Looking in on the Mountain Farm Museum and Mingus Mill
We got out of Gatlinburg relatively early, and began our trek across Great Smoky Mountain National Park. It was a cool and clear morning, and only a little damp from an apparent early morning rain. Having seen most of the northern slope the day before, we did not really stop until we started the descent along the southern slope; and then, only a couple of times. There were not quite as many overlooks to choose from, and other items were on the agenda.
The landscape was decidedly different on the southern slope, seeming to fall off more gradually. It might have only been how the road cut through the mountains. After a couple of switchbacks, the road simply followed along the Oconaluftee River. There was no traffic to speak of during this short 30-mile journey. Even with a couple of stops to view the landscape, it only took just a little over an hour to reach our first scheduled destination for the day, the Mountain Farm Museum at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
Inside the Mountain Home - Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
We chose this destination for no other reason than it was on the route. Spotting it on the map, and reading just a little bit on the National Park Service web site, we thought it might be interesting to have a look around. The site features a collection of historic log buildings, preserved in a somewhat traditional setting, with the intent of depicting a typical mountain farm in pioneer Appalachia.
Mountain Farm Museum
The Mountain Farm Museum is adjacent to the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, on the North Carolina side of the national park, and is an excellent display of life in the 1800s. A partially paved path winds through the small complex of buildings, which eventually gives way to a dirt path, worn down enough to get around to each of the individual structures easily. Originally constructed during the 19th century throughout various locations in the Smoky Mountains, most of the structures relocated to the site during the 1950s.
Mountain Farm Museum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
Each of the buildings has its own story, and relevance to the overall theme of the site. A rustic home, built by John Davis along Indian Creek around 1900, uses matched chestnut logs joined with dovetail notches.The chicken house was originally located at the base of Maddron Bald. An apple house, meat house, and the springhouse (used for refrigeration) relocated from a valley on the other side of Cataloochee Mountain. The blacksmith shop moved in from Cades Cove, and two corncribs from Thomas Divide.
Barn at Mountain Farm Museum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
The barn is the only structure originally located on the site; even then, it moved about 180 meters from the 1880 original construction site. It features an abundance of hand-split shingles; some 16,000. Other buildings also litter the site, such as a hog pen, sorghum press and still for extracting molasses, and an ash hopper used to extract lye for soap, a woodshed, and fencing.
Mountain Farm Museum, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
We only spent an hour perusing the site before we were on our way again, and were a little surprised that it had only been that long. The location is relatively quiet and perfect for a morning stroll along the Oconaluftee River and through the time capsule presented in the form of the Mountain Farm Museum. The displays were well organized, and helped understand the culture of the time and the methods employed to survive the wilds of Appalachia.
An Evening Touring the Sights and Sounds of Gatlinburg, Tennessee
We only made a slightly better effort to locate another establishment for dinner than we had the night before. We reviewed the options along the parkway as far north as Bon Air Lane (about a block), but an urgent desire to locate sustenance and consume the same, caused us to quickly detour back to the Great Smoky Mountain Brewery. Everything else in the immediate vicinity seemed either too touristy or over-priced. We knew the food would be good there, and reasonable.
Mellow Mushroom Pizza in Gatlinburg - June 2020
We both decided on the Brewmaster’s Club Salad , an immense salad based on the Club Sandwich; along with that, to wash it all down, a few of the local beers. The fair of the day was Black Bear and Cherokee Red Ale, and we bought a small supply of the latter to accompany us on the remainder of our journey. If we make it out here again, we will have to replenish our supply, as it was rather tasty.
Fannie's Corner Kitchen in Gatlinburg - June 2020
Out on the street again, without any sort of agenda, we joined the wandering herd as it migrated north along the parkway. Various themed restaurants and sweet shops littered the landscape, and it was nearly impossible to take a step without bumping into some sort of trinket or t-shirt shop. Confederate flags appeared on nearly every panel of every shop window, proclaiming thoughts about rights and a war nobody alive remembers, much less the motivation behind it.
Confederate T-Shrit in Gatlinburg - June 2020
Concerns in South Carolina did not seem to reach quite this far north, or with as many flag supporters as we saw, nobody seemed interested in broaching that argument, not that anyone really noticed anyway. Other bizarre and fantastic displays were more than abundant, and demanded attention, exaggerated with all the lights and sound necessary to lure in the unsuspecting tourist.
