Great Smoky Mountain National Park

We spent Tuesday night in the Smokmont Campground. It was very full. More beautiful vistas this morning as we drive through the park. My mother read that the Great Smoky Mountain National Park is the busiest in the country and it seemed like it. Tons of cars on the roads at 8:15am driving and even more parked for hiking trails. There is no park entrance fee so that is part of why it’s so busy. 

Drove toward Nashville today. Staying at Bledsoe Creek State Park tonight. I’m really impressed with this park. They had informative ranger led talk this afternoon, it’s handicap accessible with two trails, bathrooms and campsites for wheelchair access. This is also the first park that recycles and makes an effort to conserve energy. I should’t Say that b/c the National parks to date have skylights in all their bathrooms and actual lights don’t turn on until dark. There are tons of deer in this park. 

When we first got here, we thought the temperature and humidity were bearable. After an hour we decided we would need to be in a motel as we make our way to Memphis and then New Orleans. It was still 93 degrees at 7pm. We had a dramatic thunder and lightning storm last night, but the tents held in the wind. 

A few things I noticed all the men smoke in Tennessee, and I’ve seen some very scary looking men here. Not big and scary, but lanky, crazy-eyed, stringy hair scary. 

Wildlife:

2turkey

A bat

7 deer ( 1 fawn)

3 roadkill