Smoky Mountain Cabin: Bears Belong Outside

Of course the most famous Smoky Mountain animal is the black bear.  We know the bears are living in our backyard; we just have not seen them yet.  The construction crew told us they saw plenty of their signs on the ground.  Our neighbor across the street saw one carry away the entire $70 "bear proof" trashcan off his deck. 

If you see a bear near Lightning Bug Lodge, please tell us your story.  The population density in the Great Smoky Mountain National park is approximately one bear per square mile, ie 500-600 bears live in the park.  Tip:  Locals tell me if you want to see a bear, drive to Cades Cove in the park.

For safety's sake and the bears longevity, please do not feed the bears.  We recommend using our $600 National Park standard bear trash cans, eating your picnic on the highest deck, and quickly removing all food once done.  Also, our neighbors warned to jog during the day, not at dusk and dawn.  Tip:  Be especially careful in March and April when newborn cubs emerge and mothers are highly protective.

Think about your odds vs. the bear. 
     Size:  Can stand 6 feet at shoulder height, weigh over 400 pounds,
    Ability to find food:  prefers berries but flexible & will eat human food, has a keen sense of smell
    Athletic ability:  easily climb trees, and run up to 30 miles per hour
If you do encounter a bear, make a lot of noise and retreat.  Don't act dead.

We hope the only bear in the cabin is the stuffed animal bear photographed above.  It was given to my daughter at the local furniture store, along with a popsicle.  She was a happy girl!  Let the bears be happy, let them wander freely outside.

Smoky Mountain Cabin: Grilling in the Smokies

     Part of making memories together is making meals together.  Ligthning Bug Lodge exudes luxury in the woods, so we've bought a brand new high end grill for you to show off your grilling skills.  One of the conveniences of our location is that you will drive past a major Kroger grocery store on the way to the cabin (220 Wears Valley Road) on your way back from the strip.  Many tourists miss this major store and complain about limited groceries or high prices.  You just have to get off the beaten path.  If you are a planner and enjoy exploring local food like me, consider buying mountain food online ahead of your trip.  I recommend http://www.smokiesstore.org/browse.cfm/2,61.html.  Why?  Because your purchase serves a good purpose.  It supports the Great Smoky Mountains Association (GSMA), a nonprofit to help the park, which sponsors free historic demonstrations and festivals, funds the Park's library, and helps fund the environmental education program at the Institute at Tremont.  They offer cornmeal, wheat flour, sorghum, molasses, preserves, relish, pumpkin butter, honey, and pure maple syrup. 
While in the Smokies, we've also bought molasses and cornmeal at local stores, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park visitor center gift shops, and Dollywood.

Wild Turkey in our Mountain Backyard

Birding has increased significantly in the past century and birders know the Smoky Mountains as an exceptional place to see birds in diverse landscapes from forests to meadows.  Over 240 species have been found in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  It is estimated that a person who can identify most species by sight or sound and who explore as many habitats as possible can find 100 species in a day during peak migration (late April to early May). 

Where can you find them:  It's true, open fields account for less than 1% of the park and that's where the wild turkey likes to linger.  Well, you can find the wild turkey in the Lightning Bug Lodge backyard.  I took this photo standing from our cabin deck.

History:  The wild turkey has had an interesting history from protected to listed on the endangered list to protected in the park.  The Native Americans viewed the slow moving bird as "not bright" and believed eating them would weaken their spirits, so they didn't hunt them.  The Europeans didn't share this belief and hunted them until only 30,000 were left. 

A little bit of trivia:  Benjamin Franklin, who opposed the eagle as the national symbol, was a fan of the turkey, "The turkey, a bird of courage, would not hesitate to attack a grenadier of the British guards.  The turkey is a much more respectable bird for America."  Outside of the park, turkey are now hunted again and are considered as one of the four most popular game, along with wild hog, black bears, and deer.  But please don't hunt down the turkey in our backyard, leave them for the birders and shoot them with your camera.