Because the entry got damaged, photos lost, and it was deleted.
I later found the photos to re-do it so I am going to repost.
I am in the process of repairing damaged blog entries.
I am also totally reorganizing my photos on all fronts.
It is going to take time. When I ever get it done I will never
post another photo on Flickr again... ever.
We set out originally today to visit Powder House Falls and Ray Falls and neither of those
worked out. We had the waypoints for Gooch Creek Arch with us and that is what we ended up doing since we were in the area.
We went down toward Dayton and went up the old Evensville Road to the plateau level.
We then went out a gated road that parallels the bluff line through what appears to be a pine plantation.
We knew the arch sat out on the edge of the plateau. It did not take too much time or searching to find it.
Just follow the old road out and turn to the left. It is a pretty and unique spot.
**Edited to Add** I heard from a fellow who visited the Gooch Creek Arch with written permission in hand. He was met by some individual on the property who told him to get lost he was not welcome. He proved he had written permission and was still met with hostility. He wisely decided to leave. I am glad he told me of this because it shows the spirit of the persons involved with the place. Clearly one landowner was generous and reasonable while others are not. It isn't worth the hassle of having your mellow harshed. It ruins it. I don't know who the person was who did the running him off, but shame on them. I hope one day our nation gets Right to Roam laws and there is nothing folks like that can do anymore.
We took a much needed get-away long weekend to go camping, four-wheeling, exploring and hiking. Kenny was worn out from working a month straight.
I was bored from lack of his company and having been laid up for a while.
We ran away to our beautiful Cumberland Plateau. We stayed at Maple Hill Campground
run by Betty & Klaus DeJong. It is a great place to stay run by a terrific couple. I had
thought after living in our camper for a month Kenny would not want to go. He told me
it was not the camper it was the working all the time that wore him out. He was all about it so we went!
We set up camp and took off to go ride. We wore it out riding on Thursday and Friday both. The river trail has to be low water to be able to ride it. We did not get to ride it during Spring or Summer owing to all the high rain fall we'd gotten. Today we saw the river the lowest I've ever seen it. We covered a lot of new ground. New trails ridden. We also connected a lot of new trails with previously ridden ones to learn how they hook up. There was not a lot of Fall color, but some. It was pretty. I stood in the middle of the rock, dry river bed picking up gum tree leaves of purple, black, red, yellow, orange and red. I announced to Kenny that if I could be a tree.. I'd want to be a gum tree.
Obey River
Another pretty spot along the Obey
Dry patch of river bed. This river dries up to holes of water or areas that are mostly dry.
This past Spring it was at flood stage. A raging torrent that would have swept us away in a heartbeat. You could not even get close to this spot.
A blue hole along the same river.
Deliverance Bus sitting in the woods looking out at the world with vacant eyes.
Another blue hole along the river. I loved the look of the azure water with copper beech leaves floating on it. Surreal.
Patch of color in the forest on the trails. Up high the beech trees, sourwood, black gum, sweet gum, persimmon trees, poison oak, and sugar maples were putting on a good show!
One of a few caves we went in.
View from the newly discovered overlook on Skinner Mountain. It faces west/northwest.
RZR on the dry river bed at the Swift Ford
Down in the wild and wooly Lost Cane exploring. Downed trees, vines, briars, this time.
Still looks like Saigon. It was bone dry this trip. No waterfalls.
Golden autumn sun on the black gum pond on the mountain
We spent Thursday and Friday on Skinner Mountain, Lost Cane the River Trail and King Mountain.
Saturday we were tired of riding and since it was so dry and not a good time to waterfall hunt ... we went arch hunting! We visited the Clarkrange Arch at last. We had looked
for it once before unsuccessfully. Today we found it.
Clarkrange Arch
Next we hunted up the Mountainview Arch. It was not far off and was a big one.
We found it with no problem.
