Family Idea #2: Hiking to Listen

This is the second article in a series of ideas on how to take the ideas from Re-Energize Your Relationship book and apply to vacationing in the Smokies.  We hope Lightning Bug Lodge is a place for you to strengthen relationships and gain new perspective.

Idea:  Chapter "A walk on the Wild Side" encourages couples to escape the house and reconnect through walking, "Walking is wonderful.  Need to clear your head of clutter and put problems into perspective?  Take a hike."  Get outdoors and listen to your loved ones.

Action:  Walking around the neighborhood is start.  Kick it up a notch by adding a new view.  How about hiking in the Smokies?

Plan:  Two hikes rumored to be relatively secluded in Townsend, TN (the quiet side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park)

1.  Indian Hills Falls trail

The stats:  8-11 miles out & back, 5.5 hours, easy/moderate, rated 5/5 stars by hikers

Where:  Park at Institue at Tremont visitor center, take the Middle Prong Trail

What's neat:  old railroad bed, logging community artifacts, Panther Falls

Tip:  Go left at 4 miles (the trail takes you in that direction, but there's no sign)

2.  Spruce Flats Falls & Chestnut Top Wildflowers trail

The stats:  2 miles out & back, difficult, 1,400 ft. to 1,700, rated 5/5 stars by hikers

Where:  Park at Tremont visitor center, take Lumber Ridget Trail to Buckeye to Falls

Tip:  dropoffs, narrow, and rocky, but at the end rewarded with a waterfall

Catch your own meal in the Smokies, An easy fishing adventure

According to the NPS, the Great Smoky Mountain National Park has 2,115 miles of streams and protects one of the last wild trout habitats in the eastern US.  Fishing is permitted with license except in Bear Creek (NC) and Lynn Camp Prong (TN).

However, if you have young children and want to be certain to catch a fish and eat it too, check out English Mountain Trout Farm.  A friend who stayed at Lightning Bug Lodge (LBL) recommended the experience.  Go for the experience, delicious fish, and friendly service.  Don't go there for fancy facilities or a fast or cheap meal.  Their slogan is "you hook em'. we cook em'".

The kids had a blast, so proud of their catch.  All the cameras came out.  The kids even had interest in watching the fish be prepared for cooking.  It's a great lesson that food comes from our natural environment (vs. a plastic container from Wal-Mart).  Plus the owner Charlie and his wife Angie took the time to sit down with us at the dinner table and teach us about the benefits of fresh fish vs. frozen imports.  Now that's edutainment the kids will remember.

It's difficult to find English Mountain Trout Farm online except for it's #1 rating on tripadvisor.com.  So give Charlie a call (865) 429-5553 and get off the beaten trail to 291 Blowing Cave Road, Sevierville, TN 37876.  Consider making it a day trip and tour nearby Tuckaleechee Caverns.  Search "caves" for my article on Tuckaleechee.

Smoky Mountains, Average Weather by Month

My friends would like to find the ideal time to visit the Smoky Mountains National Park.  It's an ideal place to visit, no matter what the season.  Determine what activity you want to do the most then pick your month.  This article will help give you direction with average Pigeon Forge, TN temperatures per month, thanks to weatherchannel.com.

1.  Go skiing & enjoy the peaceful snow covered mountains - Choose Winter

Smoky Mountains National Park is nearby the Ober Gatlinburg ski resort, offering skiing, ice skating, and tube riding.  Check out the LBLodge Smoky Mountain channel on You Tube for video.

http://www.youtube.com/user/LBLodgeSmokyMountain#p/c/E240D6EF56DF9040/1/SMn4iRxN69E40/1/SMn4iRxN69E

If you would rather watch the snow from a cozy indoor cabin, rent our cabin and enjoy the fireplace.  Just don't forget your boots, winter gear, and can food:

Dec.  27 - 50 degrees (average low/high)
Jan.    25- 46

Feb.  27-51

2.  Enjoy nature's flora, waterfalls, & less crowded hikes - Choose Spring

According to National Parks Traveler, "As Yellowstone National Park is to wildlife, Great Smoky Mountains National Park is to flora", check out the full article for hiking ideas to see spring flowers 

http://www.nationalparkstraveler.com/2009/04/where-look-spring-wildflowers-great-smoky-mountains-national-park; The LBL cabin has quite the variety of plants & birds in the backyard, enjoy it from our wrap-around porch.  Bring a jacket & umbrella, May has more precipitation than any other month on average.  Consider indoor activities too like Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies.

March 34-61 degrees

April   43-69

May   53-77

3.  Get wet & wild in the sunshine - Choose Summer

The most visited season of the year when all the roads in the National Park are open and vacationers play in the rivers.  It's a natural playground offering white water rafting and tubing (check out links on right to "Tube down the river" or "Raft down the River").  Also, you'll have more amusement park options including Dollywoods Splash County water park.  Temperatures cool down as you ascend up the mountain, so take a break from the heat in our mountain cabin.  Bring your sunscreen, hat, picnic supplies, and water.

