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Visiting The Great Smoky Mountains
Q
We plan to drive through Great Smoky Mountains National Park this summer but hope to avoid the traffic and the crowds. Can you suggest some less traveled routes?
a
“You’re not going to see all of the park, with over a half million acres, in one visit,” says ranger Lynda Doucette, a 22-year veteran of the park service. “I’d rather folks spend time in one location absorbing and enjoying it.” During the summer, cars often back up along the 32-mile Newfound Gap Road that bisects the heart of the park. Take advantage of the small pull-offs that only accommodate a few vehicles and allow you to explore quiet walkways on foot. Stop between mile markers 19 and 20 to hike the path along the North Carolina and Tennessee state line. “When you reach the backside of the mountain, you’ll have spectacular views of the Oconaluftee River Valley and the Sugarland Mountains,” says Doucette. From there, it’s a short drive to the Clingmans Dome observation tower at the park’s highest point (6,643 feet), which
Clingmans Dome offers wide views of the park.
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isaac Co gdill ( lower left) , lee harkness (u pp er), tim keller ( lower righ t)
offers up to a hundred miles of visibility on clear days. Veer off onto one-lane, dirt Balsam Mountain Road that cuts through the mountain range and is known for its brilliantly colored wildflowers, including bee balm, cardinal flowers, and fire pinks. “During the three-hour drive, you’ll be lucky to see three other cars,” says Doucette. Stop at the new Oconaluftee visitors center and Mountain Farm Museum to check out various log structures such as a barn, farmhouse, and smokehouse, plus Cherokee basketry, quilts, farming tools, and textiles from the Europeans who settled the area that’s now parkland. —Janelle Nanos Want to ask a park ranger? Submit your question to travel_talk@ngs.org
n a t i o n a l g e o g r a p h i c t r av e l e r | m a y - j u n e
2011