Patch of Autumn color near Mountainvew Arch
Mountainview Arch with Kenny under there for size reference. He looks tiny! The dimensions on this are 100x30
We'd gotten along great so far. It was a pretty Fall day with perfect temperatures for hiking. We'd found what we were looking for easily thus far. Our day was about to change. We went to hunt for Price's Arch next north of us. The day turned rainy and cold and windy. We ran out of luck. We were heading in the right direction but the bushwhack turned out to be longer than anticipated and I was over it. I was cold, tired and hungry. We went back to the camper ate lunch, dried off and took a nap.
The next day we took a gamble on finding an access to Conatser Hollow and the waterfalls back there. It did not pan out. We also tried to find an access to Catpen Hollow Arch and that did not pan out. We went north and explored Pogue Creek and ran out of time, but we did get to find how to reach it and saw State House Rock!
View from King Mountain
State House Rock. Next time we are bringing ropes and climbing this bastage!
My grandson Michael spent the night at our house and the following day we
went hiking at Frozen Head State Park. We spent a wonderful day playing. We came home tired. He slept all the way home. He played so hard he was still ready for some time on the couch watching cartoons when we arrived back at his house.
We picked Frozen Head because our marvelous state park system was still operational while the government shut down the National Park system! We stopped by
Middle Fork Falls on the way to Frozen Head.
Middle Fork Falls.. first time Michael had ever seen it! He liked it so much he did not
want to leave to go on to the next thing!
Middle Fork Falls
Next we hiked to DeBord Falls at Frozen Head. It was a short, easy hike of about a mile round trip. He ran for part of the way. He did not find it much of a challenge so its time to increase the difficulty level and the distance!
Michael at DeBord Falls
He liked DeBord Falls and played in the water. He climbed on the rocks and made friends with two sisters who were also visiting the falls with their parents. They were a bit older but he liked them so much! He told me they were so nice he wished they were his cousins! He wanted to keep them. We ate a snack on the climb back out.
We had passed a playground on the way in to the park. We went back to that and spent a long time playing hide and seek and tag and other fun games on the play sets.
We were hungry now! We had agreed to stop at Chik-Fil-A in Oak Ridge on the way back to eat lunch. We would play there too. We did eat lunch and then got in the playground indoors and for the first time... I got to see Michael climb all the way to the top!
He made it! I was so excited I squeezed my big butt in there and sneaked all the way to the top before the management could find me out and stop me!
We had a grand time. I love spending time with my grandson. He is fantastic company.
I look forward to longer and even more fun hikes to pretty features and exciting places like caves, overlooks, waterfalls, and forests.
I had long wanted to do a hike to Dismal Falls in the mountains of western North Carolina. I had heard how difficult it was from friends who had done it before.
I had read about it in Jim Bob Tinsley's book Land of Waterfalls. I had read about it on Rich's website ncwaterfalls.com I read it in Kevin Adam's book about waterfalls. Cathy recently said to me that we needed to do some of the really hard waterfall hikes while we were still physically able to do them. I agreed and took that
quite seriously.
I called her up and planned to come over for a visit two weeks from the last time I was there. I figured we'd just go ahead and do it now. She had said it could be a really hot hike and that it might be best to wait til September when things cooled down a bit. Kenny was going to end up working all weekend. We'd had lots
of rain and unseasonably cool temperatures. I could see no reason to wait.
She was agreeable so that was what we planned to do.
I stopped in Asheville to visit Jared Thursday morning. Once he went to work
I finished up what I was doing at his house and set out for Mills River. I stopped at the Ingles long enough to purchase groceries. I went inside Cathy's house just as the first drops of rain started to fall. Thankfully we did not get much rain or wind off
the line of storms passing through. She got home a little after 7 pm and we ate a nice spaghetti dinner and visited. We did some planning for the next day. We read
Kevin Adams book and looked at the map. We did not look at Rich's website tonight because the computer at Cathy's is kind of slow. It was a mistake that cost us a lot of trouble.