June  61-84 degrees

July   65-87

Aug   64-86

4.  Photograph the foliage & learn mountain history - Choose Fall

Looking for gorgeous pictures?  Shoot the changing leaf colors in Cades Cove and throughout the National Park.  Learn more about the mountain history and culture through local festivals including 1) Dumplin Valley Bluegrass Festival, 2) Barbeque & Bluegrass Festival, 3) Townsend Fall Festival & Old Timers Day, 4) Sevier County Fair, 5)Old Mill Square Heritage Day, 6) Trout Tournament, 7) Woodcarvers Festival and multiple car shows http://www.smokymountainharvestfestival.com/

Sept. 57-81 degrees

Oct.  43-71

Nov. 35-59

What is your favorite season in the Smokies and why?

Mingo Falls & 7 More Waterfalls Near the Smoky Mountains

The power and peace of the waterfalls, perhaps that's what draws us to visit them.  If you only go to the waterfalls within walking distance of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park visitor centers or the ones on all the postcards, you might miss the peace.  Seek the trail less traveled. 

One I'd recommend is Mingo Falls.  It's a bit difficult to find the entrance to the trail (small country roads & few signs), but once you arrive, you'll note that there's less than a dozen parking spots and there's still room for your car (especially small crowds if during the week).  Once at the Mingo Falls Campground on the Cherokee Indian Reservation, you only need to hike 0.4 miles.  It's considered moderately difficult because it includes 161 rough steps built along a creek, sometimes wet and muddy.  But when you get to the top, it's worth it.  Watch 120 ft. of water cascading down while standing on bridge.  Hear the peace.  Smell the fresh air.  Feel the breeze.

There's many waterfalls near the Smoky Mountains, here's 8 more to add to your "to see" list:
1.  Mingo Falls (as pictured above)
2.  Juney Whank Falls- moderate 0.8 trail to 90 ft. falls, from Bryson City drive to Deep Creek Campground
3.  Abrams Falls - moderate 5 mile hike to a 20 ft. waterfall, short but powerful with its large volume of water, near stop #10 Cades Cove
4.  Ramsey Cascades - difficult 8 miles, but rewarding with the park's tallest waterfall (100 ft), 4.7 mile drive first from the Greenbrier entrance (TN)
5.  Meigs Falls - 0 hike, drive along Little River Rd and stop at the pulloff 13 miles west of Sugarlands Visitor Center (TN)
6.  Hen Wallow Falls - moderate 4.4 mile hike from Gabes Mountain Trail, park at Cosby Picnic area
7.  Indian Creek/Tom Branch Falls - easy 1.6 mile hike, 2 falls for 1 hike special, Indian Creek Falls = 25 ft. tall, also from Deep Creek Campground
8.  Mouse Creek Falls - moderate 4 milke hike, includes Midnight Hole, a picturesque pool below a 6' falls; exit I-40 at Waterville Rd. (#451) turn left after crossing the Pigeon River and proceed 2.3 miles

Tip:  See photos before the trip to choose which one you want to visit.  I've added a photo gallery of each of the 8 falls on flickr for you http://www.flickr.com/photos/krenda/galleries/

For Nature Lovers, The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage in the Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) is a great place to enjoy wildflowers and teach children about them.  My child's alphabet book S is for S'mores, a Camping Alphabet, recognizes the GSMNP for it's wildflowers.  It specifically calls out an annual event, "Each spring wildflowers cover the land with a rainbow of color depending on the area, elevation, precipitation, and other conditions...The Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage is an annual event of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park."  It made me wonder whether the week long festival still exist since the book publishing (2007).  In 2011, The Spring Wildflower Pilgimage will celebrate it's 61st year.  Past events included a variety of flora & fauna programs:

wildflower photography, wildflower walk,

big trees walk, fern walk

birding for the experienced, beginners photographic workshop, organic gardening, black bear & wild hog walk,

salamander foray, aquatic insects walk, spider walk

http://www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org/wildflower/index.cfm

Visit the website for more details or better, yet, go visit the 2011 festival in April.  Most programs are located within the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.  If you've attended the festival, please comment and let everyone know what you liked best.

Memories at Mingus Mill

We met "Flat Lauren" at Mingus Mill, a two dimensional paper doll cut out with the picture of a very loved granddaughter.  We met her grandfather carefully taking photograph after photograph of Flat Lauren proped along the 200 ft. wooden flume, so she could be a part of the mountain memories.  My kids showed interest and so he took photos of the kids with Flat Lauren.