Oddity in Gatlinburg - June 2020
The town is quite a carnival, similar in scope to Branson, but not quite the same layout, and not nearly as much of an assault on the senses as Pigeon Forge. Buildings and streets more closely packed make it easier to move from one novelty to the other. Little alley galleries injected into the scenery, fill every possible space between structures, causing the town to lean towards the picturesque traditional European towns of yore.
Hollywood Star Cars Museum in Gatlinburg - June 2020
Many of the same attractions hosted in Branson are also in Gatlinburg. Apparently, museums-of-the-fantastic are quite franchise-worthy, given the right setting. We did not linger very long at any of them, but found ourselves mesmerized by the animatronics a few times. It may have only been all of the flashing neon. We also amused ourselves with a portrait alongside Herbie the Love Bug at the Hollywood Star Cars Museum, but found no cause to attempt access to the entire show. After a day in Great Smoky Mountain National Park, it all seemed so trivial.
Davy Crockett's Distillery in Gatlinburg - June 2020
There is one sort of shop that Branson has not yet adopted, the Moonshine Shop. There seemed to be one around every corner in Gatlinburg; indeed, at least four within a mile of each other. We stopped in on the first we passed on the same side of the street, Davey Crockett’s. Tiny shot glasses lined up in front of a few customers indicated the Bar was open.
Sugarlands Distilling Company in Gatlinburg - June 2020
Stepping up, we inquired about the festivities, and were immediately presented with the opportunity to sample. The various flavors intrigued me, so I felt obligated to compare them all, which were mostly unremarkable. One flavored towards Maple syrup was particularly interesting, but overall the moonshine was the usual flavored lighter fluid; the liqueurs, dangerously sweet and candy-like. After twelve micro shots , it was time to leave before things got out of hand.
Marketplace in Gatlinburg - June 2020
With not much more to see, and feeling the warm afterglow of sampling, we decided to begin the trek back to the hotel. Another full day loomed in front us, though not quite as pressing in urgency as preceding two. The 4.5 hour drive to Fayetteville would leave left plenty of time for the southern slope of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park and a stop at Tallulah Gorge along the way.
A quick visit to the northern fringe of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
With very little time available to explore the most visited of all of the national parks in the country, it was important to have some sort of plan. There was limited time to research this expedition though, and after reading many of the statistics later, I was surprised our adventure turned out as well as it did. The park was not quite as heavily populated as one would think, and traffic minimal.
Great Smoky Mountains Shaded Relief Map at Sugarlands Visitor Center - June 2015
The Great Smoky Mountains National Park hosts an average of 9 million visitors every year, along with another 11 million or so that are just passing through. There are campgrounds with more than 1000 sites, and about a quarter of a million nights of camping recorded, just in 2013. Add to that over a thousand picnic sites, and 850 miles of trailers carrying nearly a half million hikers annually and things can get busy. It is not surprising then, to hear that there had been increased encounters with bears in the park. All of that population moving through the park, along with pressure from surrounding communities, has trapped them.
Black Bear exhibit at Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
Warning signs were everywhere, and some areas closed, due to increased bear activity. Ironically, some folks just did not understand it. Some folks ignored the blockades, while others questioned Rangers repeatedly. These are very likely the same people that think it is cute to try to take a selfie with the local wildlife, and are surprised when it attacks. They are not amused. Backed into a corner, it is not particularly wise to torment, tease, or taunt the wildlife. The unfortunate part is that when the wildlife does fight back, it always loses. It might make temporary gains through a mauling, but civilization will pass judgement and issue the ultimate punishment. I suppose we were just as guilty as the rest, in our endeavor to visit the park. We were not interested in meeting with any bears though. With the beasts roaming all over the Ozarks, we were already familiar with their tendencies, and the consequences of getting too close. Along with our limited time in this location, we did not have much of a chance or interest in an encounter.
Sugarland Riding Stables Trail Ride, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
We made our first stop of the day at Sugarland Riding Stables. It was the closest and most obvious choice to go for a bit of trail ride through a small portion the park, and my sidekick had not been on a horse since childhood; and then, only led around on a pony. Arriving around 9 am and they were already relatively busy, but we got in on the next ride through the woods. My horse was not very interested in keeping up, and I constantly had to jab it in the ribs to keep it moving along. The lead gave me a stick to whack it with, but that proved equally worthless. The horse was just not interested; that is, unless the one in front of it began to trot, then he decided he would like to do that too. Behind me, my faithful sidekick experienced similar issues, but not quite with the same consistency and frequency. The 4-mile ride was interesting though, and well worth the money spent. We saw no bears, and no bears sought us.
