How was your week? I hope it was delightful, as mine was!
My week started last week, as in we took off for a small little weekend away. So my frugal activities for this week centered around our weekend trip and doing it in expensively.
My niece is staying with us for the summer, so she can work on her college campus. When we found out that she had NEVER been to the Smoky Mountain National Park before--and it is just a stone's throw away from where we live (o.k., so it's a long stone's throw, but still!), well, this was a problem that needed to be solved! Frugally solved, but solved none the less. So for our frugal weekend away, we rented a very tiny cabin at a "mom and pop" campground that we love to go to. They only have three cabins there, and one circle of RV spots. For the cabins, you bring all your own bedding, towels, etc., and we choose to bring all our own food from home as well. We eat healthier that way, and much less expensive as well!
Pussycat packed himself for the trip, but we told him he would have to stay home!
We made it! At the entrance to the park! Happily, there is no admission fee for this park. This was part of the legal stipulations when the park was created and people gave up their land to become a national park. My understanding is it has caused problems with having enough in the budget to operate the park long term, but as a park visitor I am very thankful for those that went before me and left this gift for me.
After unpacking in our cabin, we first went to Clingman's Dome, which is the highest point not only in the park, but also in the entire state of Tennessee! It is quite a drive to get up to the parking lot, which has a lovely view!
From the parking lot, there is a very steep but short trail which leads to the observation tower. We were blessed with a day with wonderful views! So many times I have been to this point and it was completely socked in with clouds or fog! So I was thankful that my niece could actually SEE the view when we took her!
Some lovely flowers I saw along the way. I do not remember the name of these. I will need to spend some time and look them up!
I do not know these tiny white flowers. . . Anyone know?
This one is some type of a mint, at least the stem was squarish.
Our hiking team!
The trail we took we have hiked before, but this time we hiked it farther than we have ever gone. We left the crowds behind, and saw absolutely no one but our family for around an hour. There were five or six stream crossings. Happily, the water levels were relatively low, or these rocks we were crossing on would have been covered with water! Some of our stream crossings did not exactly have enough rocks for my liking, and I could have used a few more. Some of them other hikers have dragged pieces of logs to help give a place to cross on, but the logs are round and rather slippery, so I preferred placing my feet on the rocks if possible. . .
So while crowds of people were flocking to well published waterfalls that are close to the road you can drive through the park, we went off into the woods, and happily stumbled across this beauty of a waterfall. The music of the water was lovely, and we had the place entirely to ourselves that morning.
Another of the flowers we saw along the trail. I do not know the name of this one yet. . .
After our morning hike, it was time to head back to our cabin for some lunch and rest and air conditioning, during the hottest part of the day. A good time to read books, or look up flowers in the flower book we brought along.
In the late afternoon, we found ourselves in Cades Cove. This is an area that used to be an active community, in the days before the park was organized. Some of the original buildings still remain there. This cabin above is the John Oliver cabin. John and Lucretia Oliver, the original owners, were the first permanent white settlers in Cades Cove. It was built in the 1820’s, and is held together by gravity and notched corners. The Oliver family descendants lived in this cabin for over 100 years!
Shortly after the John Oliver cabin, you come to one of the three churches in the cove.
How my heart goes out for the parents who buried their precious baby! And there are many other infant graves here. . . Life was hard.
I am glad they had God to hold on to.
The Cable Mill, built by John Cable in 1867. This mill was closed at the time of day we were there, but it is still operational and I have been inside it many, many times. Park employees will demonstrate grinding corn and such with the grist mill, and if you are interested you can purchase the flours that were ground there.
Our family has been coming to the park for fourteen years. We have been held up in “bear jams,” when all the traffic on the road stops because of bear activity, but we have never actually been able to see the bears ourselves. We have gone around Cades Cove without seeing bears, and church friends of ours have followed us just 30 minutes later and seen bears. Well THIS time, with my niece along, not only did we see a bear, we actually saw SIX bears!!! We were delighted! this photo was the first one we saw. He was actually closer than it looks in this picture, as my little cell phone camera makes it appear farther away. After this one, we saw a mama bear with three adorable cubs! I was delighted to see them, and happy they were far enough away to be safe. We remained in our car and did not get out to take pictures, though if you observe the distances you are supposed to remain from wildlife you are allowed to get out to take pictures. After the mama and babies, we saw another single adult bear. So not only did my niece see a bear in the wild, she saw SIX bears in the wild!
Another of the cabins in the cove.
These cabins are open and you can walk in the downstairs. You do need to be aware of your surroundings, as snakes do like to hang out near buildings as well. You ARE in a park, and wild creatures are definitely around!
The last cabin you come to on the loop road.
Sunday morning we had planned to hike to Greenbriar School house, but we woke up to showers and it was predicted that a thunderstorm was coming in later. We decided to drive to the school, since there is a road to this school house. This is in a different part of the park, and not in Cades Cove.
The girls are on the bridge behind the school house, with the trail we had planned on hiking up. After taking the road in—which we had never done before—and seeing how narrow this TWO LANE road is, I looked at my hubby and told him I never wanted to drive to the school house again! If we had met another car coming the other direction, it would not have been easy for either one of us to back out with the drop off on one side of the road and a mountain going up on the other, and lots of trees all around! From now on, we will only hike to the school, which is my preferred activity anyway! But I was glad my niece could see the school house, even in the rain!
Can you imagine going to school here? These children did just that!
The only light they had to see by came from the windows and door.
Sadly, the time came for us to say “until later” to our beloved Smoky Mountain National Park. But now, my niece has seen this beauty!
What did you do this past week to save money and bless your family? And do you vacation frugally, or do you save up and then splurge? I would love to hear what you are up to!
~Susan
6 comments:
Hi Could you tell me the name of the campground you visit? We are going down in July with my granddaughter who is five, I think she would enjoy seeing cabins. We usually stay at campground in Cherokee. Thank you.
What a great get away! Loved the photos! It would be cool to see a bear in the wild - but then again - I think there would be some fear as well.8)
For the person who asked what campground we stay in, it is this one: http://www.mountaineercampground.biz/
I have a friend whose father was in the CCC camps during the Great Depression. He helped to build the roads going through Cades Cove with others who were also in the CCC camps.
We want to go to the Smokies this fall. Taking notes from your post! Thank you.
It has been years since we visited the Smokies. Cades Cove was my favorite place. I wish I could live there, without all of the tourists, of course.
Jeannie@GetMeToTheCountry
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