We had to go by Cathy's bank when they opened at 9 a.m.
We finally got on the trail at 10:25 am. The delay came from trying to find the starting point. She had done this hike twice before, but not recently. Kevin Adams
mentions in his directions .. published in 2005 that there was a planned repaving project. It would obliterate the previous parking area. One of the descriptors he used to help mark the starting place was the parking area along Hwy 281 being directly across from the gate. He also used the mileage and the point at which the road went from paved to gravel. I would highly recommend to anyone planning on doing this hike: USE THE DIRECTIONS GIVEN ON Rich's website which is the most current. Kevin Adams book Waterfalls of North Carolina has great directions, but the book is eight years old and he mentions himself that it has its limits.
We floundered around trying to find the starting point.
We both had serious doubts we'd even be able to find the trail to do this hike today.
The way things were going we were not off to a good start. Something about a trail sign we'd passed saying "Trails Carolina" kept coming back to mind. I could not recall the significance so it was useless. We finally decided we'd try to begin the hike, but if we were unsuccessful in finding the starting point we'd go hike Flat Ceek Falls instead.
Cathy suggested we just strike out through the woods in the general direction and hope to find the trail. I agreed, but still had serious doubts. We were in rhododendron, but it was not that thick. I looked down and saw a track about six inches wide. It was clearly an animal path, but the only path around. We followed it. I soon found myself at the edge of a low bank looking down at an old weedy logging road. I was encouraged that this was a good sign. Cathy helped get us going the correct direction on that road and we only walked a few short steps until we saw pavement end and a forestry gate! I knew this had to be it. During the road paving they had changed the access to the trail. Cautiously optimistic we continued down the trail before us.
Nice level trail with soft pine needles underfoot to start the hike.
The forest was beautiful and smelled good. The weather was perfect. Sunny, clear and cool. We had a slight breeze and blue skies. We hiked through a pine forest. We had the guidebook with us and the map and checked the directions against the map and what we were encountering. It was lining up and looking right.We came to the first point where we could turn right. We could hear the rush of a waterfall not far away. I was hopeful this was Aunt Sally's falls!? I hoped it was because while it was not the most spectacular falls it was new to me. It would be a sure sign we were on the correct path.
We walked a couple hundred yards into the woods to the right and there was a pretty waterfall about 25 ft high. It was indeed Aunt Sally's falls! We had found the right way!
Aunt Sally's Falls
The next sticking point along this hike is finding the West Fork of the French Broad River and fording it. Sounds easy? It sure sounds that way, but when you are crossing stream after stream along the way it is not as easy as it sounds. Once we found and forded the main stream we knew the next big creek would be Dismal Creek. We had four more falls to locate along our hike. Once across the West Fork French Broad the terrain began to steepen. We came next to an un-named but very pretty falls on Dismal Creek.
Un-named Falls -Waterfall #2 on this hike
The trail went up and up. I just had to take my time. I use the Messner step
when I am on steep uphills or steady uphill climbs. It is a rest step used by mountaineers.
It helps me to maintain the pace rather than so many outright starts and stops. It may sound quite silly to some serious mountaineers on something so piddley by comparison.
It doesn't matter to me how it sounds. It works for me. My heart and lungs are small.My legs are short. I will never be able to keep up with the pace, stride and heart-lung capacity of men. The thing I have on my side is dogged determination. We pushed on and before long swung round a beautiful rock outcrop and I could hear the sound of another large waterfall. A quick walk to the right and down off the trail and we were at Rhapsody Falls. It was gorgeous! It had lots of water coming over the gray, rocky cliffs. Green
leaves on the trees and green plants in the spray zone and sunlight filtering down through
the rivulets of water looked beautiful like a tropical rain forest.
Rhapsody Falls with beams of God Light shining through it!
Below is a video of Rhapsody Falls
The first time Rich came here he thought this was Dismal Falls.