Sugarlands Visitor Center signage - June 2015
Sugarlands Visitor Center was the next stop, and we were pleased to find that there was a small waterfall nearby. After amusing ourselves in their little museum, we took off down the Fighting Creek Nature Trail around back, towards Cataract Falls, on a well-groomed trail that left little room for real hiking. It was pleasant stroll through the cool forest along Fighting Creek, and an excellent opportunity to stretch our backside muscles after an hour of bouncing around in a saddle; still, no bears.
Campbell Overlook, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
Pushing deeper into the park, we stopped nearly every chance we got, at the random pullouts that littered the sides of the road. Campbell Overlook was the first, and probably hosted the best low-level view of the surrounding peaks on that mostly cloudy morning. It is named for one of the leading advocates of the park in the 1930s, and one can see about six or eight peaks with a variety of hardwoods and firs; strikingly similar to the Boston Mountains in Arkansas.
View from Chimney Tops Overlook, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
The half-billion-year-old Chimney Tops Overlook was up next. They did not look much like the top of a chimney from our vantage point, and then I read the sign. In order to see these magnificent structures of slate, schist and phyllites, rotting atop the Anakeesta Formation of Thunderhead Sandstone, we were going to have stumble 2 miles to the top of said Chimney. Since that would likely put a stop to any other unplanned activities for the day, so we decided to postpone that adventure. Bears were absent from this spot.
Stone Bridge at Bearpen Hollow, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
We paused only briefly at a bridge for a few photos of a nearby stream, and then moved on to the Morton Overlook. This point offers a nice view of the Newfound Gap, named for the man who thought it would be a good idea to pave every possible path through the mountains so that cars might pass more easily. Fortunately, he was only successful in orchestrating the Newfound Gap Road. We much preferred the opinion of the 1935 US Secretary of the Interior, who stated, “I do not… favor the scarring of a wonderful mountainside just so we can say we have a skyline drive. It sounds poetic, but it may be an atrocity.” Indeed, it would have been, and may still be, if not for the lack of bears.
Clingmans Dome Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
The twists and turns finally led us to the turn for our primary intended destination, Clingmans Dome. A beautiful asphalt parking lot and paved trail help even the most disabled tourists access the highest points in the Smoky Mountains. It was insufficient though. Many folks were sidelined and gasping for air, as if they had just hiked to the summit of Mount Everest.
We enjoyed a pause or two along the way, as well. The scene was beautiful though. It was a cool 10 C, more or less, and a cloud bank had settled over the range. While it obscured most of the view, it was amusing to drift through the clouds. They seemed to mute everything, even the constant mumble of conversation around us. The bears must have sensed the dominant human presence, and stayed far away. The arduous ½-mile journey eventually led us to an observation deck crowded with folks who seemed unable to get enough of the view. We lingered for only 15 minutes or so, took a few photos and a video clip, and then found our way out of that congestion; others were there, when we arrived, and remained as we departed. It is an exceptional view from that deck. The clouds teased just a bit, parting a few times to show us the grandeur beyond the veil. They quickly closed together though, and resumed their threat of rain.
Formations near Clingmans Dome Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2015
Clingmans Dome marked the halfway point of our day. The southern half of the range would have to wait for the next day. We began the trek back, discussing the possibilities of Gatlinburg; of which, none sounded particularly interesting. Instead, we spent the afternoon lingering in various spots we had noted along the way.
View from the Newfound Gap Overlook, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2020
The first of those stops was only a short hop back, near the intersection with US-441. Straddling the Tennessee and North Carolina state line, Newfound Gap Overlook offers another fantastic view of the Smoky Mountains. We also got a really good close look at the phyllites and schist, without having to strain ourselves at all; a huge wall of the mass stands just across the road. The location also hosts the site of the Rockefeller Memorial, where President Franklin Roosevelt dedicated the park on September 2, 1940, along with its “mountains streams, and forests to the service of the American people.” There is even a plaque stating as much. The memorial is in dedication to the efforts and resources of the people that helped to establish the park, and named after the mother of John D Rockefeller, Jr, who donated 5 million dollars of the 12 needed to acquire the 520,000 acres. It is quite impressive indeed, but the bears seem to care not.
