Cherokee, NC & Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Today was our last full day in North Carolina. We decided to drive west to the town of Cherokee. For those who don't know the story behind the Trail of Tears, the Cherokee were rounded up and marched to what is now Oklahoma in the 1830's. A small group resisted, hiding out in the mountains and the descendants of those individuals are members of the Eastern Cherokee Tribe. They're culture has existed for centuries, and they draw thousands of tourists each year to their events. They have a museum, and a play called "Unto These Hills" which we didn't have time for, but we did visit the Oconaluftee Indian Village and I learned all kinds of interesting things.




After leaving Cherokee, the lure of Great Smoky Mountain National Park was just too much to ignore. It's touted as the most popular national park. I don't know about that, but it does see lots of traffic. I think the park must be a hikers paradise. We, of course, did not have time to hike. But the views are beautiful, and it was worth the 35 mile drive to cross it on Highway 441.

One of the attractions on the North Carolina side is the Mountain Farm Museum. They've pulled together old buildings to recreate a farm complete with chickens and pigs. We saw broom corn, the stuff they make brooms from. I'd never seen it growing before.

On the Tennessee side of the border is Gatlinburg. Wow. It's a town that is unlike any other I've ever seen. Some of you may understand when I describe it as Depoe Bay (Oregon) meets Reno (Nevada) on steroids. I think I'd like to go back and really spend some more time in that area. One day just wasn't enough to see and do everything.