Standing here now I told Cathy I could easily understand why he thought that. Our final
destination lay far up the mountain yet, but we spent time resting here and enjoying the view. The mist and breeze from the falls was cooling and fresh. I sat down and soaked up the scene and ate a quick snack and took a hydration break. We had seen three falls thus far and had two major ones to go!
Back on the trail for more uphill then a small level stretch. It was a blessed break.
We finally came to an obvious intersection at a big tree. The trail was marked here with two chunks of survey tape. One lead down and the other up. I figured the bottom one must be Lower Dismal Falls. Neither of us had seen that yet so we'd do that first. We turned and headed downward along the ridge.
We soon came to a point where there was more survey tape and a path to the left indicating we needed to go down. We could hear the falls below us. We climbed down
steeply hanging onto saplings, roots and rocks. Kevin Adams book warns that the climbs involved in this trip will require having both hands free to hang on. I draped my trekkers over my wrists and used them when I could which was not often. The rest of the time I just let them dangle out in space while I swung like an ape. The advice was sound, but what are you to do when you've brought them along? I could have left them up top and come back after them I suppose. We never saw another soul today and I know no one would bother them. I wanted them with me in case I needed them in the creek.
Lower Dismal Falls is not mentioned in the guidebook, but was discovered by Waterfall Guru, Bernie Boyer.
Great Wall of Dismal also discovered by Bernie.
We hiked along the great rock wall on the way to Lower Dismal. It is approximately
four hundred feet long and probably 100 feet high. It is beautiful and gloomy dark. Photos cannot do it justice. It drips water all along it. Crevices burst forth with every manner of green growing plant. Near the base of this cliff we also saw a man made wooden structure. No idea what it was. It looked like a box or a step. The rock wall acts as a parabolic microphone capturing the roar of the falls and making it seem water is rushing off the cliff at you. It is a phenomena I never quite get used to. It made me shiver.
We arrived the end of the great wall and before me I could barely see a glimpse of
Lower Dismal Falls around it. The cliff walls encroached and forced us into the stream over boulders and up through them to access the falls. We had to get in the stream as there
was no way around. We climbed rocks and slippery logs to reach the falls. It was treachery. We risked not death here, but injury a long ,long way from help. Climb the rocks and logs or get in the cascades and climb them. The flow of water was intense enough it would have meant a certain fall. The squeezed in area of cascades was quite pretty itself, but I was unconcerned with picture taking and all about making it up to the big falls. We got there and by then I was nervous.
Lower Dismal Falls is beautiful in its own right. It is 50 t0 60 feet high and
today it was flowing powerfully. It drops sheer and flows down to one side. From there is ends in a series of cascades through boulders. The stream contains mica as do many
others in the area. One chunk of mica had us thinking someone dropped a dime in the creek! It was round and perfect and silvery. We stood taking in the falls. It was hard
to get back far enough to get a good photo. The base of the falls is choked with sticks and logs in one big debris mat. I dreaded climbing back down out from this spot.
I also dreaded climbing back up the mountain!
Lower Dismal Falls. The rock here is striped dark and light similar to that of
Raven Rock Falls.
Top of Lower Dismal in the sunshine. So pretty!
We worked our way carefully back out of this spot. Back along the rock wall.
We began our climb up the bank hand over hand. It was not possible to see the top of the climb from the bottom. It was a longer climb than some. We got back to the top
and to the intersection. Lots of huffing and puffing and more uphill to come!
The fifth and final falls lay up the mountain on Dismal Creek. The last quarter mile
hike to Dismal Falls is brutally steep. I did not like it, but my knees liked it a lot less coming down than I did going up! I don't have any lasting knee problems, but today I felt something straining in my left knee. The only thing that was going to get us there was lots of Knees to the Shoulders! We pressed ahead. The climb was tough, but finally I began to see a glimmer of hope. We were running out of mountain so we could not have far to go!
