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Where to stay in the heart of it all, thats the question.
Our goal on our trip: the Smokey Mountains in North Carolina and music city Nashville.
On the way through Indiana and Kentucky we've seen nice areas for a longer stay then just driving
through. Next time we will !
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The first day from Manito-IL to
Bloomington-IN, 255 miles. Crossing the State Line, the Wabash River at Terre Haute-IN. Bloomington
is 12 miles off of the Hoosier National Forest and Lake Monroe and is a Lake & Outdoor
Recreation area for fishing, boating, hunting, hiking and other activities. The main body of Lake
Monroe lies in Monroe County, but its boundaries extend into Brown and Jackson counties. Through
this area go's US 446, the Salt Lake Causeway, which divides the lake into two distinct basins.
The upper basin is restricted to idling speed and the lower basin is zoned for cruising speed. The
second day we drove around the area and followed scenic
US 135 South. You'll pass villages like Stone Head, Story and Freetown till Salem and further south
over Interstate 65 all the way to Louisville and through Kentucky over 64 and 75 to
Knoxville-Tennessee. The Interstate 75 go's through the Daniel Boone National Forest with on the
Tennessee side the Big South Fork River and Recreration Area. An area for rafting on the Cumberland
River.
Before Knoxville you'll pass Norris with the Appalachia Museum, an openair museum of about 35
pionier buildings.
Important: see TIP. |
 To
avoid heavy traffic and hours of delay on US 441 stay on I-75 to exit 81 Lenoir City and drive the
US 321 over Townsend to
Pigeon Forge. Or follow I-40 till exit 440
and take US 321. We found a place to sleep at Sevierville.
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From Savierville till Gatlinburg US 441 is a long road with two lanes on
both sides with entertainment, attractions, restaurants & services. The center of this is Pigeon
Forge a place fore family fun. Much like Branson-MO
but with more 'space'. Just outside this place is Dolly Parton's Dollywood and Dolly's new waterpark
located in the scenic splendor of the Smoky Mountains. We spend a whole day of siteseeing, shopping
and a visit to the ingredible Christmas Place
and at night we picked a show in the 'Southern Nights' Music Theater with country, oldies,
bluegrass, gospel and comedy. The dubble lanes in Pigeon Forge go's over into two lanes at
Gatlingburg, therefore the other day we drove the Gatlingburg Bypass (scenic route) to the Cherokee
Indian Reservation-NC. |
Around
every corner, atop each ridge and down every path, the scenery in Great Smoky Mountains National
Park is absolutely breathtaking. Whether you're driving or hiking, spectacular views surround you at
every turn, and the world-famous "smoke" that gave the mountains their name is a mystical
now as it was when the Cherokee Indians lived there centuries ago.
There are numerous trails for hiking in a range from easy to difficult. Beat a path to the prettiest
sights around. |
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The Smoky
Mountains are the enchanted homeland of the Cherokee Indians. 
In a rich Indian culture with exciting family attractions is the place an ideal vacation
destination. From here at the The Northern boundery of North Carolina is the entrance to the scenic
Blue Ridge Parkway 750 kilometres long to Shenandoah National Park in Virginia. Visitors to the area
enjoy year-round activities like hiking, whitewater rafting, canoeing and some of the
best trout you'll ever catch. |
| White man's
lust for gold and land was all consuming Cherokee land between 1684 and 1835. The Cherokee issue was
hotly debated in Congress but signed the "Removal Treaty" of the Cherokee Indians in 1812.
In 1838 began the "Trail of Tears" a 1.200 mile journey to unfamiliar land in Oklahoma.
The Cherokee Removal was the cruelest ever. |
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| Because there's only one way to drive
through we returned over the Parkway back 'home'. On the way back you'll see the mountains from a
different angle. A spectacular view to all sides, specialy in the Fall when the colors are fantastic
to see. This time we followed the US 441 through crowdy Gatlingburg with on every crossing traffic
lights. In Gatlingburg great adventures are waiting to be discovered but it's better to walk along
the Parkway then to drive. Finally we came at the beginning of the four-lane part of US 441 back to
Savierville. After a nice supper in Pigeon Forge we ended up dead tyred in our hotel. |
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This is what we saw on the way. The 'smoke' in the
background
and the thousands of colors of the forest in the country fall. |
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Branson-MO |
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Nashville
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