Cades Cove

Today was the last day of our little anniversary get-away.  We had heard from multiple people that Cades Cove is a must do and is the most likely place to see a black bear.  Since that was Jim's life ambition this trip that is exactly where we headed.  The views along the way and the beauty of the changing leaves was so amazing.  

Pictures never do justice to God's work.

We were advised by a GSM (Great Smokey Mountain) Park Ranger that if we were heading out to Cades Cove and wanted to do some hiking, we should stop at the Middle Prong Trail for a beautiful cascading waterfall.  Well, lets just say that there was a mix up and we ended up on West Prong Trail, not Middle Prong Trail, and there was no such waterfall.  In fact, this 2.7 mile out and back trail did not offer much of anything except a very steep, winding climb and a jungle of Rhododendrons to walk through.  However, the end of the 2.7 mile hike did give us a glimpse of something neat, something normal for the area, something we will never do - a primitive campsite (again, that you have to hike 2.7 miles with everything you need strapped to your back including your food, tent, clothes, pillows, campstove, etc.) that included a permanent bear bag station.

Eventually and much later than planned, we made it to Cades Cove - an 11 mile loop that was settled back in 1818.  There are over 80 of the original buildings still standing in this area including the John Oliver cabin that was built in the early 1820s.

Cades Cove is an exceptionally busy area.  The tourist book states that over 2-million people visit the area every year and  judging by the amount of traffic we ran into in this loop I believe it!  And with views like this, I'd make it a routine stop when I am in the area too.

In fact, if I lived in the area, I just might bring my camping chair and join this gentleman in some life reflecting thinking as well.