Riverview Quiet Walkway, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2020
We continued to make stops along the route back to Gatlinburg, primarily at what would become our favorite points of interest, the Quiet Walkway. Unassuming in stature, typically only hosting a small parking lot of three or four spaces, and a minor trail leading off into the woods somewhere, these trails are peaceful and do not seemed to be used much. A sign guards the entrance to each, proclaiming “A short walk on this easy trail offers close up views, subtle aromas, and the serene quiet of a protected woodland. You will be walking through one of the last great wildland areas in the East, but you won’t need a backpack or hiking boots. Take your time. Have a seat on a rock or a log bench. The trail has no particular destination, so walk as far as you like and then return.”
Sugar Branch, Great Smoky Mountains National Park - June 2020
More often than not, the trail led to an obstacle that required hiking boots though, and a backpack might be necessary at certain times of the year, since the trail was not completely obvious in some spots. They were quiet though, and devoid of humans (and bears). The difficulty was as promised, until the obstacle presented itself; usually, it was a stream full of easily scaled boulders. Thankfully, the only aromas that drifted to our senses were those of the surrounding pines and the hardwoods.
As the day began to wane, hunger reminded us that we had been snacking on bear food most of the day, and the urgency to locate a shower and visit a local food establishment became increasing important. We made one last stop for a photograph with the park sign, as is our habit. Lugging my tripod along the short path to the sign, a platform specifically designed for this arrangement mocked my efforts. I ignored it and used my own equipment, although I was pleased that someone had thought of that extra touch. We did not linger long. There was only a sign to be seen, after all. We quickly made our way back to the hotel around 6 pm, and readied ourselves for an evening of wandering the streets of Gatlinburg, and further discussion of plans for the trip through the Smokies the next day.
US National Park Service Map of Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A cross country journey from the MidWest to the Appalachians
We hit the “Fast Lane” early, but not quite so much so as originally planned. The Rolling Stones kept us out a little late the night before, but Sunday morning traffic was negligible, and we made good time. Indeed, it really turned out to be the best day for this trip. Along the entire route, it was clear with temperatures in the mid 20s C, and traffic was virtually non-existent, in most places.
The plains of western Missouri faded quickly from view as we launched into the bluffs at Rocheport, after only a couple short hours. The river was high from the seemingly never-ending parade of storms that had lasted longer into the summer than normal.
View of the Missouri River at Rocheport, Missouri - Oct 2014
The Mighty Missouri River consumed most of the bottomlands of the southwest bank, but could only continue its tireless effort to scour away the high bluffs of the northeast bank. Passing quickly into the hills surrounding and protecting Columbia from this onslaught, we paused only briefly to swap drivers; our plan to switch every two hours would turn out to be the one thing that kept from destroying us during the 12-hour journey to Gatlinburg.
We reached suburban St Louis, just as traffic began to build. I am not quite sure Warrenton really qualifies as a suburb, but it seems close enough to fit the bill. Nearly 60 miles from downtown, the long pestilent arm of civilization continues its march along I-70, towards Kansas City. I suspect that one day the two towns will meet, without ever having spread more than a couple of miles beyond that particular corridor, and there will be great fanfare.
The traffic only slowed us a bit though, and we made it through the megalopolis without incident; an hour later, and church traffic would have likely made progress impossible. Caseyville, Illinois provided the first real opportunity to stretch and get some food and fuel, and we abused this privilege thoroughly for 10 minutes. There was nothing to see there, and no reason to stop in particular, except that it was on the other side of St Louis traffic.
Blue Star Memorial Highway signage at Tennessee Welcome Center at Clarksville in Tennessee - June 2015
The land between the two great rivers of the Mississippi and Ohio stood before us; the only barrier, aside from boredom, in reaching Kentucky and points beyond. I had only seen that part of the country at night before, and was mildly interested to see what the scenery had to offer during the day. It turned out that there was not much more to see than in the Missouri bottomlands surrounding Kansas City. Substantial high water persisted in many areas, enhancing the state of the marsh and wetlands we observed along the way. The Shawnee Hills provided some relief to an eye weary of staring at flat low lands, but they did not persist long enough to be of much more note than that.