Sure enough the climb leveled off and then it was time for another wicked down climb.
We hung on tight and climbed down the steep mountain side hanging on to more rhododendron shrubs, roots and rocks. The climb was long enough and layered enough that we could hear the falls, but it was a soft sound for a huge 150 ft falls. It still sounded off in the distance. We slipped and slid. We sent our trekking poles skidding down the mountain ahead of us in places to have hands free. Finally I could see the creek and began to really be able to hear it. We spotted two survey tape flagged routes to different vantage points of the falls. I just picked the lower one first and went ahead. Finally before me was the legend.. Dismal Falls in its glory.
150 ft high Dismal Falls
I was not disappointed! We did some victory whoops and hollers. We made it!
I could not believe I was finally standing here! I was elated. I was also very sweaty, tired, and hungry. We had waited to eat lunch til we were at the main falls. We sat down and soaked up the sight of the massive waterfall while we ate our sammidges and chips.
Cathy remarked she had not seen this much water on the falls on previous trips.
I knew just from checking out Rich's photos it was high flow by comparison.
Cathy found a cap at the falls on that log. Rich, did you leave one behind? If so Cathy has it and regardless where it came from.. she wore it! She was trying to show that unlike you she is not a germphobe! She put it right on her head! I had mixed feelings about that.
I wished I knew for sure if it was yours or not. I also wondered if you'd wear it again after
it got left there in the weather? It had a few pine needles on it.
Closer view of the top portion of Dismal Falls
Below is a video of both Lower Dismal and Dismal Falls
We left the falls around 3 pm and began our trip back. The climb up and out was tough, but we made it safely. I swallowed a bug of some kind. Cathy got me to laughing
and wanted me to make chimpanzee noises as I climbed. I was happy to oblige but then the laughing started! We had to be giddy by now. The hike out was rough on the downhill part, but leveled off finally. I sat down and put on dry socks which helped my sore toes feel better.
We had the last bit of trouble when we got back to our starting point. She preferred the idea of just going back the way we came. She picked the shorter, steeper route back to the vehicle versus a longer, more gradual path. I was ok with that, but she then took us back up the logging road. I had thought she meant go back the same way. No.. a different way. It took us through briars which had me cursing. I got stabbed in the knee by a stick. We finally came out at a thicket of rhodo far worse than the first one we'd faced. I knew the road was below us somewhere but could not see it. It sounded far off.
I had no desire to get clawed up more. I also refused to risk the climb down not knowing
where we were in relation to the vehicle. I had the sense that our luck was about to run out with the snake population. Evening is when snakes crawl out to bask and move.
I told her I was turning around and heading back and going to walk the road back to the car. I was in a foul mood from being tired and in pain. I had scratches upon scratches.
My legs were bleeding and bruised.
We walked the road and it turned out to be Trails Carolina property.
We should have parked here and walked. It would have simplified things greatly.
We had a hot road walk back but it was shaded and very little traffic. We had a little breeze. Any future trips we'll know. It all made sense now. Trails Carolina meant something to me and I had been correct, but it was all for nothing now.
I should have spoken up sooner. Hind sight is always 20/20.
Back at Cathy's home we ate dinner and were ready for bed by 9:15 pm.
We did not set alarms for the next day. We slept in and each got 10 1/2 hours of much needed rest! We were both stiff sore wimmens that night. Next day we were fine.
We had some breakfast and went for a nice EASY hike today. Wintergreen Falls in DuPont State Forest. It was the last waterfall to see for us there. It was a super easy hike and very pretty. It was another bluebird day. I feel fortunate indeed to have a best friend like Cathy to have these adventures with!
Wintergreen Falls in DuPont State Forest is about 25 ft high.
Below is a video of Wintergreen Falls in Dupont State Forest. Another Wintergreen Falls is listed on the challenge. It is located on the Toxaway River and is much more difficult to reach.
