Great Smoky Mountain Sugarland

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

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Further Reading

Great Smoky Mountains National Park

National Park Service