Day 28 - Pigeon Forge, TN to Asheville, NC

We wanted out of this town early, so the alarm was set for 6:00 am, followed by yet another lousy breakfast at 7:00 and Starbucks at 7:23. It was just getting light when we crossed into the Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

It’s not a long drive through the park from Gatlinburg, Tennessee to Cherokee, North Carolina. A little over 30 miles of two lane road and every one of those miles is beautiful. Much of the drive curved through a tree covered lane. In the early morning hours the sun through those trees was music for the eyes. A small stream played tag with one side of the road and then the other. And just as you become comfortable with that view, the trees give way to expansive views of the Smokey Mountains. For me to pull over and let cars pass is unheard of. But I did. A side trip to 6,643 foot Clingmans Dome took us to the highest point in the park.

Exiting the park took us into the Cherokee Indian Reservation and the town of Cherokee, which unfortunately looked like a miniature version of yesterday. I guess the tourist dollar is just too irresistible.

We continued on to Asheville, lunch and our motel. After checking in we headed to Hendersonville, North Carolina to visit with Bill, a real estate agent there. Got a great rundown on the area and a lot of literature to review. Then off to look at some 55+ residential areas. Amazing what you can get for $200,000 in that part of the country.

Tomorrow we’re off to Hickory and Blowing Rock, North Carolina. 215 miles today.

Great Smoky Mountains