Great Smoky Mountains (Episode 3) - Cades Cove and the Foothills

Описание: In mid-October Sue, Willow and I began a two-week trip traveling from Columbus, Ohio to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park for the Fall colors. This was our third visit to the Smokies in the Fall, a beautiful time of year to visit.

We stayed at the Elkmont Campground and the Cades Campground in the national park. Our plan included exploring much of the Great Smoky Mountains.
• We drove multiple times from Tennessee on U.S. 441 over the mountains to the North Carolina side of the Smokies, with its many overlooks and stops and then continuing our drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway to Balsam Mountain.
• We did a little off-road driving off the Cades Cove Loop including the Rich Mountain Road and the Parson Branch Road
• We also drove the Little River Gorge Road multiple times, the Roaring Fork Road, and the Foothills Parkway with its many overlooks.

We are chronicling our trip to the Great Smoky Mountains in a series of videos. This video (Episode 3) finishes our trip to the Smoky Mountains and provides highlights of our drive on the Little River Gorge Road and the Foothills Parkway, and covers the Cades Cove area including the campground.

After leaving Elkmont Campground, we followed the Little River Gorge Road to the Cades Cove Campground. This scenic 13-mile stretch winds alongside the rushing Little River, with pull-offs that invite you to pause and take in the surroundings. Along the way, the trees occasionally open to reveal glimpses of the surrounding mountains rising above the gorge. During our fall drives, bursts of color lined the road and reflected off the water, making it even more special—a peaceful and fitting journey. It’s one of our favorite drives in the Great Smoky Mountains, and we found ourselves returning to it often during our stay.

The Cades Cove Campground sits in a peaceful valley surrounded by the Smoky Mountains, with 159 shaded, spacious sites. From the Cades Cove Campground, we headed out to the Foothills Parkway, a popular and memorable Fall drive in the Smoky Mountains. Stretching nearly 33 miles along the edge of the mountains, the parkway offers sweeping overlooks where layers of smoky ridges fade into the distance.

Near the end of our stay at Cades Cove, we explored the area further with a drive along Tremont Road to the Great Smoky Mountains Institute at Tremont, an environmental education and research center. Tremont Road leads to the institute and access to several hiking trails, following the Middle Prong of the Little River as it winds through dense forest.

On our last day in the Smokies, we drove the entire Cades Cove Loop Road on a gray and rainy day. The Cades Cove Loop Road is one of the most traveled roads in the Smoky Mountains. This 11-mile, one-way loop takes visitors back in time to give you a glimpse of Smoky Mountain history when hundreds of settlers lived in this valley surrounded by the mountains. Along the Cades Cove Loop, there are many historic structures, wildlife, and gorgeous views.
Thank you to the artists from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!) providing the music for this video including the following:
https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/beach-house License code: YOFHFFDRH2H5BKEU https://uppbeat.io/t/ra/renewed License code: U3PHJCOFOGTYND0I

Thank you to the artists from #melodyloops providing the music for this video including:
Artist WalkIn Music with the song Bright Conglomerate
Artist Andy Littlewood with the song Americana Road Trip
Artist White Cat Music with the song Free At Last
Artist ihsandincer with the song Morning Joy

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