**Edited to add: Dismal Falls is a part of the Carolina Mountain Club's Waterfall 100.
I mention this because the entire route was flagged with survey tape and appears to be traveled more than in the past. The days of trying to locate this falls and the accompanying difficulties are greatly reduced because it is now a better known hike.
While screwing up directions on parking areas and access were a P-I-T-A... it was probably the only navigational challenge left associated with the hike. Kevin Adams, Rich Stevenson, Harry Jones,Kelvin Taylor, Cathy Howell, Bernie Boyer, Jim Bob Tinsley and past hikers
who braved this trip before it was well known are trail blazers. Those of us who visit the falls now will never experience the trip in quite the way they did.
Props to these brave souls!
I had see beautiful photos of different people's photos of Chimney Tops Nature Trail taken during Spring wildflower season. I had never hiked it and knew I needed to go check it out. I had been saving it for a family hike and picnic, but plans kept getting messed up by weather and other things. I wanted to get out on Thursday and spend a day in the sun and woods. Friday called for foul weather with lots of rain and turning cold.
We had plans to go away for part of the weekend and I needed to get home at a reasonable time to pack. I figured today was the perfect time to do a combination hike.
I'd hike Chimney Tops Nature Trail today. I'd drive the river road out to Cades Cove and view wildflowers along the way. I'd hike Crooked Arm Cascade and wrap up my day by
driving out Rich Mountain Road to head home. I turned out to be real pleased with my choices.
Silver Bell tree in peak bloom!
I knew Chimney Tops Nature Trail was part of the Wildflower pilgrimage tour and there would be lots of people. It was busy, but I got an early start and found a good parking spot. Everyone was in a good mood and friendly. I met and talked with lots of very pleasant fellow wildflower enthusiasts and hikers. I had a good time. The trail was
a loop and the main attraction here is the carpets of fringed phacelia and the trilliums!
The fringed phacelia is what makes those snowy white carpets of flowers! It is a tiny, delicate beauty. The large flowered trilliums were incredible! They lined the banks and were too numerous to count! Some had begun to age to pink and that always adds some variety to the display!
Carpet of Fringed Phacelia
Closeup view of the little flower that puts on such a big show!
White wakerobin, yellow violets, and fringed phacelia in a grouping.
Masses of trilliums to be seen along the way.
Crisp, pure white of a freshly bloomed Trillium grandiflora
A particularly scenic spot along the path. A bench surrounded by wildflowers!
The path is uphill for part of it and has some parts that are rocky and make you work a little bit, but overall it is not hard. There are benches provided along the way as rest stops.
I really liked this trail and could not believe I had not hiked it sooner! I will try to revisit here and hike it at different times during the bloom season to see what else I might find in the way of wildflowers? It is a rich, cove hardwood forest so it should have some other pretty things in bloom during different times of the year.
Sun shining down through the forest canopy. I was very glad I got out to hike today and
soak up some warm weather, breezes, sunshine and blue skies! The next morning we entered Dogwood Winter in earnest!
Blue skies over Chimneytops Nature Trail
I saw lots of beautiful wildflowers here. Some that I saw were blue cohosh, dwarf ginseng, white violets, yellow violets, purple violets, trilliums, phacelia of purple and fringed, showy orchis, dwarf crested iris, white wakerobin, canada violets, bishops cap,trillium leuteum, nodding mandarin, wild geranium and phlox. It was also nice to be
at a facility where there are other people happy and having a good time. It was good to have bathroom facilities with running water and paper towels. I don't mind roughing it and do so frequently, but I was glad for modern conveniences today. I take a fluid pill and sometimes I feel like I have a bladder the size of a thimble!
I drove out the river road all the way to Cades Cove. I usually take the local route and cut across at Metcalf Bottoms to go home, but today I was heading to the cove. I did not want to miss anything in bloom along the way there. I was pleased to have chosen this route today! Lots of other people had the same idea, but traffic was not bad at all. Nothing near what I expected. I don't have a lot of road rage like the Silverback in the family. That big gorilla is the one to cuss out fellow motorists 99% of the time.
