Bugle Corp. After driving through the valley we spotted a volunteer and followed him to their cabin/office to get the passport stamp.


Elk in Cataloochie Valley

We drove back out of Cataloochee, then Maggie Valley up to the Blue Ridge Parkway. We have driven the entire length of this parkway, a very favorite drive of ours. It is more scenic than the Natchez Trace Parkway, and longer. The weather had not cleared up and at times we were driving through 'pea soup'. We stopped at Waterknob Rock, it was windy, cold and totally socked in. A little further down the road we drove off the parkway on Wagon Gap Road (US 276 East) down to Davidson River campground. This campground is adjacent to an active Job Corp site that was a CCC camp. There are over 200 campsites, including a generator-free section which we were assigned. Showers are also available at this site. We enjoyed a nice evening before retiring with a clear sky overhead.

Wednesday, October 8
Start: Davidson River campground (USFS), Brevard, NC
Finish: Carolina Hemlocks campground USFS), Micaville, NC

Somewhere during the night the skies opened up and poured, at times. So another night of 'tip tap', irregular rain drops on the roof of the van from the trees above. The skies were clear in the AM. Before heading back up to the Blue Ridge Parkway we had several other places to explore.

Heading back up Wagon Road we first stopped at the Pisgah National Forest visitor center, within a mile of the campground. While there I heard a volunteer tell a visitor that to drive from their site to Cherokee, NC it would take 2 hours. Hmmm, we left Cherokee at noon the day before and made it to the campground at 6PM, definitely not the direct route for us, as usual. From there we continued back towards the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Forest Discovery Center. This is only 4 miles off the parkway and definitely worth a visit. There is an entry fee (free with Golden Age pass). George Vanderbilt (of Biltmore fame) established the first forestry school in America on his private land. Excellent exhibits and great activities for kids. There are trails, a gift shop and cafe on site.


Forest Discovery Center

Back, heading east, again on the Wagon Gap Road we re-traced our steps. Along the way we stopped at 2 natural areas along the road, Sliding Rock and Looking Glass Falls.


Looking Glass Falls


My goal for today was to visit the Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site in Flat Rock, NC. We had been there in 1995, but it was pouring rain that day. We arrived at noon and had a picnic lunch in the parking area. The walk to the house and visitor center is 0.3 mile uphill. The day was warming up, but the trail is nicely shaded. I picked up the Junior Ranger booklet and was able to complete it during my visit. Carl Sandburg was a poet, journalist, biographer (of Lincoln) who completed 1/3 of his literary accomplishments while living at this site, Connemara. His wife, Lillian,was well-known for her expertise in raising and breeding goats. On the site is a goat herd that you can pet and observe. The site is beautiful and well worth a visit.


Carl Sandburg Home NHS

We worked our way back to the Blue Ridge Parkway, just south of Asheville. We stopped at the main visitor center, the Folk Art Center and Craggy Mountain. The sky was clear and the views spectacular. This roadway was built in the 1930s as part of a public works project during the Depression. The hills were beginning to show some autumn color.


Views from Craggy Mountain

We ended the day at another Pisgah National Forest camp, on NC 80, west of the parkway, called Carolina Hemlock campground. The hemlocks on the east coast have been destroyed by a small pest, this area was aggressive in treating the trees and have saved them. The campground was along a beautiful creek, Clear Creek which provided great background noise. Another beautiful Fall evening in camp.


Carolina Hemlock campground.

Passport Stamps
Great Smoky Mountains NP
-Deep Creek, NC
-Catalochee, NC

Blue Ridge Parkway
-Waterknob Rock, NC
-Visitor Center (Asheville)
NC-VA
Graveyard Fields
Folk Art Center
Craggy Gardens

Carl Sandburg Home NHS - Flat Rock, NC

Blue Ridge Nat'l Heritage Area - Asheville, NC

Bonus
Pisgah National Forest (pictorial)
Cradle of Forestry in America - Pisgah Nat'l Forest

Wildlife Sightings
Eastern Grey Squirrel

Wild Turkey
American Crow