Truly enjoyed this leg of our trip! Jeff and I have always loved the Shenandoah Valley in Virginia and found that Eastern Tennessee and Southeastern Kentucky were even better! One of the drawbacks in Virginia has always been the humidity, while in Tennessee, temperatures were in the 90s but the humidity was so low that just being in the shade felt a lot cooler. Another contributing factor were the mountains and sheer natural beauty. I would highly recommend this area in Tennessee and Kentucky to anyone!
We stayed outside of Knoxville in Clinton TN. One of the first places we went was the Museum of Appalachia. This museum is a living history museum that lends voice to the people of Southern Appalachia through artifacts and stories they left behind. There may still be some people who live this way today.
We were able to do a lot of hiking while in Tennessee. One of the most impressive places we went was Clingmans Dome. Clingmans Dome is the highest point in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It is 6,643 feet above sea level and the dome at the top offers 360 degree views of the smokies and beyond. You can drive close to the drop and have to climb the last half mile. It may not sound like much but that last half mile is quite steep, though it does offer lots of places to stop and rest along the way.
We took a ride north to where Tennessee meets Kentucky and Virginia at the Cumberland Gap. The gap is a pass through the long ridge of the Cumberland Mountains (which are part of the Appalachian Mountains). This area is known as part of the Wilderness Road and was used by pioneers heading westward led by Daniel Boone. It was pretty eerie to think that we were walking along the same path that Daniel Boone travelled. These first couple of pictures are from Pinnacle Overlook which is said to be Cumberlan Gaps most iconic overlook.
The following were along the Wilderness Trail to the Tri-State Monument where Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia meet.
Besides the Gap, we also took a ride to Cumberland Falls in Kentucky. It is also known as ‘Little Niagara’ or the ‘Niagara of the South’. It is a waterfall on the Cumberland River that is known for its moonbows. We were there earlier in the day so did not experience this phenomenan but the falls were pretty in their own right.
Another place we hiked to while in the Smoky Mountains was Laurel Falls. This was a popular paved trail which took you to an 80 foot high falls named for the mountain laurel, an evergreen shrub which blooms along the trail and the falls. This was our first hike where we encountered a bear. The bear cub was walking along the trail ahead of us as we made our way back down the trail. People up by the falls had said that they had seen the mother and another cub in the woods near the trail. We did not see them but this guy was interesting to watch.
Below is a video of the Bear trucking ahead of us.
While in Tennesse we met up with a former co-worker of Jeff’s – Steve and his wife Judy. Spent a wonderful day at their house with the dogs for a barbecue and tour of the area. Even got to meet Steve’s mom. Steve took us for a ride to Roan Mountain on the North Carolina/Tennessee border. This place is known for its Catawba Rhododendrons which bloom around fathers day. We missed by a couple of weeks but it was still a gorgeous view.
On our way down from the mountain we stopped at a Grist Mill.
Took ride to Kingston TN one day and visited Fort Southwest Point. This fort was a federal frontier outpost which served as a major point of interaction between the Governement and the Cherokee as well as a way station for migrants travelling between Knoxville and Nashville.
There was a Dam nearby where we stayed. The Norris Dam is located on the Clinch River.
The last place we explored while in Tennessee was a place called the Lost Sea. The Lost Sea is a cavern tour and underground lake.
When we left the caverns, before heading back, we took a drive along their Skyway which ran from Tennessee into North Carolina.
Overall Tennessee and southern Kentucky was beautiful! From here we traveled further north into Kentucky and Indiana.
Fran and Jeff’s Retirement Adventures 