The Smokies

After our wonderful time in Murphy, NC, we wanted to move to the other side of the Smoky National Park and picked Townsend, TN, a small town with a decent campground nearby Cade's Cove, a spot we definitely wanted to visit again.  We figured it had been at least 20 years since we had been there before.  

It was funny as we got closer to Townsend, I mentioned to Jan there was a Bronco II, not a vehicle you see that often since it was discontinued in 1990.  We went another few miles and I see 2 more!  Huh?  Then another couple, followed by 4 more?!?!?  Turned out there was a big get together for all Bronco's in Townsend when we arrived, I have never seen so many Bronco II's ever, and didn't know there were so many of them.  Anyway, we pulled into our campground, Big Meadow Family Campground, a pretty nice place, well maintained, completely full, tons of Bronco's, but quite pricey.  But definitely the nicest in the immediate area.  We arrived on a Friday, spent a quiet evening and it rained all that night, all day Saturday into Sat night.  But that's okay once in a while, it's nice to just hunker down, chill out, and Jan even made corned beef and cabbage on our rainy, cool day.  Even better we had delicious reubens and really splurged on a Guinness for lunch the following day!

Starting to clear

We took big loop up through Pigeon Forge, OMG, it has turned into a mini Las Vegas, insane!  Then up to Sevierville, back around through Gatlinburg, no sign of any pandemic there, the streets were as crowded as ever, then a cut through the park back to Townsend.  We found a nice spot for coffee along a river, a nice day.

Our coffee spot

Even caught a bunch of kayakers getting out of the water

We waited until Monday for great weather, and thought it wouldn't be crowded in Cade's Cove, being as it was a weekday and way before the season, wrong, wrong, wrong.  Lines and lines of cars, and of course even with signs absolutely everywhere saying, 'Do not stop on the roadway, use the turnoffs," do I even have to say anything more:-(  It was a gorgeous day, and we weren't in any hurry so we just went with the flow, at least as much as I am able.

Turkey all over, with this Tom strutting his stuff

We took a walk up to one of the restored cabins.

The view the cabin enjoyed

The first bear we saw.  The ranger said even though it looks like a baby, it was on its own.
He said once they get to a year old they separate from momma

The austere interior of the Primitive Baptist Church

And our second bear

We made our way along the one way road to the Becky Cable house to where the park service has moved several other buildings to show what life was like back then.

The Becky Cable house

A grain barn

The grist mill

We continued around to get back to the picnic area for lunch and came upon the last cabin on the tour, the idyllic Carter Shields cabin built in the 1880's.

We had a nice picnic along a stream, the weather could not have been nicer!

Jan caught me funny, I am really enjoying our lunch:-)

We meandered back to the campground over a nice one way dirt road that climbed up and out of the cove.  Enjoyed our last evening in Townsend and bid it farewell.