Crossing the Ohio River, and passing into Paducah, civilization had returned to mock us again. There had not been much population throughout the Illinois portion of the journey, but suddenly it was upon us again, and seemed to persist all the way to Nashville. We paused ever so briefly at the Tennessee Welcome Center, on the outer edge of Clarksville. With the recent flurry surrounding the Confederate Flag, it was amusing to see Tennessee still flying their own variation, unencumbered by the political-correctness of the day; this would remain true during our journey throughout all parts of the South. It is funny how a flimsy piece of dyed cloth can create such an uproar, and detract from the real problems at hand.
Tennessee Welcome Center historical display at Clarksville in Tennessee - June 2015
We were back on the road again in under 10 minutes, and passed through Nashville without incident, pushing eastward through Knoxville. The forest and hills continued to rise out of the plains, gradually building towards to the great Appalachian range. The scenery was finally getting interesting, and the interstate was blissfully devoid of traffic’ however, I remain confused about crossing the Little Tennessee River in ten different places. It does not appear to be possible on the map, but the signs seemed to indicate otherwise.
Turning south and leaving the interstate that had been so good to us along our route, we passed through Sevierville, TN, the birthplace of Dolly Parton; as well, the impact of her contribution to an attempt to create a Branson-type experience out east, Pigeon Forge. Later stories of the nightmare that traffic could be in this town further emphasized how correct we had been to choose a Sunday departure. The town was chaotic at 9 pm on a Sunday night. Cars and people seemed mill about aimlessly in the glow of block after block of excess neon construction. We talked briefly about coming back the next evening to photograph this light display, but quickly changed our minds. I am sure that there were plenty of folks having quite a bit of fun here in this seemingly never ending carnival of neon distractions, but a sinister undercurrent running through prevented us from pausing any longer than the traffic signal insisted. Branson was never this bad, and never this obsessed with neon, either.
Pigeon Forge at night — photo by W Dean Brown
A small band of Great Smoky Mountain National Park forces a small break in the action, between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg, and seems to subdue the chaos just enough to prevent it from persisting at the same scale. It does make an effort though, and continuing into Gatlinburg, we braced ourselves for another onslaught. It popped and fizzled, and tried a time or two, but failed. The carnival atmosphere persisted, but not quite on the level of that previously noted. There were still folks everywhere, moving in and out of trinket shops, ogling stuff in the windows, or getting a late night sweet snack. We just kept moving, intent on reaching the Clarion on the edge of town, hoping desperately that it was not surrounded by some carnival-type chaos or another.
Street scene in Gatlinburg, Tennessee - June 2015
The hotel turned out to be a fantastic location and only two doors down from the entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. We had made it in exactly 12 hours, but were feeling the need for something more substantial than a hot dog or a cracker, so inquired about the same at the front desk. Most places were closing, but fortunately, the Smoky Mountain Brewery was just around the block, and open until 1 am!
We quickly dumped our things in our suite, pleased at the wealth of space within, and amused by the fireplace with an on/off switch. We discovered only one drawback later. Calling the front desk about the issue, they explained that in order to have a hot shower, one had to run the hot water for 20 minutes. While normal in many older buildings, it seems rather peculiar in an area built to serve those interested in witnessing conservation first hand.
As we made our way down to the street, we first thought we might take a short walk and have a look around that end of Gatlinburg. A combination of road-weariness and hunger quickly nullified the idea though. We made it to the corner we were supposed to turn for the Brewery and gave up the thought of a short walk in favor of a cold beer.
Smoky Mountain Brewery Windy Gap Wheat label - June 2015
The Brewery was busy, but we had a couple of options. We could wait on a table for 20–30 minutes, or take a seat upstairs in the bar area; a simple enough choice, we made for the stairs. A band was playing some random pop tunes on one side of the room and there were plenty of tables everywhere. We picked out a spot next to the window on the other side of the room from the band, but a server stopped and said we would have to wait for that table. While milling about, another server indicated she would seat us, and started to move towards a table in front of the band. We balked immediately. While the band was not bad, the situation was entirely too loud for the small space. We suggested the empty table we had originally desired. She seemed a little put off at the request, but acquiesced; we found out later they were trying to close down that area.
The band played on, and some folks danced a bit. We enjoyed the company we had with each other and our server, from across the room. After quenching our appetite with real food and a few of the local brew selections, we headed back to the hotel, quickly dismissing any thoughts of roaming the streets. We had a big day planned for Monday, and did not want to sleep in late. There would be time for that the next day.
