Natchez Trace
and the Smokey Mountains
August - September 2002

I met my traveling companion, Susan, at her home near Vicksburg, MS. We then drove the whole Natchez Trace. It is a beautiful, restful drive, limit 50, no trucks, and very good roadway. We drove about half-way the first day and stayed at a beautiful Corps of Eng. campground named Piney Grove, right on the lake. Very nice. Sunday we completed the whole trace, stopping at many lookout points, especially in Tenn., it ended in Nashville, then drove thru Nashville to Silver Point, TN to stay at Edgar Evins S.P.

We were pretty tired from 2 long days of driving so stayed there 3 nights. Almost had the whole park to ourselves, since we arrived Sunday evening, right after a storm had passed thru. All the sites are on platforms since it is extremely hilly, and face the lake though there are some trees in the way. Then, on thru Knoxville, and on I-40 we had to cross right over the top of the Smokies to go from TN to NC for our next stops. That part was scary, tunnels, trucks everywhere, but we made it!!

We arrived in a beautiful little town called Maggie Valley, and stayed at Ripplin' Waters Campground, right smack in middle of the town, bubbling brook all along the back of campground, close to shops, etc., and spent 3 nights there so we could be at the free Friday night mountain music Pickin' at the Pavilion concert, right across the street from C/G! Was so much fun.

Next we drove to Asheville to catch the Blue Ridge Parkway, it runs for about 450-plus miles from NC to Virginia. We drove about 100 miles, stopped at lots of lookouts, and stayed at a Natl. Park campground called Linville Falls. Very nice, good cement pads, excellent roads, but no hookups or showers. So we boondocked for 2 nights - there were a good many people there, being a Saturday, and there was a ranger program of mountain music, a threesome (campground hosts and another man) who played for about 45 minutes by a campfire. Much fun.

Driving the BR parkway is a bit tricky in some points, but the speed limit is about 40, so you just take your time, and we didn't see any other RVs the whole way, however, there were big 36 foot rigs with toads at the C/G, so I know they had to drive at least a little of it to get there (most of them lived in the vicinity).  Linville Falls is adjacent to the C/G, and a 1-mile hike takes you past several waterfalls, it is quite beautiful. We took the dogs of course, Susan’s dog Riley loves the water. Cali says "No way".  Next, we drove down from the parkway (not as bad as I was told it would be), and went gem hunting near Marion, NC. Got a big bucket of sand, sat in front of flume with a basket, and after about 40 minutes all the sand had been sieved thru and we were left with each a bag of gems/minerals/rocks/whatever, which I will attempt to identify with a book I have. Camped near the town of Marion, again along a creek.

Next we drove westward thru Waynesville, Bryson City, along the Nantahala Gorge, (very hilly and winding, almost as bad as the BR parkway) but very scenic. Spent night near Murphy, NC at a beautiful C/G called Creekside, one of the nicest of all.  Next day we drove westward again, heading for Ocoee, TN for our whitewater rafting trip. We selected an outfitter with a campground so we wouldn't have to worry about the dogs. They were kept inside, cool and comfortable, for the 4 hours we were gone. We were bused upriver, right by a dam, which controls the rapids, and runs 5 days a week, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Boy was that some fun! It was Susan's first time, but she thoroughly enjoyed. It was my 2nd time on the Ocoee, and my 4th time rafting in TN. But it had been a long time. Did a little souvenir shopping that afternoon.  Well, thereafter, we just headed home, thru Chatanooga, stopping in Gasden for the night after the rafting trip, and then heading home, staying in Meridien the last night. All together I drove about 1800-plus miles.