Checkout was 11:00 am on Saturday, but we all agreed that it was too early to leave the mountains. After all, we still had a few things we wanted to do - like drive through the park, go to Clingman's Dome, and see waterfalls. Two years ago when we returned from our honeymoon, Jessica and I ate lunch at Joe's Crabshack in Asheville late in the afternoon. We left North Carolina at 4:00 PM and made it home around midnight. With that in mind, I suggested that we hang around the area until somewhere around three or four and try to be on the road as soon as possible after that.

We made our check-out time with about ten minutes to spare. After a phone call to the reservations office to tell them we were out and to report a few problems we had found (jacuzzi not working, dead phone, and staples in the carpet on the stairs), we no longer had a cabin to go home to, and we were officially homeward bound. We just didn't have any idea which way we'd go.

We stopped a few times to discuss which route to take (depending on what waterfall(s) we wanted to see) and where to eat (when we realized it was almost noon and we were about to leave civilization for at least four hours). We decided to have lunch at the Old Mill again - it was cheap and the portions were large enough to give us enough strength to make it to the top of Clingman's Dome. We were finally ready to leave Pigeon Forge around 1 PM. Not much time to make it through the whole park!

The whole drive had to be rushed because time was still ticking away. We avoided most of the pull-offs along Newfound Gap Road, and we couldn't stay long at Newfound Gap. Just past the Tennessee/North Carolina state line, the road to the right leads up the mountain to Clingman's Dome - the highest point in the Smoky Mountains. When we made it to the top, we couldn't find James and Jennifer anywhere. They had either missed the turn or done a great job losing us without telling us they wanted to separate! By the time we had Ella unloaded and our shoes changed, we saw them come around the corner. Yep - they had missed the turn!

The half-mile trek up the side of the mountain, though on a paved sidewalk, is treacherous when attempted alone. It's made even worse when you add strollers. Benches along the way provided chances to catch our breath. Once we reached the top of the mountain, a spiraling concrete ramp delivered us to the top of the lookout tower.

When we left the cabin, the temperature was starting to rise and the humidity was becoming unbearable. At over 6,600 feet above sea level, it was a chilly 59 degrees, and the mist of clouds pushed through, brushing our faces as we gazed at lakes and mountain peaks miles away. The experience made it worth the pain we were feeling in our legs.

We left the top of the mountain close to three, and we quickly realized we weren't going to be on the road by four. We finished the drive through the park, coming out in Cherokee, and went to Mingo Falls, just outside of town. I took the opportunity to take a lot of pictures of the large fall and the stream that trickled down the hill, beside the trail.

Before leaving Cherokee, we ate at Paul's Restaurant . . . a small hometown-type steak and burger joint. It was nice to see prices closer to $5.00 after growing accustomed to $20.00 meals. After a final stop for souvenirs on the edge of town, we left Cherokee at 7:40, headed up highway 19 toward Maggie Valley, then hit 276 to the interstate. An hour later, we were back in Tennessee.

A few showers along the way were expected - after all, it had rained seven of the eight days we were in the mountains. I love driving at night because there is less traffic and it is a lot cooler in the dark. I hate driving in rain at night, so I was glad that, the few times we did hit rain, it didn't last long. After over 500 miles, two tanks of gas, four stops, and nine hours, we pulled into the driveway at 4:20 AM on Sunday.

Final picture count: 1410

The Traditional Sign Picture

Clouds Rolling In - Atop Clingman's Dome

Highest Point in the Smokies

The Clingman's Dome Tower

A View from the Clingman's Dome Trail

Mingo Falls

The Trickling Stream

Sunset in Maggie Valley, NC