You can be a part of the mountain memories, bring you whole family to Lightning Bug Lodge and visit Mingus Mill.
Interesting facts:
*Historical grist mill built in 1886 located at it's original site
*Cost $600 to build it within 3 months
*Largest mill in the Smokies, serving approx. 200 families
*Able to grind more than six bushels (approx. 350 lbs.) per hr.
*Uses a water power turbine instead of a waterwheel

Last year it was in operation.  This year a part broke and the Mingus Mill volunteer eagerly awaited a government bill to pass for the funding to fix it.  You can still buy corn meal at the mill and help support the non-profit.  We all enjoyed listening to the mill history and walking along the water flowing down the miltrace.
Tip:  Watch for the signs.  The mill is not part of the Mountain Farm at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center, but it's only a half mile north.

Walk through History at Mountain Farm Museum

Even if you stay in TN, you can be in NC and back in the same day.  I'd suggest visiting the NC entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, especially the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.  It's only 2 miles north of Cherokee, NC.

You can walk through the history, numerous buildings built in the late 19th century:
1) John Davis Cabin - constructed with the rare chestnut timber
2) Enloe Barn - only moved 200 yards from its native site, includes 16,000 hand split shingles

3) Messer Applehouse - originally partially underground to help insulate the apples

+ meathouse, Baxter/Jenkins Chickenhouse, Blacksmith Shop, Springhouse (for refrigeration), corn cribs, and a sorghum press.

The Mountain Farm Museum is free and located near the scenic Oconaluftee River.  The Cherokee considered the waters of the river sacred.  If you have the time, take the Oconaluftee River Trail, an easy 3 mile trail along the river.  It is especially recommended to hike during the spring, the time in which hikers have identified over 40 species of wildflowers.

Tip:  Consider timing your trip for the 3rd Sat. of Sept.  It's the Mountain Lifestyle Festival and you'll be treated to seeing people make cider and lye soap.  Plus you can visit a working blacksmith.

4 Swallowtails in the Smokies

When you are near the Smoky Mountains, you learn to look all around you.  Because when you submerse yourself in the forest and look up, you might find a delightful scene or animal, not just another traffic light.  I took this photo of the Spicebush Swallowtail in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, but I saw one resting on a branch near our cabin too.  The iridescent blue makes me believe this one is a female.  The males are bright green.

 

The Spicebush Swallowtail is found only in the Eastern US and extreme southern Ontario.  While it is the state butterfly for Mississippi, I felt surounded by them in TN to my delight.  The Tennessee official butterfly is the Zebra Swallowtail, a black and white striped butterfly.  TN recognizes 2 other insects, the firefly and ladybug and a state agricultural insect (honeybee).  The firefly was designated the official state insect in 1975.  The importance of the firefly, commonly called lightning bug, to the state was one of the inspirations for our cabin name Lightning Bug Lodge.

Swallowtails are the largest butterflies in the United States.  There are 33 species in the US; besides the Spicebush and Zebra, there are four other swallowtails found in the Smokies:  1) Pipevine Swallowtail, 2) Giant Swallowtail, 3) Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, and 4) Black Swallowtail.

A horseback riding adventure in the Smokies

Open Road's Best National Parks with Kids chooses the best parks for kids and describes nearby family fun.  It's no surprise that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the chosen parks.  One of the chosen activities is taking the family to Walden Creek Stables, "There are a variety of rides to accommodate both the equine novice and experienced rider.  Wagon rides are also provided...At the end of the buggy ride you can enjoy a supper show filled with cowboy songs, Native American dancing, and trick riding." 

For Lightning Bug Lodge guests, it's very convenient, only 1.1 miles from the Shagbark resort.  When we visited, there was less pagentry, serene in fact.  We watched the horses frolic in the sunshine, leisurely explored their shop guarded by a friendly lab, we giggled at the posted sign, "Have a great ride?  If so, kiss your horse and tip your guide."  That's the right order, a better idea than tip your horse and kiss your guide.

If you want to go horseback riding, I'd recommend this site (see next article for direct comparison).  If you are looking for a wagon ride, I'd recommend going to Cades Cove or Sugarlands where there's no min. group size required and it's only $10 per person.

Hit the Road Jack...The Road to Gatlinburg

or Jill or Bob or Betty.  It's time for a family vacation that may let you avoid baggage fees or even plane tickets.  The Smoky Mountains feels like a distant retreat, so far from a typical day.  The reality is that Gatlinburg is centrally located, only a day's drive from 50% of the US population east of the Mississippi River.  Here's 9 major cities under 6 hour drive:
1.  Chattanooga, TN  71 miles, 1.25 hours
2.  Lexington, KY    211 miles, 3.5 hours
3.  Atlanta, GA        197 miles, 3.75 hours
4.  Charlotte, NC       200 miles, 4 hours
5.  Nashville, TN      223 miles, 4 hours
6.  Columbia, SC     228 miles, 4 hours
7.  Cincinnati, OH    291 miles, 4.5 hours
8.  Birmingham, AL  302 miles, 5 hours
9.  Raleigh, NC         325 miles, 5.5 hours
If you have a choice in cars, bring your jeep or SUV for climbing gravel mountain roads.  Leave your perfectly polished sports car in the garage.