Kenny Koogler .. has 0 tolerance for slowpokes on the road.
Little River and redbuds in bloom along my way.
I saw great masses of these wild columbines in bloom along the rocky roadside on my way out to Cades Cove!
Me pulling off every little bit to take pictures! I was really thankful for those many well placed pull offs today! Blue blue skies and puffy white clouds!
I stopped at the main parking area for Cades Cove just before starting around the loop.
I sat there and ate a quick cup of yogurt for lunch. I asked the man at the info booth to be certain that Rich Mountain road was open today. He confirmed that it was. I set out to hike to Crooked Arm Cascade and planned to drive that road on my way home.
I had not gone far when I spotted something neat on the trail. The dry dirt beside the trail suddenly sprung up with lime green sprouts. I took a closer look and there by my feet were about a dozen adders tounge ferns!
Southern Adder's Tounge Fern. Ophioglossum vulgatum. It doesn't look much like what you'd expect for a fern, does it? Watch close to the ground for these delicate, interesting little plants.
I had forgotten just how easy and beautiful a hike it was to Crooked Arm.
The piney woods smelled heavenly. Lots of green fresh new growth and the scent of pines and a good breeze today. I saw a side path and turned to follow it. I was very glad I did because after all these years I finally saw a lower portion of these cascades I had never visited before!
Lower Crooked Arm Cascade
I turned back to the main trail and continued up the hill and around the bend just a bit further and I could hear the main falls of Crooked Arm Cascade. I found a steep, rutted side path leading down to it. I carefully picked my way down the bank until I stood before the falls.
Crooked Arm Cascade is about 25 feet high. There was not as much water coming over it today as I have seen, but it was still worth the trip.
I stood and enjoyed the falls for a spell. The water sounded so nice.
I loved the view of the new green leaves fanned out over the falls. Around the falls yellow and black butterflies soared and swooped. Showy orchis, large flowered trilliums, and perfoliate bellwort bloomed around the falls on the banks. Moss and ferns and other delicate plants lined the far bank where it was wetter. I checked out the debris mat below the falls for snakes, but did not find any today. I finally trudged back up the bank and hit the trail to make my way to the jeep. I found myself confronted by a pair of gentle does who wanted to visit. They checked me out and posed for pictures.
The grazed and batted their eyelashes at me. I talked to them and they nodded back to me.
One of a pair of does on my way out from Crooked Arm
Beautiful clear day out in Cades Cove
I cruised out through Cades Cove enjoying the sights. I did not see any bears today, but I did see turkeys! I also saw some very pretty vistas and some more wildflowers. I saw bluebells along the roadside. I turned onto Rich Mountain Road to enjoy a country drive with much less traffic and hopefully some pretty wildflowers. I was not disappointed. I saw some nice views and wildflowers. I only saw one other vehicle the whole time.
I saw three men on horseback who came up the road about the time I was crossing the park boundary line. I took my time and enjoyed the quiet and easy, leisurely drive.
I grew up driving on stuff like this and worse. It is a great road to me. It is like an interstate highway far as I'm concerned.
View back into Cades Cove from Rich Mountain Road
Rich Mountain Road in good shape.
View toward Dry Valley from Rich Mountain Road
Spotted mandarin in bloom! First time seeing it in the Smokies!
Dwarf Larkspur in bloom near Rich Mountain Road
I enjoyed stopping along the way home and seeing various pretty things.
I ended up in Townsend where I needed to be to get a few items from the store before heading home. I had a full day that was enjoyable and still got me home in time to pack for the next episode tomorrow!
Here is a short video highlighting what I saw today. Turkeys dancing, lower and upper Crooked Arm falls, and the deer out on the trail.
Closeup view of the little flower that puts on such a big show! 
